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Food Nutrition and Health (NUTR20001)
Undergraduate level 2Points: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
For information about the University’s phased return to campus and in-person activity in Winter and Semester 2, please refer to the on-campus subjects page.
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable(opens in new window)
Contact information
Semester 2
Please refer to the LMS for up-to-date subject information, including assessment and participation requirements, for subjects being offered in 2020.
Overview
Availability | Semester 2 |
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Fees | Look up fees |
In modern western societies we are now experiencing the greatest health challenge to our way of life since the epidemics of contagious diseases of the middle ages. However the driving force for our modern epidemic of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases is not a pathogen but our own lifestyle, and at the leading edge of these factors is diet. This subject will look at the changes in diet over time with particular reference to our evolutionary development as a bipedal omnivore and the foods we evolved in parallel with, and compare these to modern processed foods. Connections will be made with these changed dietary factors to our health situation today, with an overview of specific diet related medical conditions that have become common in modern times. These health-related issues will also be viewed from within a human life cycle framework from conception to old age. The subject will also look into how nutrition research is done, showing students how to separate actual scientific evidence from the plethora of information presented in popular press books, web sites and blogs.
The subject will combine lectures and tutorial activities that involve critically reviewing current scientific studies relating foods to health and disease and an assignment investigating in depth a specific food health connection. The topics to be covered are:
- Research methodology and evidence in nutrition science
- Evolution & human diet
- Life cycle nutrition
- Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome
- Diet and CVD
- Diet and diabetes
- Diet and cancer
- Diet and the gut microbiome
Intended learning outcomes
The objective of this subject is firstly to provide students with an understanding of the role research plays in the advancement of knowledge in the field of human nutrition as it relates to health and avoidance of lifestyle diseases. Using this understanding, the role of diet in life-stage development will be investigated along with the interrelationship of dietary factors with lifestyle diseases. The underpinning basis of the subject will be viewing diet and nutrition in an evolutionary context.
On completion of this subject, students should be able to:
- Interpret scientific studies in human nutrition, with an understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of specific types of epidemiological cohort studies and randomised clinical controlled trials.
- Understand the basis of human macro and micro nutrient needs in the context of evolutionary adaptations of the digestive system and metabolic processes specific to humans.
- Outline the nutritional content and physiochemical structural differences in modern processed foods relative to the natural foods of the human evolutionary past.
- Understand how the differences in content and form of modern foods can influence health and development of chronic disease state.
- Outline the nutritional requirements of humans in different stage of development from the foetal development through to old age.
- Understand the basic diet and lifestyle issues associated with obesity, diabetes, cancers and cardiovascular diseases.
Generic skills
Students will also develop the following generic skills:
- An understanding of the role research methodology plays in the advancement of nutrition knowledge.
- Skills in independent critical thinking, analysis, review and report writing.
- Effective written and oral communication skills.
- Capacity for independent critical thought, rational inquiry and self-directed learning and research
- Capacity for creativity and innovation, through the application of skills and knowledge
- Develop the ability to work as a team member
- An ability to determine the level of validity of scientific information as communicated via journals, web sites and the media.
Last updated: 11 April 2024
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
Students should have completed one of the following subjects:
Code | Name | Teaching period | Credit Points |
---|---|---|---|
FOOD20003 | Intro to Food Science & Human Nutrition | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
BIOM20001 | Molecular and Cellular Biomedicine | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
25 |
BIOM20002 | Human Structure and Function | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
25 |
AGRI20043 | Biochemistry in Agricultural Systems | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
BCMB20002 | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology |
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
NOTE: BCMB20002 / Biochemistry and Molecular Biology may be taken concurrently
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
Code | Name | Teaching period | Credit Points |
---|---|---|---|
FOOD20008 | Food Nutrition and Health | No longer available |
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 11 April 2024
Assessment
Due to the impact of COVID-19, assessment may differ from that published in the Handbook. Students are reminded to check the subject assessment requirements published in the subject outline on the LMS
Description | Timing | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Journal article critical review 1 due approximately week 3
| Week 3 | 10% |
Journal article critical review 2 due approximately week 5
| Week 5 | 20% |
Group assignment on Dietary Comparison (1000 words per student) due approximately Week 10
| Week 10 | 20% |
Written examination
| End of semester | 50% |
Hurdle requirement: Students must attend at least 75% of the weekly tutorials | N/A |
Last updated: 11 April 2024
Dates & times
- Semester 2
Principal coordinator Kate Howell Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours 36 hours - 1 x 2 hour lecture, 1 x 1 hour tutorial per week Total time commitment 170 hours Teaching period 3 August 2020 to 1 November 2020 Last self-enrol date 14 August 2020 Census date 21 September 2020 Last date to withdraw without fail 16 October 2020 Assessment period ends 27 November 2020 Semester 2 contact information
Time commitment details
170 Hours
Last updated: 11 April 2024
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
- Understanding Nutrition Australia & NZ 2nd edition, Whitney, Rolfes, Crowe, Cameron-Smith et al
- Journal article readings will be provided via the Learning Management System (LMS).
- Breadth options
This subject is available as breadth in the following courses:
- Bachelor of Arts
- Bachelor of Commerce
- Bachelor of Design
- Bachelor of Environments
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Acting)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Animation)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Dance)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Film and Television)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Music Theatre)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Screenwriting)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Theatre)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Visual Art)
- Bachelor of Music
- Available through the Community Access Program
About the Community Access Program (CAP)
This subject is available through the Community Access Program (also called Single Subject Studies) which allows you to enrol in single subjects offered by the University of Melbourne, without the commitment required to complete a whole degree.
Entry requirements including prerequisites may apply. Please refer to the CAP applications page for further information.
- Available to Study Abroad and/or Study Exchange Students
This subject is available to students studying at the University from eligible overseas institutions on exchange and study abroad. Students are required to satisfy any listed requirements, such as pre- and co-requisites, for enrolment in the subject.
Last updated: 11 April 2024