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Unit of Study BIO10701 - Nutrition Physiology (2015)

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Unit Snapshot

  • Enrolment information

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Unit description

Builds on the knowledge gained in human physiology, physiological pathology as well as in the nutrition units to gain a deeper understanding of human physiology as it relates to nutrient requirements, intake, assimilation and utilisation in health and disease.

Unit content

Overview, revision and extension of knowledge of all physiological systems with emphasis on absorption and elimination

  • The digestive process in health and disease
  • The absorptive process in health and disease
  • Elimination of waste products

Metabolism of nutrients

  • Absorption pathways of nutrients, including across the blood-brain barrier
  • Nutrient metabolism in the liver
  • Fluid regulation
  • Tissue pH regulation

Energy production and balance

  • The adipocyte as an endocrine organ
  • Hunger, appetite and satiety
  • Fasting versus starvation
  • Under-nutrition and anorexia

Nutrigenetics/Nutrigenomics

  • Gene organisation, regulation, expression and damage
  • Polymorphisms

Impact of nutrition on physiological systems

  • Over-nutrition and obesity/insulin resistance
  • Drug-nutrient interactions
  • Endocrine, hepato-biliary, gastrointestinal and urinary systems

Availabilities

Location Domestic International
Lismore Session 1 Session 1

Learning outcomes and graduate attributes

Unit Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a unit. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes. The unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes are also the basis of evaluating prior learning.

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

GA1: Intellectual rigour, GA2: Creativity, GA3: Ethical practice, GA4: Knowledge of a discipline, GA5: Lifelong learning, GA6: Communication and social skills, GA7: Cultural competence
Learning outcome count Learning outcome description GA1 GA2 GA3 GA4 GA5 GA6 GA7
1 review the physiological processes that govern digestion, absorption, assimilation and utilisation of nutrients and elimination of waste products in a healthy body and interpret them in the context of inadequate nutrient supply, common pathological conditions of the gastrointestinal tract and drug-nutrient interactions.
2 discuss nutritional factors that influence the physiology of each body system and examine the utilisation, balance and/or storage of nutrients in body fluids and the liver.
3 critically discuss energy production and balance, hunger and satiety regulation and the physiological changes occurring in relation to nutrient intake and utilisation in fasting starvation, anorexia and obesity.
4 correlate type and quality of nutrient intake and utilisation to digestive and absorptive capacity, pH balance of body fluids (esp. blood, urine), the endocrine system and health outcomes.
5 explain the effects of polymorphisms in regard to metabolic and physiologic function regarding nutrient demands, the ability to digest and absorb food and susceptibility to various diseases.
6 observe, record, assess and discuss physiological and pathophysiological data using case studies.

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

  1. review the physiological processes that govern digestion, absorption, assimilation and utilisation of nutrients and elimination of waste products in a healthy body and interpret them in the context of inadequate nutrient supply, common pathological conditions of the gastrointestinal tract and drug-nutrient interactions.
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
  2. discuss nutritional factors that influence the physiology of each body system and examine the utilisation, balance and/or storage of nutrients in body fluids and the liver.
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
  3. critically discuss energy production and balance, hunger and satiety regulation and the physiological changes occurring in relation to nutrient intake and utilisation in fasting starvation, anorexia and obesity.
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
  4. correlate type and quality of nutrient intake and utilisation to digestive and absorptive capacity, pH balance of body fluids (esp. blood, urine), the endocrine system and health outcomes.
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
  5. explain the effects of polymorphisms in regard to metabolic and physiologic function regarding nutrient demands, the ability to digest and absorb food and susceptibility to various diseases.
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
  6. observe, record, assess and discuss physiological and pathophysiological data using case studies.
    • GA1:
    • GA2:
    • GA4:

Prescribed learning resources

Prescribed Texts
  • No prescribed texts.

Prescribed Texts
  • No prescribed texts.

Prescribed Learning Resources may change in future Teaching Periods.