Postgraduate taught 

Human Nutrition MSc(MedSci)

Public Health and Eating Behaviour MED5180

  • Academic Session: 2024-25
  • School: School of Medicine Dentistry and Nursing
  • Credits: 20
  • Level: Level 5 (SCQF level 11)
  • Typically Offered: Semester 2
  • Available to Visiting Students: No
  • Collaborative Online International Learning: No

Short Description

An overview of the factors which influence food choice and eating behaviour and fundamental principles of nutritional epidemiology and public health nutrition.

Timetable

The course will be delivered with sessions multiple times a week during semester two.

Excluded Courses

None

Co-requisites

None

Assessment

Summative 1: Case study report (1500 words) (20%) (ILOs 1,2,3 & 4)

 

Summative 2: 5 min presentation (10%) (ILOs 1,2,3 & 4)

 

Summative 3: Essay (2500 words) (55%) (ILOs 1, 3 & 5)

 

Summative 4: Online MCQ (10%) (ILOs 2 & 5)

 

Summative 5: reflective statement (300-500 words) (5%) (ILO 6)

Course Aims

To provide students with the fundamental principles of nutritional epidemiology and public health nutrition and an overview of the factors which influence food choice and eating behaviour.

Intended Learning Outcomes of Course

On completion of this course students will be able to:

 

1. Critically discuss the fundamental principles of nutritional epidemiology and public health nutrition.

2. Critically discuss psychological, social and environmental factors which influence food choice and eating behaviour.

3. Critically evaluate epidemiological evidence linking foods, nutrients eating patterns and physical activity to the aetiology of major diet- related diseases (eg obesity, type II diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease and malnutrition)

4. Critically appraise how nutritional guidelines and recommendations are developed and identify the key nutrition concepts for developing food-based dietary guidelines

5. Using an evidence based approach discuss the principles of health promotion and critically review the effectiveness of various strategies to promote dietary change at the individual, group, community and population level.

6. Critically discuss prevalence of and factors contributing to global malnutrition and population based interventions to tackle it.

7. Reflect on a set of standards for professional behaviour using the AfN standards as an example.

Minimum Requirement for Award of Credits

For students on MSc Human Nutrition with specialisation:

As per the Association for Nutrition accreditation requirements students must submit all assessment components and achieve a minimum grade of D3 in each component.

 

For students on MSc Human Nutrition with Knowledge Transfer:

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