Course Title: Nutrition, Health and Disease

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Nutrition, Health and Disease

Credit Points: 12.00

Terms

Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

OHTH4264

City Campus

Postgraduate

171H School of Science

Face-to-Face

 Sem 1 2024

Course Coordinator: Dr Jessica Danaher

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 6117

Course Coordinator Email: jessica.danaher@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: 201.6.12

Course Coordinator Availability: By appointment, by email


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

Required Prior Study

You should have satisfactorily completed following course/s before you commence this course.

Alternatively, you may be able to demonstrate the required skills and knowledge before you start this course.

Contact your course coordinator if you think you may be eligible for recognition of prior learning.


Course Description

This course offers an in-depth understanding of the relationship between nutrition and chronic diseases such as obesity, type II diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. It emphasises the critical examination of diet-health connections and the impact of dietary factors on disease mechanisms. Students will explore the interplay between nutrients and human physiology, examining contemporary nutrition evidence with a critical eye.  

Key areas include distinguishing scientific data from promotional content in nutrition, developing critical analysis and communication skills in the conveyance of nutrition concepts, and building teamwork capabilities through collaborative projects. The course also covers nutrition-gene interactions, the gut microbiome, and the nutritional aspects of various diet types.  

Through a blend of theoretical knowledge with active and authentic learning tasks, you will be equipped to critically assess nutrition information, debunk myths, and communicate evidence-based insights on nutrition, health, and disease. 


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

This course contributes to the program learning outcomes for the following program(s):  

MC237 Master of Food Science and Technology 

1.0 Understand food science and technology by: 

  • 1.2 You will display a thorough understanding of recent developments in a specialised area of food science and technology. 
  • 1.3 You will apply research principles and methods applicable to food science and technology. 

2.0 Critically analyse and solve problems in food science and technology by: 

  • 2.1 You will demonstrate cognitive skills and mastery of advanced theoretical knowledge in food science and technology and apply this knowledge to solve complex problems in existing and emerging areas of this discipline. 
  • 2.2 You will generate and evaluate complex ideas and concepts at an abstract level. 

4.0 Communicate technical knowledge by: 

  • 4.1 You will effectively communicate concepts of food science and technology to specialist and non-specialist audiences, using a variety of presentation modes. 

5.0 Display personal and professional responsibility by: 

  • 5.1 You will be accountable for individual learning and professional rigour via the development of independent and self-directed learning strategies. 
  • 5.2 You will work effectively, responsibly, ethically and safely in an individual or team context 

For more information on the program learning outcomes for your program, please see the program guide.  


Upon successful completion of this course, you should be able to: 

  1. Critically examine the connection between nutrition and health, and the mechanisms by which diet-related factors influence chronic diseases (i.e., obesity, diabetes, type II diabetes, heart disease, cancer and gut issues).
  2. Explain the interaction between nutrients and human physiology, and related health outcomes.
  3. Critically review contemporary nutrition research, emphasising evidence-based methodologies to debunk nutrition myths and deliver clear, factual insights.
  4. Discriminate between scientific data and promotional or biased content on nutrition, showcasing the ability to evaluate information sources accurately.
  5. Demonstrate adept communicate skills in conveying nutrition-related concepts effectively through both written and verbal formats.
  6. Demonstrate effective teamwork skills by collaboratively contributing to the creation of an innovative report focused on nutrition, health and disease. 


Overview of Learning Activities

The learning activities included in this course are:

  • Private study, working through the course syllabus materials (online learning modules); 
  • Workshops where syllabus material will be discussed; 
  • Workshop activities designed to give further practise in the application of theory and procedures, gaining practise at solving conceptual and numerical problems; 
  • Online multiple choice tests providing opportunities for feedback on student progress and understanding; 
  • Student presentations about diseases of Western lifestyle and nutrition; 
  • Written assignments and case studies requiring an integrated understanding of the subject matter. 


Overview of Learning Resources

RMIT will provide you with resources and tools for learning in this course through myRMIT Studies Course. 

There is no recommended text for this unit, however the following book is a useful reference:  

  • Whitney, Rolfes, Crowe, Cameron-Smith & Walsh (2019) “Understanding Nutrition” (Aust & NZ 4th ed, Cengage Learning)  

This book is available online through the RMIT Library and can be downloaded for free.  

There are services available to support your learning through the University Library. The Library provides guides on academic referencing and subject specialist help as well as a range of study support services. For further information, please visit the Library page on the RMIT University website and the myRMIT student portal. 


Overview of Assessment

Assessment Tasks 

Assessment Task 1:Online Knowledge Checks
Weighting 20% 
This assessment supports CLOs 1 & 2  

Assessment Task 2: Individual Assignment 
Weighting 25%  
This assessment task supports CLOs 1, 2, 3 & 5  

Assessment Task 3:Team-Based Investigation  
Weighting 35%   
This assessment task supports CLOs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6 

Assessment Task 4: Nutrition Specialist Workday 
Weighting: 20%  
This assessment task supports CLOs 1 & 2 

If you have a long-term medical condition and/or disability it may be possible to negotiate to vary aspects of the learning or assessment methods. You can contact the program coordinator or Equitable Learning Services if you would like to find out more.