Nutrition 331: Nutrition for Health

Course Orientation

Introduction

Nutrition 331: Nutrition for Health surveys the basic principles of human nutrition and the relationships between nutrition and chronic diseases. Diet has a major impact on health. In this course, you will examine many aspects of this subject.

This Course Orientation contains information you will need to help you successfully complete NUTR 331. Please read it carefully before you begin this course, and refer to it as you progress through the Study Guide units.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, you should be able to

1. discuss human nutrition for healthy adults.
2. discuss the role of diet in causing and preventing various diseases, particularly obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer.
3. describe methods used to assess nutrition status.
4. explain how dietary recommendations are formulated.
5. describe the methods used to carry out nutrition research.
6. distinguish sound nutritional information from unreliable nutritional information.
7. describe a healthy diet and food choices, and explain why such choices will help prevent health problems.

Course Outline

NUTR 331 is comprised of the following units of study:

Unit 1: Overview of Nutrition and Assessment of Nutritional Status

Unit 2: General Principles of Research in Nutrition

Unit 3: Dietary Reference Intakes and Diet-Planning Guides

Unit 4: Body Systems and Digestion

Unit 5: The Carbohydrates: Sugar, Starch, and Fibre

Unit 6: The Lipids: Fats, Oils, Phospholipids, and Sterols

Unit 7: Protein and Amino Acids

Unit 8: Metabolism of Nutrients and Energy Balance

Unit 9: The Vitamins

Unit 10: Water and the Minerals

Unit 11: Introduction to Chronic Diseases of Lifestyle, Obesity, and Diabetes

Unit 12: Cardiovascular Diseases

Unit 13: Diet and Cancer

Unit 14: Vegetarian Diets, Alcohol, and Caffeine

Unit 15: What Is the Healthiest Diet?

Course Materials

eText

Sizer, F. S., Whitney, E., & Piché, L. A. (2018). Nutrition: Concepts and Controversies (4th Canadian ed.) [eText]. Nelson Education.

Other Resources

Health Canada. (2020). Canada’s Food Guide. https://food-guide.canada.ca/en/

McGuire, M. ‘S.,’ Beerman, K. A., Dunford, M., & Doyle, J. A. (2014). Diet and Wellness Plus (1st ed.) [Online software]. Cengage Learning.

How to Use This Study Guide

This is an individualized study course, but your Academic Expert is available to assist you should you have questions. The Study Guide lists the objectives for each unit and identifies the sections in the eText that cover the objectives. It also supplements or clarifies the assigned readings. You should read and understand each objective first, read the assigned sections in the eText, and then read the commentary. You will need to refer back to the eText while reading the commentary. In general, you should know the definitions of words that appear in boldface type. When you think you have accomplished the learning objectives of a particular unit, take the Unit Quiz. If necessary, review the material before continuing.

Evaluation

Your grade in NUTR 331 will be based on two assignments and two invigilated examinations.

To receive credit for NUTR 331, you must

• submit Assignment 1 and obtain a mark of at least 60%.
• submit Assignment 2.
• obtain at least 55% on the final examination.
• obtain an overall course mark of at least 60%.

The following table summarizes the evaluation activities:

Assignments

The links for the two NUTR 331 assignments are located on the course home page. Look through both assignments before beginning your study. Use the corresponding assignment drop box to submit each assignment. Each assignment will be returned to you in the designated assignment drop box with a grade indicating the number of points you scored and will include the Academic Expert’s comments.

Assignment 1: Diet Analysis

In Assignment 1, you will evaluate in detail the nutritional adequacy of your diet using Canada’s Food Guide, anthropometric data, Dietary Reference Intakes, and Diet and Wellness Plus (online digital program). Complete instructions for this assignment are found in Assignment 1 on the course home page. Assignment 1 is worth 25% of your final course grade.

Save all your Diet and Wellness Plus files to your computer with your name and the correct name of what it is (e.g., Your_Name_food_intake.doc). Submit all files to your Academic Expert using the assignment drop box.

Note: You should start Assignment 1 after Unit 3 because completing Assignment 1 will assist you in writing the midterm examination. You are encouraged to submit this assignment at least four weeks prior to writing the final examination because the assignment and Academic Expert’s comments will be helpful for writing the final exam.

Assignment 2: Nutrition Issue Evaluation

Assignment 2 is designed to help you to critically evaluate nutrition or diet information. You will select a nutrition or health issue covered in Units 11–15 and write a paper of 1000–1500 words that expands on the information provided in the Study Guide and the eText. Complete instructions for this assignment are found in Assignment 2 on the course home page. Assignment 2 is worth 15% of your final course grade. Submit all files to your Academic Expert using the assignment drop box.

Examinations

You are required to write two online-invigilated exams (midterm and final). Please request your exams well in advance of the dates you intend to complete them.

The midterm exam covers the material in Units 1–8 and must be written after you complete Unit 8 of the Study Guide. The final exam covers all the material in Units 1–15 and must be written once you complete the course. Both examinations contain a combination of multiple-choice, true/false, definition, and short-answer questions.

The midterm and final are closed-book examinations. You may not consult any books, notes, or other written, printed, or electronic information during the examination. However, you may use a pocket calculator. You will have two hours to complete the midterm examination and three hours for the final examination.

While you are not obliged to request permission from your Academic Expert to write an examination, you are encouraged to consult with the Academic Expert about your readiness to write and about examination-writing strategies.

To learn more about exams, including how to request your exam, invigilation, policies, and other related information, please review Examination Services and consult Athabasca University’s Undergraduate Calendar.

Grading

Students who are dissatisfied with their grade on any examination or who obtain less than the required passing grade may write a supplemental exam. The higher of the two grades will be recorded as the official grade. There is a fee for supplemental examination services. Only one supplemental is permitted per examination.

Suggested Study Schedule

Students are generally expected to complete a three‑credit course within a six‑month contract period. Planning sets you up for success. Follow this suggested study schedule to help you pace your studies.

Please note that the schedule presented is a suggestion only. It is designed to help you complete the course in 23 weeks, which is approximately the time you will have in a six-month course contract period.

Be sure to contact your Academic Expert if you have difficulty with the material or if you are unable to adhere to the schedule as suggested. You may, of course, proceed more quickly than is suggested by this schedule.

Remember this guideline in your studies: If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.