Human Nutrition
Objectives
a) To know the relation between food and nutrition;
b) Understand the importance of nutrition as an integral part of health promotion and disease prevention;
c) Recognize the main factors that determine food choices;
d) Understand the basic physiology of the digestive system as well as the different steps of the digestive process;
e) Understand the concept of energetic metabolism and its determinants;
f) Understand the relation between energetic metabolism and body composition;
g) Apply the nutritional and the energetic reference recommendations;
h) Identify the nutrients present within food and its metabolism;
i) To know the principal nutritional characteristics of food and beverage;
j) Understand and apply the concept of healthy diet;
k) Recognize the nutritional characteristic of different eating patterns and their impact on the health of individuals
General characterization
Code
41005
Credits
5.5
Responsible teacher
Prof.ª Doutora Diana Teixeira
Hours
Weekly - Available soon
Total - Available soon
Teaching language
Portuguese
Prerequisites
Bibliography
- Mahan L. Kathleen 340.
Krauses food and the nutrition care process . ISBN: 978-1-4377-2233-8 - Whitney E and Rolfes SR. Understanding Nutrition 12 ed. Belmont, Wadsworth, 2008
- Sizer, F., Whitney, E; Nutrition, Concepts and Controversies. 12th Ed. Wadsworth, Cengage Learning; 2008.
- Gropper S.S., Smith J.L., Groff J.L. Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism. 5th Ed. Wadsworth, Cengage Learning, 2009.
Teaching method
The course is organized in lectures and practical classes: 1 weekly lecture for all students with a duration of 50 min each; 1 practical class per week of 2,5 hrs, in classes with a maximum of 20 students.
Evaluation method
The evaluation has a practical component and a final exam. The assessment of the practicals is continuous, corresponds to 20% of the final grade, and takes into account the following criteria: performance and attendance of students; quality of a research project and oral presentation; solving exercises or performing work; attitude and knowledge demonstrated by the student. The final exam is 80% of the final grade, and is covers all the theoretical and practical topics taught. The presence in the examination is conditional to attendance to at least 2/3 of the practical classes and a practical grade of at least 9.5.
Subject matter
1. Global perspective on food intake and nutrition;
2. Malnutrition;
3. Main determinants of food choices;
4. Digestion, absorption and nutrients transportation;
5. Body composition;
6. Energy balance;
7. Dietary and nutritional recommendations;
8. Portuguese food composition table;
8.1 Nutritional characteristics of foods and beverages;
9. Functional foods;
10. Healthy diet concept;
11. The role of nutrition, foods, nutrients and supplements in health maintenance and prevention or cause of diseases or dysfunctions throughout the life cycle and in particular physiological situations
12. Diets promoters of health (example of Mediterranean diet) and disease;
13. Vegetarian and macrobiotic food.