AfN certifies Monash University’s nutrition course on the FutureLearn platform
The third run of Food as Medicine starts on Monday 13th March
London, UK, 6th March 2017: FutureLearn, the leading social learning platform, is delighted to announce its partner Monash University’s course on Food as Medicine has been certified by the Association for Nutrition. It meets AfN standards for nutrition training of individuals working at Level 1 on the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF).
Learners who are interested in separating the hype from the facts about foods that can help their health can enroll on this free course on the FutureLearn platform now and start on March 13th 2017. The course is designed to be relevant to anyone with an interest in food, nutrition and health.
The AfN only certifies training that is evidence-based training and which meets ethical, scientific and quality standards. The AfN logo proves to potential students and employers that the training, or course in this instance, will be delivered to AfN’s high standards, using nutrition science information and concepts from recognised authorities to underpin the teaching. While completion of this course does not lead to registration on the UK Voluntary Register of Nutritionists nor does it equip any individual to practice ethically as a nutritionist, it provides individuals working in areas related to nutrition to learn the latest in nutrition information to be able to talk about the exciting area of science. For example these courses may be of interest to individuals working in hospitality and fitness areas.
Learners joining the course will learn how food can be important both in preventative health and as an aid in the management of certain chronic diseases. The course will explore key body systems, including the brain and the gut, and examine how dietary patterns may play a role in the optimal functioning of these systems. The course will also discuss genetics and the advances in the knowledge of how this interacts with food and nutrition, plus how we can manage our weight in context of the environment that we live in. And finally, the course will examine the relationships between food, fertility and pregnancy and how using food as medicine can influence the health of future generations.
“There is a lot of media hype about specific foods and how they impact on health – our aim with this course is to equip the public with the skills in being able to make more informed decisions about how to use dietary patterns to impact positively on their health’ said Lead Educator Professor Helen Truby, “in 3 weeks we can only provide a ‘taster’ about how the science behind food messages are developed – we hope that learners will enjoy learning more about the food they eat so they can use food as medicine”.
The course aims to guide learners in:
- exploring food’s current role in health and disease;
- expanding understanding of nutrition science and how it guides us on what and how much to eat for health;
- learning how to apply evidenced-based nutrition knowledge to guide what food can be used as medicine for you and your family.
Nigel Smith, Head of content at FutureLearn comments, “At FutureLearn, we’re very proud of the quality of the courses that we have on our platform. It’s a testament to the quality and depth of knowledge of our partners at Monash University that this course has achieved this certification and we’re delighted to provide the platform for it.”
What does AfN Certification say about this course? Please visit the Association for Nutrition website.
As with all FutureLearn courses, the course can be taken for free or there is the option to upgrade for £59 to get extra benefits.
Notes to editors
About FutureLearn
“Pioneering the best social learning experiences for everyone anywhere”
Founded by The Open University in 2012, FutureLearn is a social learning platform, designed to support learning through conversation. It offers 5.7 million learners free online courses from world-leading UK and international universities, centres of research excellence and specialist education providers like the British Council, Creative Skillset and European Space Agency. FutureLearn is an international platform with over 75% of its users based outside of the UK.
About Monash University
Monash University is one of Australia’s leading universities, ranked in the world’s top 1% by the Times Higher Education World University Rankings. It was established in Melbourne, Australia in 1958.
For more information, please contact:
Niamh O’Grady, Senior Communications Manager, FutureLearn
Email: niamh.ogrady@futurelearn.com
Rachel MacPherson, PR Executive, FutureLearn
Email: rachel.macpherson@futurelearn.com
