Course Description
Role of energy intake, macronutrients, and micronutrients in obesity prevention and management throughout life, including during the preconceptual period, pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, adolescence, middle-age, and the older adult years. Emphasis on evidence-based strategies for the general public and health practitioners to improve nutrition and prevent and manage obesity.
Additional Requirements for Graduate Students:
Graduate students will have different exams than the
undergraduates in order to document their advanced ability to
integrate and apply research-based information about nutrition
and obesity at a particular stage of the lifespan. Also,
graduate students will be required to do one of the following
to document their advanced skills in critical thinking,
appropriately evaluating the research and clinical literature,
and competency in applying this research-based information about
nutrition and obesity at a particular stage of the lifespan: 1)
present to the class a research-based overview of a selected
obesity-related nutrition topic (with 5 to 10 references), or 2)
write a research-based paper that reviews a selected nutrition
and obesity-related topic (5 to 10 pages, with 5 to 10
references).
Athena Title
Nutrition Obesity Lifespan
Prerequisite
NUTR 2100 or NUTR 2100E or NUTR 2100H
Semester Course Offered
Not offered on a regular basis.
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
Objectives are to 1) understand the role of energy intake, macronutrients, and micronutrients in obesity prevention and management throughout life, including during the preconceptual period, pregnancy, lactation, childhood, adolescence, middle- age, and the older adult years, and 2) identify practical and evidence-based ways for the general public and health practitioners to prevent and manage obesity safely and effectively in a variety of settings.
Topical Outline
1) Demographics of obesity a) Assessment of overweight and obesity b) Time trends for prevalence of overweight and obesity across the lifespan c) Time trends for changes in food and energy intake and obesity prevalence 2) Theories of the regulation of energy intake and expenditure a) Calorie balance, energy intake and energy expenditure b) Macronutrients in body weight regulation c) Micronutrients in body weight regulation d) Diet-related satiety factors (macronutrient distribution, volumetrics, energy density) e) Factors affecting food choice 3) Risk factors and consequences of obesity during a) Pre-pregnancy, pregnancy, lactation b) Infancy, childhood, adolescence c) Adulthood d) Older adult years 4) Prevention and management of obesity – policy, environmental and community factors that influence food and energy intake a) Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DHHS, USDA), front-of- package nutrition rating systems (IOM), food marketing and the diets of children and youth (IOM), food and nutrition assistance programs (Women Infant and Children, Food Stamps/Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programs, USDA) b) Food and nutrition labeling, nutrition social marketing c) Food and beverage environments (food stores, fast food, restaurants, food deserts, food advertising) d) School food and nutrition (e.g., school breakfast, school lunch, school gardens, locally grown initiatives) e) Day care and pre-schools f) Work environments g) Healthcare systems h) Community-based programs for older adults (e.g., Senior Centers) i) Integrating nutrition and physical activity into community- based prevention programs 5) Management of obesity – individual factors related to food and energy intake a) Factors affecting weight loss success (National Weight Control Registry) b) Bariatric surgery c) Pharmacology (diet “pills,” prescription, and non- prescription) d) Dietary modification (meal patterns and portion control, use of meal replacements (e.g., Slimfast), macronutrient distribution) e) Theories of behavior management f) Strategies used to promote behavior change (i.e. goal setting, motivational interviewing) g) Role of dietitian and other health practitioners in obesity management and weight loss counseling 6) Obesity prevention and management strategies throughout life a) Health belief theories b) Nutrition assessment (food intake, energy intake, body weight, BMI) c) Practical and evidence-based ways for individuals, families, schools, worksites, and communities to control energy intake and improve energy expenditure d) Examples of successful programs across the lifespan (pre- pregnancy, pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood and adolescence, adulthood, older adults)
Syllabus