Course Catalogue

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This course will consider recent research evidence regarding the impact of habitual diet, exercise, sedentariness, and age on components of energy balance and thus on body mass and body composition and consider mechanisms involved in energy balance regulation. Students will also learn about the mechanisms preventing body mass loss during exercise programmes and caloric restriction and leading to the regain of reduced body mass. They also will learn about body composition methods, methods used to measure and estimate energy expenditure and its components, and methods used for energy intake measurements. The energy status of athletic populations, including relative energy deficiency in sports, will also be considered. Evidence on the impact of oral high-energy nutritional supplements for the correction of energy intake in malnourished children and adults will be considered. Students will also learn the principles of a range of dietary assessment techniques including food frequency questionnaires, dietary records and dietary recalls.

There are normally 3 hours of teaching on Mondays, which may be split over more than one session.

Normally, only available to final-year Life Sciences students in a Human Biology & Nutrition or Physiology Sports Science & Nutrition programme. Visiting students may be allowed to enrol, at the discretion of the Life Sciences Chief Adviser and the Course Coordinator.

None.

The course will be assessed by a 2-hour examination (70%) and in-course assessment consisting of a scientific report based on research data analysis (30%). 

Reassessments are normally available for all courses, except those which contribute to the Honours classification. For non-Honours courses, students are offered reassessment in all or any of the components of assessment if the satisfactory (threshold) grade for the overall course is not achieved at the first attempt. This is normally grade D3 for undergraduate students and grade C3 for postgraduate students. Exceptionally it may not be possible to offer reassessment of some coursework items, in which case the mark achieved at the first attempt will be counted towards the final course grade. Any such exceptions for this course are described below. 

The course aims to equip students with a critical understanding of the physiological mechanisms involved in energy balance regulation, so they can interpret studies and research considering the impact of lifestyle and environment, as well as critique body composition and energy expenditure measurement and estimation techniques. 

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

■ Discuss the concept and measurements of energy balance, including measurement of energy intake, and energy expenditure and how they should be used in practice and research;

■ Discuss the evidence on how energy balance and thus body composition is influenced by dietary and physical activity habits and age; 

■ Discuss the evidence on how energy balance and its regulation is impacted by caloric restriction, overfeeding and physical activity.

■ Discuss methods used to measure body composition;

■ Discuss the energy status of athletic populations;

■ Discuss oral high-energy nutritional supplements for the correction of energy intake in malnourished children and adults;

■ Evaluate evidence and data produced during research studies.

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.