2024/25 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

FOOD3391 Obesity and Personalised Nutrition in the 21st Century

10 creditsClass Size: 150

Module manager: Dr Katherine Markwell
Email: FoodEnquiries@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2024/25

Pre-requisite qualifications

Successfully completed level 2 of the BSc or MSci Nutrition course or equivalent qualification

This module is not approved as a discovery module

Module summary

In the past few decades the prevalence of obesity has skyrocketed world wide. Alongside this, advances in genomics have begun to explain how genetic variation determines body weight and how we interact with food and metabolize nutrients. This module will discuss the concept of ‘Personalised Nutrition’, which aims to integrate genetics/genomics knowledge with traditional nutritional management approaches to both: explain why some people are more susceptible to disease, and to better prevent chronic disease.

Objectives

The module aims to:
• Develop knowledge and understanding of the concept of personalised nutrition, including the role of diet-gene interactions on nutritional health outcomes
• Provide insight into the complex aetiology of obesity and understanding of the influence of obesity on health and disease risk
• Develop understanding of the role of nutrient-gene interactions in determining health and disease

Learning outcomes
Upon completion of the module, students should be able to:
1. Explain the role of genetics and epigenetics on an individual's response to food and nutrients and susceptibility to diet-related disease
2. Discuss the etiology of obesity and explain its influence on susceptibility to chronic disease
3. Apply the concept of personalised nutrition to the evaluation of case studies; identifying diet-related conditions in individuals and formulating personalised recommendations for health improvement

Skills outcomes
Intellectual/cognitive:
- Evaluate research findings and scientific literature and find, evaluate and critically assess appropriate sources of material.
- Demonstrate an understanding of research design and planning and the limits of scientific findings.
Professional practical skills:
- Interpret qualitative and quantitative data.
- Learn independently.
- Take responsibility for planning and organisation of work
Key / transferable skills
- Communicate ideas, principles and theories effectively by oral, written and visual means.
- Work effectively and independently on a given project or task.
- Use information technology e.g. WWW, virtual learning resources, word processing and presentation software.

Syllabus

• Introduction to ‘-omics’ in Nutrition
• Personalised nutrition in the 21st Century: nutrigenetics & nutrigenomics
• Gene:nutrient interactions: Iron
• Obesity
• Metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes
• Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
• Epigenetics & Microbiome
• Clinical nutrition in practice
• Ethics, values and professional codes of conduct (AfN)
• Physical activity & dietary interactions
• Tutorial for case studies

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Lecture	9	2.00	18.00
Tutorial	1	2.00	2.00
Private study hours			80.00
Total Contact hours			20.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			100.00

Private study

Revision of lectures and exam preparation

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Through the VLE with notes posted on the module page, or via emails to the whole student cohort
During the tutorial session for the case studies for examination

Methods of assessment

Exams

Exam type	Exam duration	% of formal assessment
Online Time-Limited assessment	2 hr	100.00
Total percentage (Assessment Exams)		100.00

Questions about a case study (1 of 3) provided in advance will be assessed under exam conditions. The resit exam will be on a different (but 1 of 3 provided) case study.

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 08/08/2024

Disclaimer

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