Skip to 0 minutes and 9 seconds Are you in the health, food or education sector? Then it’s in your interest to be well-informed about the relationship between food, nutrition and health. But, how do you do that? If you would like to advance your skills and knowledge, build your confidence in food and nutrition, then this is the course for you. Presented with a practical focus, this course will advance your understanding of food, nutrition and the relationship between diet, lifestyle and health. It will enrich your understanding of fundamental nutritional concepts, allowing you to feel confident that the decisions you make and the information you provide are underpinned by science. Enrol in Nutrition in the Health Sector from the University of Adelaide and help improve health and wellbeing today.
Duration
4 weeksWeekly study
2 hours100% online
How it works
Nutrition in the Health Sector
This course has been certified by the CPD Certification Service as conforming to continuing professional development principles. Find out more.
Discover how food impacts health and wellbeing with the University of Adelaide
On this four week course, you’ll deepen your knowledge of the relationship between food, diet, lifestyle, and health in the context of optimising practices in the health sector.
Examine key concepts in nutrition, from food groups to metabolism and absorption
You’ll take an in-depth look at food composition and nutrients, discovering their principal roles within the body and how this changes throughout a life cycle.
You’ll then investigate digestion, absorption, and metabolism in detail and their effects on energy levels and balance.
Optimise health and wellbeing practices
Blending theory with practice, you’ll link the concepts and theories explored with real-life scenarios, such as informing dietary guidelines and making nutrition calculations.
You’ll learn how to conduct nutrition assessments to help build a complete picture of a person’s health. You’ll investigate health inequities and nutritional challenges, and how these can be addressed.
Contextualising your knowledge by examining practices and guidance from around the world, you’ll learn how to gather evidence based nutrition data and assess its value.
Explore how optimum nutrition can reduce the risk of chronic disease
You’ll investigate health dietary patterns and identify how a poor diet contributes to increased risks of different diseases.
Exploring techniques such as recipe modification, you’ll gain skills in linking healthy eating guidelines, dietary intake, food supply, and disease, as well as developing approaches to guide patients towards healthy food choices.
Equipped with a range of useful techniques and approaches, you’ll finish this course able to deliver practical guidance and advice that will positively impact the health and wellbeing of your patients in the context of your healthcare setting.
Syllabus
Week 1
Food composition and nutrients
Getting started
This activity includes all the information you will need to get started in this course.
Introduction to Week 1
Let's take a look ahead to what we'll be covering this week.
Food composition and nutrients
Food is composed of nutrient and non-nutrient components. Find out more about the six classes of nutrients in this activity.
Food group systems and dietary requirements
This activity involves translating nutrient and energy recommendations into more user-friendly dietary goals and guidelines that can be used by us all to plan a healthy diet.
Life cycle nutrition
Life cycle nutrition involves an understanding of dietary guidelines and standard food serves. Find out more in this activity.
Energy requirements and nutrient calculations
Find out more details about energy requirements and nutrient calculations in this extension activity. The two articles in this activity are not core learning and will not be assessed.
Bringing it all together
Let's reflect on what we've covered this week and take a look at what's coming up next.
Week 2
Digestion, absorption and metabolism
Introduction to Week 2
Let's look ahead to what we will be covering this week.
What happens to our food after eating?
Have you ever wondered what happens to food after you eat it? Find out in this activity.
Energy and metabolism
How do our bodies transform nutrients into energy? What happens when our body has too much or too little of any one of these nutrients? Find out more in this activity.
Energy balance
What is energy balance? How does energy expenditure balance with energy in/energy out? Find out more in this activity.
Bringing it all together
Let's reflect on what we've covered this week and take a look at what's coming up next.
Week 3
Nutrition assessment & optimising health and wellbeing
Introduction to Week 3
Let's look ahead to what we will be covering this week.
Fundamentals of nutrition assessment & optimising health and wellbeing
How is nutrition assessed? What can you do to optimise health and wellbeing across the lifespan? Find out more in this activity.
