Nutrition and disease - treatment and clinical aspects, 10 credits

At least grade pass for the course "Diet and health - scientific evidence, recommendations and sustainability" (4NT000, 4NT021) within the Master's Programme in Nutrition Science.

After completion of the course, the student should be able to:

• discuss translational research in nutrition focusing on the promotion of translating evidence-based dietary guidelines into routine clinical practice.
• explain the difference between dietary guidelines intended for the general population and dietary guidelines intended for treatment of disease or disease-related symptoms, as well as describe the type of scientific evidence on which the disease-related guidelines are based.
• describe the physiological mechanisms behind common diseases, for which nutrition care can play a significant role in the treatment and/or for mitigating symptoms.
• suggest evidence-based nutrition therapy to an individual suffering from disease.
• discuss how nutrient recommendations for specific diseases can be translated into foods.
• discuss factors that affect an individual's eating behaviour, such as gender, psychosocial, cultural, economic and environmental factors.
• reflect on the importance of a multidisciplinary team in the treatment of NCDs.
• reflect on ethical aspects of the treatment of diseases related to lifestyle and psychosocial factors.
• discuss how popular/alternative diets relate to existing evidence and established dietary guidelines.
• discuss future perspectives of precision nutrition, based on scientific evidence.

The course deals with common diseases, for which nutrition care can play a significant role in the treatment and/or for mitigating symptoms. During the course, the different diseases are discussed considering different aspects of relevance when providing nutrition therapy to individuals, such as physiological mechanisms, psychosocial, cultural and economic factors, including global aspects. During the course, the understanding of the scientific evidence for nutrition therapy of disease, and how this translates into evidence-based practice, is emphasised.

This course consists of seminars, group work, discussion of clinical cases, workshops, lectures, individual assignments and discussions.

The examination consists of two written exams (graded Pass with distinction/Pass/Fail, respectively). To pass the course, all examinations must fulfil the criteria for Pass. For grade Pass with distinction on the whole course, grade Pass with distinction on one of the two written exams is required. The grading criteria for all examinations are provided in the study guide or on Canvas.

Students who do not pass their first examination have the right to be examined on five additional occasions. After six failed examinations, no further examination opportunity is given. A student who has failed two examinations for a course or part of a course, is entitled to have another examiner appointed unless special reasons speak against it.

Compulsory participation:
Group work and some seminars are compulsory. The examiner assesses if and, in that case, how absence from compulsory parts can be compensated. Before the student has participated in all compulsory parts or compensated absence according with the examiner's instructions, the student's study results cannot be finalized. Absence from a compulsory activity may result in that the student cannot compensate absence until the next time the course is given.

If there are special reasons, or need for adaptions for a student with a disability, the examiner may decide to depart from the syllabus's regulations on examination form, number of examination opportunities, possibility of complementation of or exemption from compulsory activities, etc. Content and learning outcomes as well as the level of expected skills, knowledge and abilities must not be altered, removed or lowered.

The course language is English.

This course replaces the course Nutrition and disease - treatment and clinical aspects, 10 credits (4NT004) and cannot be included in a degree together with the latter course.