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Continuing Professional Development: MSc Programme Modules (London-based)

NUTRITION-RELATED CHRONIC DISEASE (2442)

ORGANISERS: Ms Sophie Hawkesworth, Professor Ricardo Uauy

22 February – 23 March 2012 (Wednesdays 2pm to Fridays 5pm)


AIM
To provide students with an in-depth knowledge of the current evidence relating nutrition to common chronic diseases and to assess the policy options for addressing these diseases.  To develop skills of critique and interpretation through the specific perspective of nutritional epidemiology and its implication for study design.


OBJECTIVES
By the end of this module students should be able to:

  1. demonstrate a systematic understanding of the relationship between nutrition and chronic disease and the likely mechanisms involved;
  2. assess the strengths and weaknesses of epidemiological methods available to assess nutrition-disease relationships; 
  3. critically evaluate the validity of consensus views of common nutrition-related chronic diseases through the appraisal of the epidemiological evidence;
  4. critically evaluate strategies to prevent nutrition-related chronic diseases and the evidence-base required to implement policy.


CONSTITUENCY
This module is compulsory for MSc Public Health Nutrition (PHN) students. It will also be useful to students interested in health promotion sciences, health policies and the epidemiology of non-communicable diseases. For non-PHN students however, a strong background in a biological science is recommended.


CONCEPTUAL OUTLINE
Within a setting of the changing global patterns of diet, nutrition and health, the module will introduce the principles of nutritional epidemiology and nutrition-health policy.  Using these tools to critically evaluate the evidence base, the current understanding of nutrition in relation to chronic diseases will be explored through a discussion of CVD, obesity, diabetes, cancer and osteoporosis; the module will conclude with a focus on nutrition and older people.


TEACHING STRATEGY
The principal teaching methods will be through lectures given by topic experts and in-class group work and feedback.  There will also be student-led presentations following a critical review of key evidence.


LEARNING TIME
The module is made up of 150 Notional Learning Hours – 40 hours contact time, 9 hours directed self-study, 40 hours self-directed learning, and 61 hours assessment, review and revision.


ASSESSMENT
Assessment will be based on an individual report outlining a country-specific chronic disease burden; focussing on a particular nutrition-related exposure of public health relevance and policy options that may reduce the disease burden.

FEE

£1,600 including access to LSHTM library and learning resources, study materials and assessment.

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