FSC5040 · Food, nutrition and health

Overview

This unit introduces fundamental concepts in human nutrition. You will explore dietary guidelines and nutrient reference values as frameworks that describe optimal food and nutrient intake for health. You will examine current population dietary patterns, including key macro and micro-nutrients, and how these play a role in nutrition-related chronic disease. You will be introduced to and apply food regulation standards as they relate to nutrition information and claims on food. This builds to a ‘bigger picture’ view of food and nutrition, where you will examine the food system and drivers of both human and planetary health.

Offerings

Assessment

The Handbook does not list a final examination among the assessment items. That is not a guarantee there is none.

Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.

Requisites

The Handbook lists no prerequisite, corequisite or prohibition for this unit.

Learning outcomes

1. Describe the macro and micro nutrients required for human health and apply dietary guidelines and reference values to assess population nutritional intake;
2. Develop food product re-formulation strategies to modify nutrient intake for the prevention of diet-related chronic diseases;
3. Evaluate and apply food standards and nutrition labelling systems;
4. Design and prioritize food system-level changes for the benefit of human and planetary health;
5. Use critical thinking skills and appropriate evidence to formulate innovative solutions to nutrition-related problems.

Workload

The unit will have a minimum of 6 hours of directed activities per week, including a combination of teacher directed learning (one- hour seminar and two-hour workshop), peer directed learning and online engagement. An additional six hours per week will be spent in private study time (library searches, reading and preparation of assignments).

Student experience, not official rules. Nothing here changes what the Handbook says.