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Nutrition (NUTR) 406
Modern Concepts in Nutrition
(Revision 2)

Revision 2 closed, replaced by current version.

View previous syllabus

Delivery mode: Individualized study online.

Credits: 3 - Science

Prerequisite: NUTR 405

Centre: Centre for Science

NUTR 406 has a Challenge for Credit option.

Overview

The course provides an in-depth understanding of topics valuable to a well-rounded understanding of nutrition and presents recent developments in the field. In addition, students will enhance their ability to write a critical evaluation of topics in nutrition.

Outline

The major part of this reading course will be from Nutritional health: Strategies for disease prevention, edited by Norman J. Temple, Ted Wilson, and David Jacobs. Topics covered include:

  • health promotion
  • the effect on health of the dietary intake of n-3 fatty acids, fish oil, phytochemicals, antioxidants, and alcohol
  • the role of diet in cancer, obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension
  • herbs
  • the role of maternal and fetal nutrition in disease in later life
  • nutritional epidemiology
  • genetic engineering
  • the marketing of dietary supplements
  • the food industry and political influence
  • nutrition information using the Internet.

Students will also read several research articles, complete four assignments, and write a final examination. In order to complete the assignments students require access to either the Internet or a research library, preferably both.

Evaluation

To receive credit for NUTR 406 you must:

  • Submit all four assignments and obtain a mark of at least 60 percent on each;
  • Obtain at least 55 percent on the examination;
  • Obtain an overall course mark of at least
    “C-” (60 percent).
Assign 1 Assign 2 Assign 3 Assign 4 Final Exam Total
16% 16% 13% 10% 45% 100%

To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University's online Calendar.

Course Materials

Textbook

Norman J. Temple, Ted Wilson and David Jacobs, eds. 2006. Nutritional health: Strategies for disease prevention, second edition. Humana Press.

Other Materials

The course materials also include a student manual/study guide and a reading file.