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  2. Controversies in Nutrition [NUT3241]

Faculty of Health, Engineering and Science

School: Exercise and Health Sciences

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

  • Unit Title

    Controversies in Nutrition

  • Unit Code

    NUT3241

  • Year

    2015

  • Enrolment Period

    1

  • Version

    2

  • Credit Points

    15

  • Full Year Unit

     N

  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus

Description

The unit explores current controversies in the field of nutrition. At a macro level, current pathways of food production and emerging technologies are studied. At an individual level, traditional and novel approaches to health maximisation through the use of food as a preventive and therapeutic agent are examined.

Prerequisite Rule

Students must pass 1 units from NUT1121

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Assess the impact of genetically modified food products upon health and the environment.
  2. Critically analyse the effect of the food supply on health outcomes in remote and regional Australia.
  3. Critically evaluate the nature of foods used for therapeutic purposes.
  4. Debate the nature of functional foods and emerging biotechnologies.
  5. Examine the effects of food allergies, toxicants, contaminants and additives upon health.
  6. Examine the most recent advances in the control of non-communicable nutrition related diseases which are prevalent in modern society.

Unit Content

  1. Advances in the control of non-communicable nutritionrelated diseases.
  2. Biotechnology and emerging issues influencing packaging laws.
  3. Eating disorders, disordered eating and trends in dieting.
  4. Food sensitivity, allergy and intolerance.
  5. Functional foods, food as an alternative therapy for health problems and nutraceuticals.
  6. Health implications of naturally occurring toxicants and food contaminants.
  7. National and international food guidance systems.
  8. Nutritional implications of an affluent food supply.
  9. Nutritional issues surrounding food supply in regional and remote Australia.
  10. Scientific and environmental aspects of genetically modified foods and food additives.

Additional Learning Experience Information

The unit presentation will include lectures, seminars, team-based debates,groupbased presentations, eLearning activities and audio-visual and multimedia activities.

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant Board of Examiners.

Due to the professional competency skill development associated with this Unit, student attendance/participation within listed in-class activities is compulsory. Students failing to meet participation standards as outlined in the unit plan may be awarded an I Grade (Fail - incomplete). Students who are unable to meet this requirement for medical or other reasons must seek the approval of the unit coordinator.

ON CAMPUS
TypeDescriptionValue
Tutorial PresentationGroup presentation - Controversial nutrition issue 20%
ReportCritique of evidence - Controversial nutrition issue30%
ExaminationEnd of semester examination50%

Text References

  • ^ Wahlqvist, M.L. (Ed.). (2011). Food and nutrition: Food and health systems in Australia and New Zealand (3rd ed.). Crows Nest, Australia: Allen & Unwin.
  • Webb, F.S., & Whitney, E. N. ( 2011). Nutrition: concepts and controversies (12th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.
  • Wardlaw, G., & Smith, A. (2009). Contemporary nutrition (7th ed.). Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill.
  • Wardlaw, G.M., & Byrd-Bredbenner, C. (2013). Wardlaw's perspectives in nutrition (9th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
  • Temple, N., Wilson, T., & Jacobs, D. (2006). Nutritional health. Strategies for disease prevention (2nd ed.). Totowa, NJ: Humana Press.
  • Whitney, E., Rolfes. S., Crowe, T., Cameron-Smith, D., & Walsh, A. (2011). Understanding nutrition: Australia and New Zealand (1st ed.). Belmont, CA: Thomson Learning.
  • Insel, P., Turner, R., & Ross, D. (2007). Nutrition (3rd ed.). Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett Publishers.
  • NHMRC. (2006). Nutrient reference values for Australia and New Zealand including Recommended Dietary Intakes. Canberra, Australia: AGPS.
  • Smolin, L., & Grosvenor, M. (2011). Basic nutrition (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Chelsea House.
  • Buttriss, J. (Ed.). (2008). Adverse Reactions to Food: The Report of a British Nutrition Foundation Task Force. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley-Blackwell.

Journal References

  • Journal of Nutrition, Health and Aging
  • Nutrition and Dietetics
  • Journal of Nutrition
  • British Journal of Nutrition
  • American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
  • Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition

Website References

^ Mandatory reference

Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Access and Inclusion website.

Academic Misconduct

Edith Cowan University has firm rules governing academic misconduct and there are substantial penalties that can be applied to students who are found in breach of these rules. Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to:

  • plagiarism;
  • unauthorised collaboration;
  • cheating in examinations;
  • theft of other students' work;

Additionally, any material submitted for assessment purposes must be work that has not been submitted previously, by any person, for any other unit at ECU or elsewhere.

