MMB8056 : Human Nutrition Science
- Offered for Year: 2024/25
- Module Leader(s): Dr Fiona Malcomson
- Lecturer: Professor Melissa Bateson, Ms Susan Lennie, Mr Wouter Peeters, Professor John Mathers, Dr Nicola Heslehurst, Professor Thomas Hill, Dr Matt Knight, Professor Bernard Corfe, Dr Adrian Holliday, Dr Anthony Watson, Professor Georg Lietz, Dr Suzanne Spence, Dr Oliver Shannon, Professor Emma Stevenson
- Owning School: Biomedical, Nutritional and Sports Scien
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 1 Credit Value: | 20 |
| ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Aims
This module aims to:
• provide an in-depth understanding of the role of nutrition in humans throughout the lifecourse, in health and disease;
• develop skills of students in the design and conduct research studies in nutrition
• explore contemporary issues in human nutrition research;
• develop critical appraisal skills of students as applied to the published literature related to human nutrition.
Outline Of Syllabus
The module will cover fundamentals to human nutrition, nutrition research skills (for example preclinical models, dietary assessment, intervention studies, and epidemiological studies) and contemporary issues in nutrition research. The module will be delivered via a series of lectures and workshops given by experts in the research areas covered.
Topics will include:
• Introduction to and fundamentals of nutrition (e.g., macronutrients and micronutrients, dietary requirements, assessment of nutrient status)
• Nutrition in health (e.g., ageing, sports nutrition)
• Nutrition and disease (e.g., cancer, obesity, type 2 diabetes, mental illness)
• Public health nutrition and food security
• Nutrition in health (e.g., aging and lifestyle/sport)
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 32:00 | 32:00 | Preparing for and writing up Research Proposal assessment (Summative Assessment 2) |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 32:00 | 32:00 | Preparing for presentation (Summative Assessment 1) |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 24 | 1:00 | 24:00 | Lectures - PIP |
| Guided Independent Study | Directed research and reading | 1 | 104:00 | 104:00 | Directed research and reading |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Workshops | 4 | 2:00 | 8:00 | Workshops to develop nutritional assessment skills and assessment preparation - PIP |
| Total | 200:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
Lectures will form the core teaching method and provide key knowledge and concepts for students to build on during their self-directed studies and additional reading. Through the use of example research studies and case studies, students will be introduced to critically appraising and evaluating such studies, further enhancing their critical and analytical skills.
Workshops will provide information and exercises focused on summative assessments as well as provide an opportunity for a Q&A session. There will also be two workshops demonstrating methods for assessments of dietary intake and of anthropometrics/body composition, all key methods used in nutritional research.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oral Presentation | 1 | M | 40 | Individual presentation 12 minutes plus 3 minutes for Q+A. |
| Research proposal | 1 | M | 60 | Written Research proposal (2000 words) |
Formative Assessments
Formative Assessment is an assessment which develops your skills in being assessed, allows for you to receive feedback, and prepares you for being assessed. However, it does not count to your final mark.
| Description | Semester | When Set | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research proposal | 1 | M | Brief outline (500 words max) of research proposal (Summative Assessment 2) for initial feedback on summative research proposal. |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
The oral presentation assessment will be based on critical appraisal of a recent nutrition research paper related to one of the syllabus topics, selected by the student and approved by the module team. It will test the application of knowledge, understanding of nutritional issues, and ability to critically assess and interpret scientific research. It will also provide an opportunity to develop and to test oral communication and presentation skills. Students will prepare and deliver the presentation individually, and each student will select a different paper.
The written research proposals will test the understanding of key and contemporary nutrition issues covered within the syllabus topics, as well as the ability to present the rationale for, and design of, nutritional studies, and potential impact of study results in health and disease. This activity will also develop written communication skills, particularly with respect to the research setting (i.e., research/grant proposal writing). A proforma will be provided.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- MMB8056's Timetable