Nutritional Epidemiology and Research Skills
UndergraduateLTU-DTN3042020
Previously LTU-DTN404
Course information for 2020 intake View information for 2025 course intake
Study eating patterns and measure how diet, body mass and types of food can prevent or contribute to disease. Discover how a diet rich in nutritional value reduces risks to human health, and helps people to live longer.
Enrolments for this course are closed, but you may have other options to start studying now. Book a consultation to learn more.
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Entry requirements
- Part of a degree
- Duration
- 13 weeks
- Loan available
- HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP available
Nutritional Epidemiology and Research Skills
About this subject
At the completion of this subject students will be able to:
- Demonstrate and apply understanding of epidemiological terms, definitions and concepts used in measurements of disease;
- Critically review and evaluate the methodologies of different study designs used in nutritional epidemiology;
- Apply skills in nutrition related data collection and management including measurement and assessment of anthropometry, dietary assessment and body composition of individuals;
- Analyse small population datasets using biostatistics and interpret results in accordance with the NHMRC ethical code of conduct.
- Introduction to epidemiology and research methods
- Research process
- Biostatistics
- Measurements of disease exposure and occurrence
- Confidence intervals, relative risk, odds ratios
- Accuracy measures in epidemiology
- Nutritional biomarkers in epidemiology
- Quality criteria and levels of evidence
- Health Survey results
- Epidemiology in diet and disease
- Food composition databases
- Human research ethics
Please note: this subject was previously known as DTN404 Nutritional Epidemiology and Research Skills
In this subject you will develop an understanding of the fundamentals of epidemiology, the main study designs and research concepts of direct relevance to the role of food and nutrition in the prevention and causation of disease. Nutritional epidemiology techniques for the assessment of diet and body composition of individuals and populations are covered in depth. The degree covers sources of data on mortality and morbidity, measures of disease prevalence, incidence and risk, chance, bias and confounding. Standard and non-parametric statistical techniques will be reviewed and you will have the opportunity to analyse a population dataset. You will acquire knowledge and skills that form the foundation for research practice in nutrition.
- 3 part: 2000 word research assignment (45%)
- 3 x module quizzes (1.5 hrs total) (35%)
- 1000 word critical analysis (20%)
For textbook details check your university's handbook, website or learning management system (LMS).
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Entry requirements
Part of a degree
To enrol in this subject you must be accepted into one of the following degrees:
Core
- LAT-HUN-DEG-2020 - Bachelor of Food and Nutrition
Prior study
You must either have successfully completed the following subject(s) before starting this subject, or currently be enrolled in the following subject(s) in a prior study period; or enrol in the following subject(s) to study prior to this subject:
Please note that your enrolment in this subject is conditional on successful completion of these prerequisite subject(s). If you study the prerequisite subject(s) in the study period immediately prior to studying this subject, your result for the prerequisite subject(s) will not be finalised prior to the close of enrolment. In this situation, should you not complete your prerequisite subject(s) successfully you should not continue with your enrolment in this subject. If you are currently enrolled in the prerequisite subject(s) and believe you may not complete these all successfully, it is your responsibility to reschedule your study of this subject to give you time to re-attempt the prerequisite subject(s).
Equivalent subjects
You should not enrol in this subject if you have successfully completed any of the following subject(s) because they are considered academically equivalent:
LTU-DTN404-Nutritional Epidemiology and Research Skills (no longer available)
Additional requirements
- Software requirements - IBM SPSS Standard Grad Pack 23/24/25/26
- Other requirements -
This subject is offered via Open Universities Australia. La Trobe University students can undertake this subject as part of a cross institutional enrolment under certain circumstances, and must seek approval from the Bachelor of Food and Nutrition course coordinator for eligibility. Due to the nature of the subject content and online delivery, enrolments are generally not permitted past the published OUA enrolment date for the study period.
Study load
- 0.125 EFTSL
- This is in the range of 10 to 12 hours of study each week.
Equivalent full time study load (EFTSL) is one way to calculate your study load. One (1.0) EFTSL is equivalent to a full-time study load for one year.
Find out more information on Commonwealth Loans to understand what this means to your eligibility for financial support.
Student feedback
12 student respondents between 19 Aug 2024 - 11 Mar 2025.
75%of students felt the study load was manageable
100%of students felt this subject helped them gain relevant skills
Related degrees
Once you’ve completed this subject it can be credited towards one of the following courses
Bachelor of Food and Nutrition
UndergraduateLAT-HUN-DEG