The ECU rules and policies governing all academic activities, including misconduct, can be accessed through the ECU website.

NUT3241|2|1

Faculty of Health, Engineering and Science

School: Exercise and Health Sciences

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

  • Unit Title

    Controversies in Nutrition

  • Unit Code

    NUT3241

  • Year

    2015

  • Enrolment Period

    2

  • Version

    2

  • Credit Points

    15

  • Full Year Unit

     N

  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus

Description

The unit explores current controversies in the field of nutrition. At a macro level, current pathways of food production and emerging technologies are studied. At an individual level, traditional and novel approaches to health maximisation through the use of food as a preventive and therapeutic agent are examined.

Prerequisite Rule

Students must pass 1 units from NUT1121

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Assess the impact of genetically modified food products upon health and the environment.
  2. Critically analyse the effect of the food supply on health outcomes in remote and regional Australia.
  3. Critically evaluate the nature of foods used for therapeutic purposes.
  4. Debate the nature of functional foods and emerging biotechnologies.
  5. Examine the effects of food allergies, toxicants, contaminants and additives upon health.
  6. Examine the most recent advances in the control of non-communicable nutrition related diseases which are prevalent in modern society.

Unit Content

  1. Advances in the control of non-communicable nutritionrelated diseases.
  2. Biotechnology and emerging issues influencing packaging laws.
  3. Eating disorders, disordered eating and trends in dieting.
  4. Food sensitivity, allergy and intolerance.
  5. Functional foods, food as an alternative therapy for health problems and nutraceuticals.
  6. Health implications of naturally occurring toxicants and food contaminants.
  7. National and international food guidance systems.
  8. Nutritional implications of an affluent food supply.
  9. Nutritional issues surrounding food supply in regional and remote Australia.
  10. Scientific and environmental aspects of genetically modified foods and food additives.

Additional Learning Experience Information

The unit presentation will include lectures, seminars, team-based debates, group based presentations, eLearning activities and audio-visual and multimedia activities.

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant Board of Examiners.

ON CAMPUS
TypeDescriptionValue
Tutorial PresentationGroup presentation - Controversial nutrition issue 20%
ReportCritique of evidence - Controversial nutrition issue30%
ExaminationEnd of semester examination50%

Text References

  • ^ Wahlqvist, M.L. (Ed.). (2011). Food and nutrition: Food and health systems in Australia and New Zealand (3rd ed.). Crows Nest, Australia: Allen & Unwin.
  • Buttriss, J. (Ed.). (2008). Adverse Reactions to Food: The Report of a British Nutrition Foundation Task Force. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley-Blackwell.
  • NHMRC. (2006). Nutrient reference values for Australia and New Zealand including Recommended Dietary Intakes. Canberra, Australia: AGPS.
  • Smolin, L., & Grosvenor, M. (2011). Basic nutrition (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Chelsea House.
  • Temple, N., Wilson, T., & Jacobs, D. (2006). Nutritional health. Strategies for disease prevention (2nd ed.). Totowa, NJ: Humana Press.
  • Wardlaw, G.M., & Byrd-Bredbenner, C. (2013). Wardlaw's perspectives in nutrition (9th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
  • Webb, F.S., & Whitney, E. N. ( 2011). Nutrition: concepts and controversies (12th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.
  • Whitney, E., Rolfes. S., Crowe, T., Cameron-Smith, D., & Walsh, A. (2011). Understanding nutrition: Australia and New Zealand (1st ed.). Belmont, CA: Thomson Learning.

Journal References

  • American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
  • Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition
  • British Journal of Nutrition
  • Journal of Nutrition
  • Journal of Nutrition, Health and Aging
  • Nutrition and Dietetics

Website References

^ Mandatory reference

Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Access and Inclusion website.

Academic Misconduct

Edith Cowan University has firm rules governing academic misconduct and there are substantial penalties that can be applied to students who are found in breach of these rules. Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to:

  • plagiarism;
  • unauthorised collaboration;
  • cheating in examinations;
  • theft of other students' work;

Additionally, any material submitted for assessment purposes must be work that has not been submitted previously, by any person, for any other unit at ECU or elsewhere.

The ECU rules and policies governing all academic activities, including misconduct, can be accessed through the ECU website.

NUT3241|2|2