2024/25 Taught Postgraduate Module Catalogue

FOOD5512M Nutritional Epidemiology and Dietary Research Methods

15 creditsClass Size: 100

Module manager: Sarah Jing Guo (SG)
Email: s.j.guo@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2024/25

Pre-requisite qualifications

Successfully completed BSc Nutrition course of other relevant qualification for entry to MSc programme

Module replaces

Applied Nutritional Epidemiology (FOOD5511M)

This module is not approved as an Elective

Module summary

This module will explore the fundamentals of nutritional epidemiology, including study design and the hierarchy of evidence pyramid, dietary assessment, anthropometric assessment and the analysis and interpretation of nutritional epidemiological studies.

Objectives

This module aims to: (1) introduce students to the fundamentals of epidemiology and its application in Nutrition, including study design and the hierarchy of evidence pyramid, analysis and interpretation of data from nutritional epidemiological studies, critical appraisal of scientific publications in Nutritional Epidemiology research, and (2) introduce students to nutritional assessment methods (including biochemical, clinical, dietary and anthropometry), and the analysis and interpretation of data arising from nutritional assessment

Learning outcomes
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following learning outcomes relevant to the subject:

1. Discuss the methods used to measure nutrient and dietary patterns of individuals, populations, and population sub-groups, and be able to extract, analyse and report on data that can be collected from these methods
2. Explain the hierarchy of evidence, recognising strengths, weaknesses and limitations of different study designs and research methods to critically analyse research
3. Explain the importance of large nutrition-related data sets and big data, and how its analysis can be used to reveal patterns, trends and associations, which can inform interventions, programmes, etc. to drive behavioural change and promote health

Skills learning outcomes
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following skills learning outcomes:

1. Work ready skills: technical/IT skills, critical thinking, core literacies (WR4,9,13)
2. Academic skills: critical thinking, academic writing, academic language, information searching, appraising & summarising the literature, academic integrity, referencing (AS2,4,5,8-10)
3. Digital skills: digital proficiency & productivity (DS1)
4. Technical skills: subject specific skills, e.g., applications of big data, statistical testing in Nutritional Epidemiology

Competence standards
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following competence standards:

1. Apply appropriate communication skills throughout all areas of practice (CC1b)
2. Demonstrate development of professional practice and competence (CC1c)
3. Explain the hierarchy of evidence, recognising strengths, weaknesses and limitations of different study designs and research methods to critically analyse research (CC2h)
4. Analyse and calculate the nutrient content of foods/feeds and diets of an individual or group, justifying your chosen method of dietary assessment (CC3g)
5. Explain the importance of large nutrition-related data sets and big data, and how it can be used to reveal patterns, trends and associations, and drive change (CC4b)
6. Discuss how individual and population dietary patterns and preferences can change over time, identifying the difference between dietary trends and requirements (CC4c)
7. Discuss the methods used to measure dietary, nutrient and activity patterns of individuals, the general population, and population sub-groups, and be able to extract and report on data that can be collected from these (CC4g)

Syllabus

Students will be introduced to key concepts and methodology in relation to studying nutritional epidemiology including detailed consideration of different study types, general principles relating to undertaking critical appraisal skills of existing research, statistical concepts used in epidemiology and health research will be also explained.

Particular topics to be covered will include: introduction to principles of research in population groups in relation to measurement of diet; methods used to measure food consumption and nutrient intake in population studies, e.g., dietary assessment methods (food frequency questionnaires, 24hr recall, food record), anthropometric methods, biochemical methos (e.g., biomarkers), etc; sources of nutritional data, including big data; food composition tables; basic concepts in statistics and statistical testing for Nutrition; critical appraisal of the scientific literature in Nutritional Epidemiology research.

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Lectures	14	1.00	14.00
seminars	2	2.00	4.00
Practicals	6	2.00	12.00
Private study hours			120.00
Total Contact hours			30.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			150.00

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Formative feedback opportunities will be offered through lecturer/practical discussions and with in-course MCQ quiz.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Assignment	Essay (critique of research paper, adding statistics components to essay (e.g. NDNS data))	100.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		100.00

Resit will take on the same format as original assessment

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 12/03/2024

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