Study information

Principles of Public Health Nutrition II

Module titlePrinciples of Public Health Nutrition II
Module codeHPDM204
Academic year2025/6
Credits15
Module staff

Dr Raquel Revuelta Iniesta (Lecturer)

Dr Kerry Brown (Lecturer)

Dr Luciana Torquati (Lecturer)

Duration: Term123
Duration: Weeks

6

Number students taking module (anticipated)

45

Module description

This module will develop your understanding of links between nutrition, physical activity, and health. This module examines evidence-based approaches to the prevention, management and control of nutritional disorders of public health significance.

Module aims - intentions of the module

By the end of this module you will have extensive understanding of the role of nutrition in the pathophysiology of common chronic diseases.

You will also have extensive knowledge of how key metabolic processes/physiological states (e.g., overweight/obesity, raised glucose/blood pressure/cholesterol, inflammation or hormonal imbalance) can lead to chronic disease onset.

You will have human nutrition skills to evaluate nutrition intervention strategies used in public health to prevent chronic conditions throughout the life cycle.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

  • 1. Summarise evidence to explain why diet/nutrition and physical activity is relevant for the prevention of chronic disease
  • 2. Describe the mechanisms and underlying metabolic processes, at the molecular, cellular, and whole-body systems level, that explain how diet/nutrition and physical activity plays a role in the prevention of chronic disease

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

  • 3. Explain the strengths and weaknesses of diet, nutrition, physical activity, and health research methods to understand the limitations of current evidence/knowledge bases
  • 4. Integrate knowledge and understanding from a variety of sources to identify or propose how diet/nutrition and physical activity can be used to prevent or manage chronic disease

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

  • 5. Work independently and organise your own time to meet deadlines
  • 6. Assume responsibility for your own learning and work

Syllabus plan

  • Dietary and physical activity risk factors to promote health and prevent/manage chronic disease.
  • Key nutrition metabolic processes/physiological states including, overweight/obesity, raised glucose/blood pressure/cholesterol, and the role of inflammation and hormones in chronic disease onset.
  • The role of diet/nutrition and physical activity/exercise for both primary and secondary prevention of the following chronic diseases/disease states:
    • Obesity
    • Diabetes
    • Cardiovascular disease and cardiovascular risk factors
    • Ageing related diseases
    • Cancer
    • Bone health

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Scheduled Learning and Teaching ActivitiesGuided independent studyPlacement / study abroad
18132

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

CategoryHours of study timeDescription
Scheduled Learning and Teaching13Lectures
Scheduled Learning and Teaching5Seminars
Guided Independent Study42Reading
Guided Independent Study15Completing study tasks on ELE
Guided Independent Study75Preparation for assessments

Formative assessment

Form of assessmentSize of the assessment (eg length / duration)ILOs assessedFeedback method
Individual podcast title & transcript outline250 words1-6Written

Summative assessment (% of credit)

CourseworkWritten examsPractical exams
10000

Details of summative assessment

Form of assessment% of creditSize of the assessment (eg length / duration)ILOs assessedFeedback method
Critical essay1002000 words1-6Written

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Original form of assessmentForm of re-assessmentILOs re-assessedTimescale for re-assessment
Critical essayIndividual critical analysis 2000 words1-6August/September Assessment period

Re-assessment notes

Deferral – if you miss an assessment for certificated reasons judged acceptable by the Mitigation Committee, you will normally be either deferred in the assessment or an extension may be granted. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.

Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e., a final overall module mark of less than 50%) you will need to complete further assessment as required. If you are successful on referral, your overall module mark will be capped at 50%.

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

Essential and recommended reading will be provided, each week, for specific teaching and learning sessions on ELE (https://vle.exeter.ac.uk/). The below are general reading materials for the overall module:

Books:

  • Lanham-New S, Macdonald IA, Roche HM. Nutrition and Metabolism. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell, 2011
  • Raymond JL, Morrow K. Krause and Mahan's Food & the Nutrition Care Process, 15th Edition: Elsevier, 2020
  • Bouchard C, Blair SN, Haskell WL. Physical Activity and Health. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics, 2007
  • Hardman A.E. and Stensel D. Physical activity and health: the evidence explained. Abingdon: Routledge, 2003
  • Ralston, SH., Penman, I., Strachan, M., Hobson, R., (2018) Davidson's Principles and Practice of Medicine. 23rd edition. Elsevier.

Reports/journals:

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

Key words search

Nutrition for health - chronic disease - obesity - diabetes - cardiovascular disease - cancer – healthy ageing - metabolism

Credit value15
Module ECTS

7.5

Module pre-requisites

None

Module co-requisites

HPDM203 Principles of Public Human Nutrition I

NQF level (module)

7

Available as distance learning?

No

Origin date

25/07/2024