NUT3082 - Public health nutrition - 2017

This unit will review the concepts and approaches of population health in the context of nutrition. The content will explore current public health nutrition practice issues related to priority issues such as obesity, food security and the food supply. A systems based, health promotion framework to addressing priority nutrition issues will be discussed and current public health nutrition practice will be evaluated. Students will explore the political foundations of public health policy in Australia including the impact of public health policies and will develop skills in policy analysis and public health advocacy. This unit will provide students with the foundations knowledge in preparation for the development of skills of the practice of public health nutrition. 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.

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

1. Describe the current key public health nutrition priorities and issues in Australia and the policy frameworks that support these.
2. Appraise the political, environmental, social and economic influences on public health nutrition goals and practice.
3. Explore opportunities for beneficial social, environmental and nutritional change to the Australian food supply.
4. Evaluate how public health policy may influence food consumption and nutrition status.
5. Apply a socio-ecological, systems based approach to understanding and managing population nutrition issues.
6. Employ best practice frameworks and approaches for planning, implementation and evaluation of these issues in the development of nutrition interventions.
7. Explain the use of and process of public health advocacy and apply the advocacy framework to a current public health nutrition issue.

• Mid-semester test (2 hours) (30%)
• Policy analysis assignment (Group) - Written piece of work (3,000 words) and oral presentation (15 minutes) (40%)
• Advocacy discussion paper (Individual) (2,000 words) (30%) with class debate (Ungraded)

Week 1 - 4 x 6 hours workshops, Weeks 2 to 9 - 3 hours per week (interactive classes and tutorials) ^ hours self-directed study.

See also Unit timetable information

Assoc Prof Claire Palermo

Nutrition and dietetics

NUT1010, NUT1002 and NUT1102. Master of Dietetics students are exempt from pre-requisites.

Must be enrolled in course M2001.