NNEK15004U Nutrition and Physical Activity for the Improvement of Health in the Aged

The main objectives of the course are to provide the students with knowledge regarding age related physiological changes and how these may be affected by diet and physical activity to improve health and life quality. Furthermore, students will aquire knowledge on effective individualised strategies and interventions which may improve health and life quality in an aging population.

After completion of the course students should be able to:

Knowledge:

• Describe demography of aging and the aging process
• Describe the physiological changes that occur with age
• Describe the dietary intake and physical activity of older adults and define physiological, psychosocial and mental factors that affect nutritional intake and the level of physical activity
• Explain interactions between dietary intake, physical activity and physiological, psycosocial and mental changes
• Describe diseases related to poor nutrient and physical inactivity in the aged population

Skills:

• Discuss interventions which provide food and/or nutrition and/or physical activity for older adults, including restricting and promoting factors among the older adults
• Discuss the  recommendations for nutrition and physical activity for older adults, including supplements, and specially-target foods/optimised foods for (specific groups of) older adults
• Demonstrate ability to perform assessment of nutritional status and physical capacity and health status in the elderly

Compentencies:

• Independently be able to perform evidence based evaluation of effect of nutritional and physical activity interventions in selected diseases of the elderly
• Identify gaps in existing knowledge in the field of aging, nutrition and physical activity and make suggestions for future studies
• Make dietary and physical activity recommendations to the elderly based on evaluation of scientific evidence, as well as psycosocial, mental and physical abilities