Learning objectives
At the end of the training activity, the student should have acquired knowledge and skills related to the effect of nutrients/food/diets on human metabolism in the various physiological states, the role of functional foods in the maintenance of human health and well-being and basic information related to consumer information regulations.
In particular, the student should be able to:
1. Understanding how the human organism regulates the utilization of energy substrates in the metabolic phases and how foods and nutrients affect the human organism. Knowing the basic concepts of the European regulations on food labeling for both mandatory and voluntary information (knowledge and understanding skills).
2. Being able to understand how foods and particular diets can influence the human organism (applying knowledge and understanding)
3. Being able to critically evaluate the quality of nutritional information on diets and foods disseminated by the press and the web (making judgment)
4. Being able to present scientific studies to support or against a nutritional case study (communication skills)
5. Linking the different topics dealt with each other and with the basic and related disciplines. Updating by consulting scientific publications specific to the sector (learning skills).
Prerequisites
Basic knowledge of human physiology and nutrition.
Course unit content
The program of the course is summarized in the following topics: METABOLIC REGULATION: 1) metabolism during the postabsorptive phase; 2) metabolism during the postprandial phase; 3) integration of carbohydrate, protein and lipid metabolism among tissues and organs. NON NUTRITIVE FOOD COMPONENTS: 4) water; 5) alcohol; 6) antioxidants and oxidative stress; 7) probiotics and prebiotics; 8) functional compounds in food. NUTRITION IN DIFFERENT AGES: 9) nutrition in the elderly; 10) nutrition in childhood; 11) nutrition in pregnancy and lactation. REGULATIONS AND FOOD INFORMATION TO CONSUMERS: 12) food labeling; 13) dietetic foods; 14) novel foods; 15) regulations on nutrition and health claims.
Full programme
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Bibliography
1) F. FIDANZA, G. LIGUORI: Nutrizione Umana - IDELSEN (Napoli) 2) A. MARIANI COSTANTINI, C. CANNELLA, G. TOMASSI: Alimentazione e Nutrizione Umana - il Pensiero Scientifico (Roma).
3) M. SHILS, J. OLSON, M. SHIKE: Modern Nutrition in Health and Disease, VIII ed, LEA & FEBIGER (Philadelphia) 4) K. Frayn: Metabolic Regulation. Portland Press, (London) 5) T. Brody: Nutritional biochemistry – (Academic Press).
Teaching methods
Teaching will be carried out through classroom lectures with the aid of slides that will represent educational material available online at Elly platform in pdf format for students.
Assessment methods and criteria
The summative assessment of the learning is carried out through:
1. a semi-structured written test with three open questions during the course, not compulsory, which deals with the topics: metabolic regulation and non-nutritive food components. During the written exam, the student is asked to answer the questions in a concise manner. The duration of the exam is 1 hour and a half, the weight of the questions is fairly divided, the evaluation scale is from 0 to 30, and the final mark is obtained by averaging the evaluation of each question. The ability to synthesize and link the topics will be particularly rewarded.
2. a group work consisting in the presentation of a nutrition case study set with the teacher. The test is evaluated with a scale of 0-30.
3. an oral exam which will focus on the last two parts of the program (particular nutrition and food information to consumers) with an indicative half-hour duration. The oral exam is evaluated with a scale of 0-30.
The final grade, communicated at the end of the oral exam, is obtained from the arithmetic average of the marks of the 3 tests (in thirtieths) or of the 2 tests if the student decides not to take the test during the course.
The mark of the written test during the course is communicated within the two weeks following the test, by publication on Elly platform. Please note that the online registration for the exam is COMPULSORY both in the case of the written test and the oral exam.
Other information
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