NNEK23005U Diet and Physical Activity in Prevention and Treatment of Disease

Volume 2023/2024
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 and physical activity on these, both in relation to prevention and treatment.

Main topics are: under and malnutrition; inflammation; immunology; osteoporosis; cancer; obesity; metabolic syndrome; type 2 diabetes 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 physical activity and non-communicable diseases in adulthood.

Knowledge:

  • Describe the pathogenesis of the most common non-communicable diseases (i.e the metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, gestational diabetes, cardio vascular diseases, osteoporosis and cancer).
  • Describe the effects of lifestyle (diet/nutrients and physical activity) 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.

 

Skills:

  • Discuss and reflect on the effect of lifestyle (diet/nutrients and physical activity) on the prevention and treatment of the most common non-communicable diseases (e.g. obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, inflammation).
  • Explain and discuss the mechanisms behind the influence of lifestyle (diet/nutrients and physical activity) on non-communicable diseases on a systemic as well as, organ, tissue and cellular level.
  • Explain and discuss the mechanisms behind the influence of lifestyle (diet/nutrients) on under and malnutrition on a systemic as well as, organ, tissue and cellular level.

 

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.
Literature

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
Written examination, 3 hours under invigilation
Written assignment
Type of assessment details
Written examination, 3 hours under invigilation + essay assignment during the course.
Description of Examination: 3 hour written examination - essay and multiple choice test.
Weight: Examination 100% (of which 40% is based on the essay part under invigilation and 50% on the multiple choice part under invigilation + 10% essay assignment handed in during the course (evaluation of the latter part will be included as a part of the final evaluation).

The course has been selected for 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

Only Danish-English dictionary and English-Danish dictionary allowed.

As the exam is an ITX-exam, the University will make computers available to students at the exam. Students are therefore not permitted to bring their own computers, tablets, calculators, or mobile phones.

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".