Subject details

At the completion of this subject students will be able to:

  1. describe the relationship between diet, health and disease (especially obesity)
  2. describe the evolution of human diet from pre-agricultural times to the present
  3. describe the ingredients in functional foods, nutritional rationale for their inclusion in foods and the mechanism of action of these nutrients in the body
  4. critically evaluate the experimental design and nutritional significance of published research papers
  5. differentiate between scientific data and advertising on a website as it relates to nutrition
  6. describe the principle epidemiological research studies on human diet and health and their main findings
  7. evaluate the nutrient composition of designated diets of natural versus processed foods.
    • Nutrition and disease
    • Evolution and diet
    • Methodology and Evidence
    • Major dietary studies
    • Obesity and metabolic syndrome
    • Diet and CVD
    • Atherosclerosis
    • Dietary fats and CVD
    • Functional foods
    • Vegetarian diets
    • Diabetes
    • Diet and cancer

  • Study resources

    • Instructional methods

      • Discussion forum/Discussion Board
      • Online assignment submission
      • Standard Media
      • Web links

    • Online materials

      • Online Assessment

You are recommended to have completed the following subjects(s) or have equivalent knowledge before starting this subject:

Special requirements

No special requirements

This subject is designed to extend your knowledge of the principles of nutrition into aspects of applied human nutrition and public health. You will study the relationship between diet, health and disease especially as it relates to the obesity and diabetes epidemic and in the world today, along with how foods and diets are modified to suit nutrition needs including functional foods. The concept of human diet evolution will underpin the topics covered relating to diet and public health issues in modern society. You will be required to read research papers on the evolving human diet and how our current diet of processed foods is not suited to the physiology of our bodies and biochemistry of our metabolic processes, leading to obesity, diabetes, heart disease and cancers.

  • Online Discussion (6%)
  • Invigilated Exam (50%)
  • Assignment (44%)