Teaching code

4S010583

Credits

6

Coordinator

Gloria Mazzali

Language

Italian

Scientific Disciplinary Sector (SSD)

MED/49 - FOOD AND DIETETIC SCIENCES

Moodle Seminars 0

The teaching is organized as follows:

Learning objectives

The main objective of the course is to provide adequate knowledge on the founding principles of the concept of "proper nutrition" and on their use in food and lifestyles planning strategies in healthy subjects in physiological conditions (health promotion). At the end of the course, the student must have knowledge on:
- estimates of individual needs by sex and age in healthy subjects in basic and in activity conditions in physiological conditions (adult and elderly) (use of LARN or Energy and nutrient levels for the Italian population and other specific tools / methods );
- the main nutritional characteristics of the various food groups; their use in food planning based on the estimated needs for healthy and proper nutrition.

Examination methods

Multiple choice and open written test to verify the overall degree of knowledge of the subject of this course.

Prerequisites and basic notions

Since this is a first-year, first-semester exam, there are no specific prerequisites different from those required for admission to the degree program

Program

LARN: METABOLISM AND ENERGY BALANCE
Energy balance: balance between energy expenditure and energy requirements. Definition energy requirements. Energy value foods.
Assessment of energy requirements. Harris-Benedict, WHO, Owen, Mifflin, Fleisch, Toronto predictive equations.
LARN
ENERGY: Definition. General considerations. Physiology and metabolism (MB-TID-LAF).
Energy requirements in the adult, energy requirements in the elderly.
NUTRITIONAL REQUIREMENTS. RECOMMENDED ASSUMPTION LEVELS of energy and NUTRIENTS.
Breakdown of nutritional requirements: macro- and micronutrients.

PROTEINS and Amino Acids. Protein allocation of requirements: rational. Protein requirement allocation in proportion to energy requirements. Requirement for growth and first six months of life. requirement for gestation and lactation. Needs in the elderly population. Requirement in AA and protein quality. Correction for protein quality. LARN TABLES.

LIPIDS: Adult and elderly lipid requirements and pregnant and lactating women. Dietary fats in the body. Essentiality of dietary fats in the body (essential fatty acids). Effects of heat treatments on nutritive value. LARN TABLES.

CARBOHYDRATES and fiber: Energy requirements and value. Role of CHOs in the diet. Main carbohydrates: simple and complex. Starch: nutritional aspects Simple sugars: nutritional distinction between intrinsic and added.
Dietary fiber. Requirements. Dietary fiber classifications. Main types of fiber according to degree of polymerization, solubility and fermentability. LARN TABLES.

VITAMINS and MINERALS: Generalities and water-soluble/liposoluble factors. Recommended intake levels. Dietary sources. Deficiency and toxicity. LARN TABLES.

WATER Generalities and requirements.

FOOD GROUPS and FOOD PYRAMID.
From nutrients to food groups: the food pyramid. Food pyramid organization in portions of major food groups. Food pyramid models. Healthy and proper nutrition guidelines.

QUANTITATIVE PORTION STANDARDS.
Definition of portion size. Recommended portions of various foods according to energy requirements. Food composition: characteristics of the CREA (formerly INRAN) or BDA-IEO database and how to use it. Example of using the database

INTAKE EVALUATION: Methodologies for surveying food consumption. Criteria for selection of appropriate methodologies, assessment of food intake by prospective and retrospective methods, disaggregation of food into nutrients. Nutrition/food education: what tools we have at our disposal and how to use them: Dietary Recall, Food Diaries, Photographic Food Atlas, Dietometer, Food Questionnaires. methodological basis of validation, application and interpretation of results.
Use food pyramid + guidelines for developing a nutrition plan. Physiological diet 2000kcal example_ portion count and bromatological calculation and percentage
Nutritional characteristics of whole foods, lightened foods, fortified foods, novel foods, foods for special medical purposes, dietary supplements and related current legislation
Nutrition, health and disease risk reduction claims and different ways of providing nutrition information

Bibliography

Didactic methods

face-to-face lectures

Learning assessment procedures

Written examination with multiple-choice questions.

Evaluation criteria

grade 30/30

Criteria for the composition of the final grade

grade point average for individual modules

Exam language

italiano