Health inequities and nutritional challenges
Those working in the health sector deal with a number of health inequities and nutritional challenges. What are these inequities and what can be done to address them? Who is most at risk? Find out more in this activity.
Evidence-based nutrition data
Why is having evidence-based nutrition data important? Where can you source reliable data to learn more? Find out more in this activity.
Bringing it all together
Let's reflect on what we've covered this week and take a look at what's coming up next.
Week 4
Decreasing risk of chronic disease
Introduction to Week 4
Let's take a look ahead to what we'll be covering this week.
Introducing chronic disease (non-communicable diseases) and minimising risk
What are the common chronic, non-communicable diseases? How can the risk of these occurring be minimised? Find out more in this activity.
Leading chronic conditions and dietary management strategies
How can we manage chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and obesity with dietary management strategies? How do we modify a dietary pattern to be healthier? Find out more in this activity.
Recipe modification, identifying fad diets and healthy dietary patterns
How can recipes be modified to improve our health? What are fad diets, and how do you identify them? What do healthy dietary patterns look like across the globe? Find out more in this activity.
Bringing it all together
Let's reflect on what we've covered this week and take a look at what's coming up next.
What's next?
Let's reflect on the learning explored in the course, and consider where to apply and further build on your new skills and knowledge.
When would you like to start?
Start straight away and join a global classroom of learners. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.
Available now
Learning on this course
On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.
What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...
- Identify fundamental concepts of food and nutrition: food composition, nutrient recommendations, food group and healthy eating guidelines.
- Explore the process involved in the digestion, absorption and metabolism of nutrients.
- Describe the relationship between nutrition, lifestyle and health (optimising health and wellbeing and reducing risk of disease).
- Apply knowledge of nutrition, lifestyle and health to real world scenarios.
Who is the course for?
This course is designed for health professionals, nutritionists, and food scientists who wish to further their knowledge of nutrition and health eating guidelines in the context of healthcare provision.
It will also benefit those working more broadly in the health sector, food industry, or as food service professionals and educators.
Who will you learn with?
An Adjunct Senior Lecturer with the University of Adelaide and a member of the University's Education Academy. Also an Accredited Practising Dietitian with over 30 years of experience.
Who developed the course?
World ranking
Top 110Source: QS World University Rankings 2023
Ways to learn | Buy this course | Subscribe & save | Limited access |
---|---|---|---|
Choose the best way to learn for you! | $134/one-off payment | $244.99 for a whole year Automatically renews | Free |
Fulfill your current learning need | Develop skills to further your career | Sample the course materials | |
Access to this course | tick | tick | Access expires 4 Nov 2024 |
Access to 1,000+ courses | cross | tick | cross |
Learn at your own pace | tick | tick | cross |
Discuss your learning in comments | tick | tick | tick |
Tests to check your learning | tick | tick | cross |
Certificate when you're eligible | Printed and digital | Digital only | cross |
Cancel for free anytime |
Ways to learn
Choose the best way to learn for you!
Subscribe & save
$244.99 for a whole year
Automatically renews
Develop skills to further your career
- Access to this course
- Access to 1,000+ courses
- Learn at your own pace
- Discuss your learning in comments
- Tests to boost your learning
- Digital certificate when you're eligible
Cancel for free anytime
Buy this course
$134/one-off payment
Fulfill your current learning need
- Access to this course
- Learn at your own pace
- Discuss your learning in comments
- Tests to boost your learning
- Printed and digital certificate when you’re eligible
Limited access
Free
Sample the course materials
- Access expires 4 Nov 2024
Find out more about certificates, Unlimited or buying a course (Upgrades) Sale price available until 31 October 2024 at 23:59 (UTC). T&Cs apply. |
Find out more about certificates, Unlimited or buying a course (Upgrades)
Sale price available until 31 October 2024 at 23:59 (UTC). T&Cs apply.
Learning on FutureLearn
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- Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
- Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores
Join a global classroom
- Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
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Map your progress
- As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
- Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
- Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate
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