Nutrition (NUTR) 331
Nutrition for Health (Revision 7)

Revision 7 is closed for registrations, replaced by current version
View previous syllabus.
Delivery Mode: Individualized study or grouped study. Computer access required.
Credits: 3
Area of Study: Science
Prerequisite: Senior high school chemistry and biology courses are recommended but not required.
Precluded Course: NUTR 330 or NUTR 405 (NUTR 331 may not be taken for credit if credit has already been obtained for NUTR 330 or NUTR 405). Students who take NUTR 331 may NOT continue to NUTR 405.
Centre: Centre for Science
NUTR 331 has a Challenge for Credit option. Students who are challenging NUTR 331 and NUTR 330 will not be eligible for a refund of the learning resources. The learning resources package contains computer disks that you must use in order to complete the challenge.
Overview
Nutrition 331: Nutrition for Health surveys the basic principles of human nutrition and the relationships between nutrition and chronic diseases. There is now a large body of evidence demonstrating that diet has a major impact on health. In this course, we examine all aspects of this subject.
For a student who plans to take only one nutrition course at Athabasca University, NUTR 331 is the best choice. It is also the best nutrition course for students with limited science background. Students wanting to study nutrition in more detail should take NUTR 330 followed by NUTR 405.
Outline
Unit 1: Overview of Nutrition; 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?
Evaluation
To receive credit for NUTR 331, you much submit the assignment and obtain a mark of at least “60” percent, obtain at least “55” percent on the final examination, and obtain a course composite grade of at least “C-” (60 percent). The chart below summarizes the course activities and the credit weight associated with each.
Assignment | Mid-term Exam | Final Exam | Total |
---|---|---|---|
25% | 30% | 45% | 100% |
To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University's online Calendar.
Course Materials
Textbooks
Sizer, F. S., Whitney, E., & Piché, L. (2009). Nutrition: Concepts and Controversies (First Canadian Ed.). Toronto: Nelson.
Diet Analysis+ (8.0.1). (2008). Salem, OR: Wadsworth Cengage Learning. [CD-ROM]
Health Canada. Eating Well with Canada's Food Guide. Ottawa: Minister of Health Canada, 2007.
Other Materials
The course materials include a study guide, a student manual, and an assignment booklet.
Challenge for Credit Course Overview
The Challenge for Credit process allows students to demonstrate that they have acquired a command of the general subject matter, knowledge, intellectual and/or other skills that would normally be found in a university level course.
Full information for the Challenge for Credit can be found in the Undergraduate Calendar.
- Undergraduate Challenge for Credit Policy
- Undergraduate Challenge for Credit Procedures
Challenge Evaluation
To receive credit for the NUTR 331 challenge registration, you must achieve a grade of at least 60 per cent on the assignment and 55 per cent on the examination, and obtain a course composite grade of at least “C-” (60 percent).
Assignment | Exam | Total |
---|---|---|
20% | 80% | 100% |
Undergraduate Challenge for Credit Course Registration Form
Athabasca University reserves the right to amend course outlines occasionally and without notice. Courses offered by other delivery methods may vary from their individualized-study counterparts.
Opened in Revision 7, May 14, 2010.
View previous syllabus
Last updated by SAS 11/24/2015 11:44:20