BND4082 - Improving the population's nutrition - 2017

6 points, SCA Band 2, 0.125 EFTSL

Undergraduate - Unit

Refer to the specific census and withdrawal dates for the semester(s) in which this unit is offered.

Faculty

Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences

Organisational Unit

Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food

Coordinator(s)

Assoc. Prof Claire Palermo

Unit guides

Offered

Clayton

  • First semester 2017 (Day)

Synopsis

This unit will be classroom based and develop student's knowledge of the foundations of public health and public health nutrition as a discipline. Students will explore the role of population nutritional intake and its relationship to health and the strategies and approaches at a population level that are effective in improving health, including legislation, policy, social marketing, community development, health education and screening. The focus of content will be on the practical application of the principles, theories and processes used to develop population based approaches to improving health through nutrition, with a focus on capacity building. This unit will prepare students for a practical placement in public health nutrition (BND4092).

The key theme explored in this unit is Theme 2: Determinants and influences on population health and nutrition coupled with partial integration of content from Theme 4: Food: from science to systems.

Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this unit, students should be able to:

  1. Describe the key health and nutrition issues affecting the Australian population and the political, environmental, social and economic determinants of these.
  2. Apply the key steps in the public health nutrition intervention cycle and explain the importance of integrating capacity building within this framework.
  3. Evaluate the role of public health policy in shaping public health nutrition practice.
  4. Analyse the continuum of population based approaches for addressing nutrition issues and evaluate the level of evidence of effectiveness in improving health.
  5. Evaluate a socio-ecological, systems based, approach to understanding and managing population nutrition issues.
  6. Differentiate between effective and non-effective public health advocacy approaches.

Assessment

  • Group project proposal (2,000 words equivalent) (30%)
  • Group oral presentation (20%)
  • Individual discussion paper (3,000 words equivalent) (50%) (Hurdle)

Workload requirements

Week 1: 3 workshops x 4 hours per day = 12 hours

Week 2-12: 3 hours per week face to face teaching and learning sessions supported by group work and self-directed learning and an additional 12 hours per week of self-study.

See also Unit timetable information

Chief examiner(s)

This unit applies to the following area(s) of study

Prerequisites

A student must have passed a minimum of 144 credit points of units deemed satisfactory and relevant in content and depth by the Nutrition and Dietetic Department Selection Officer in conjunction with the Unit Coordinator.

Co-requisites

BND4092 and BND students only.