Childhood Growth and its Relation to Health, 15 credits

By the end of the course each student should be able to:
- Explain the principles behind today's cut-off levels from WHO, IOTF and the National Swedish cut-off levels for overweight and obesity and critically evaluate the effect of using different cut-off levels for overweight and obesity.
- Suggest complementary anthropometric measures to assess overweight and obesity and independently and correctly apply these.
- Describe the National nutrition recommendations as well as physical activity recommendations for children and their practical implications.
- Describe the most common nutritional problems, the food and activity patters as well as the determinants for the same in school children.
- Analyze, discuss and refer to policy documents and guidelines for nutrition and physical activity at school.
- Plan a project to to increase dietary habits and physical activity in school children and suggest suitable evaluation methods.

The course is divided into two modules.

The module is designed to provide knowledge regarding how childhood growth and especially overweight prevalence can be assessed in an evidence-based manner, which cut-off levels that are used in Sweden and internationally, definitions, protocols and anthropometric equipment.

The module also highlights the recommendations that exist for children's nutrition and physical activity level in Sweden and internationally and the most prevalent nutritional problems in Swedish children.

The module also provides simple tools for evaluation of interventions on individual, group and school level.

This module provides knowledge on how to plan and implement health promotion projects in schools. The course includes policy issues on school, community and national level.

The effectiveness of different types of interventions are discussed and how to prioritise activities in school in relation to what is feasible and what is desirable.

The course includes lectures, individual work, group work and practical sessions.

Teaching activities on location, including practical sessions, are compulsory.

This syllabus is cancelled.
The course was given for the last time HT2011.

The course will be evaluated in accordance with the guidelines established by the Board of Higher Education.