NNEK25002U Nutrition, Health, Diseases and Evidence

Volume 2025/2026
Education

MSc Programme in Human Nutrition

Content

The focus is on under and malnutrition and non-communicable diseases in children and adults and the effects of diet/nutrient intake on these, both in relation to prevention and treatment. In addition, the course focuses on assessment of available evidence for a causal relationship between diet/nutrient intake and disease. 

Main topics are: under and malnutrition; inflammation; immunology; osteoporosis; cancer; obesity; metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular diseases.

 

Learning Outcome

The main objective of the course is to give the student an understanding of the relation between diet, nutrition and non-communicable diseases and to assess available evidence in nutritional research


Knowledge:

  • Describe the pathogenesis of the most common non-communicable diseases (i.e the metabolic syndrome, gestational diabetes, cardio vascular diseases, osteoporosis and cancer).
  • Describe the effects of diet/nutrients on prevention and treatment of these non-communicable diseases (including risk factors for these diseases).
  • Describe the effects of dietary strategies for treatment of under and malnutrition.
  • Define epidemiology and causality
  • Define and explain the concepts bias, confounding, effect modification, chance, power, validity and generalizability
  • Classify epidemiological study designs, and describe their advantages and limitations in nutritional research

 

Skills:

  • Discuss and reflect on the effect of diet/nutrients on the prevention and treatment of the most common non-communicable diseases (e.g. obesity, cardiovascular diseases, inflammation).
  • Explain and discuss the mechanisms behind the influence of diet/nutrients on non-communicable diseases on a systemic as well as, organ, tissue and cellular level.
  • Explain and discuss the mechanisms behind the influence of diet/nutrients on under and malnutrition on a systemic as well as, organ, tissue and cellular level.
  • Critically assess the validity of studies on diet-health relationships

 

Competences:

  • Evaluate different risk factors for non-communicable diseases.
  • Critically assess the effect of lifestyle on risk factors and development of non-communicable diseases.
  • Recommend relevant lifestyle changes for prevention and treatment based on the evolution of the risk factors.
  • Evaluate the effectiveness of diet and physical activity in the prevention and treatment of related non-communicable diseases in relation to the pathogenesis of these on a scientific level.
  • Communicate effectiveness of diet and physical activity in the prevention and treatment of related non-communicable diseases in relation to the pathogenesis of these on a non-scientific level.
  • Evaluate lifestyle strategies in the prevention and treatment of under and malnutrition.

Will be announced at Absalon.

Academic qualifications equivalent to a BSc degree is recommended.
Lectures, theoretic exercises and discussions in plenum.
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Lectures
  • 40
  • Class Instruction
  • 40
  • Preparation
  • 123
  • Exam
  • 3
  • Total
  • 206
Oral
Collective
Continuous feedback during the course of the semester

Oral feedback will be given collectively when reviewing exercises performed during lectures.

Credit
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
On-site written exam, 3 hours under invigilation
Type of assessment details
Written examination consisting of an essay, 50 % and a multiple choice test, 50 %

The on-site written exam is an ITX exam.
See important information about ITX-exams at Study Information, menu point: Exams -> Exam types and rules -> Written on-site exams (ITX)
Aid
Only certain aids allowed (see description below)

Only dictionaries supported/offered by University of Copenhagen are allowed.

 

Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
No external censorship
Internal grading.
Three assessors including an internal censor not directly involved in the course.
Re-exam

Same as ordinary exam.

If ten or fewer students have registered for re-examination, the examination will be changed to a 20 minutes oral examination without preparation.

Criteria for exam assesment

Please see "Learning Outcome".