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Unit Summary
Unit type
UG Coursework Unit
Credit points
12
AQF level
Level of learning
Introductory
Former School/College
Unit aim
Provides an introduction to the food and nutritional sciences. The unit examines the role of key nutrients and the connections between diet and physical activity in health. Further, it explores aspects of food composition, food processing, food as a medicine, and consumer concerns about food. The study of nutrition in pregnancy and lactation is also an option.
Unit content
All students complete Topics 1–11, plus either Topic 12 or 13, depending on their course of study. See study options below the list of Topics.
Topics:
- An overview of nutrition, diet and health, and food as medicine
- Planning a healthy diet
- Dietary carbohydrates: sugars, starches and dietary fibre
- Dietary lipids: fatty acids, triglycerides, phospholipids and sterols
- Dietary protein
- Energy balance and body composition
- Fitness and diet for physically active people
- Weight management: overweight, obesity and underweight
- Plant foods, animal food/fish/seafood
- Key nutrients of concern in public health nutrition
- Consumer concerns about food: food safety
- Consumer concerns about food: introduction to sustainable food practices
- Life cycle nutrition: pregnancy and lactation
Select either Topic 12 or 13, depending on your course of study.
- Bachelor of Midwifery: Complete Topic 13
- Other degree programs: Complete either Topic 12 or 13
Learning outcomes
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 | GA2 | GA3 | GA4 | GA5 | GA6 | GA7 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | explain the relationship between food/nutrients and their biological function in the body, as well as their role in health | Knowledge of a discipline | ||||||
| 2 | explain the relationship between physical activity, energy balance, body composition and body weight to health | Knowledge of a discipline | ||||||
| 3 | describe the predominant nutrients/constituents in the major food groups, including how they may be processed, and explain how processing may influence the nutrient quality of the foodstuff | Knowledge of a discipline | ||||||
| 4 | discuss and apply the Australian nutrition standards of reference, food guidance systems and healthy eating principles to the nutritional requirements of healthy adults | Intellectual rigour | Knowledge of a discipline | Communication and social skills | ||||
| 5 | discuss the food related consumer concerns identified in the unit, including ways in which government agencies and individuals can help to promote the safety and sustainability of the food supply. | Knowledge of a discipline | ||||||
On completion of this unit, students should be able to:
- explain the relationship between food/nutrients and their biological function in the
body, as well as their role in health
- GA4: Knowledge of a discipline
- explain the relationship between physical activity, energy balance, body composition
and body weight to health
- GA4: Knowledge of a discipline
- describe the predominant nutrients/constituents in the major food groups, including
how they may be processed, and explain how processing may influence the nutrient quality
of the foodstuff
- GA4: Knowledge of a discipline
- discuss and apply the Australian nutrition standards of reference, food guidance systems
and healthy eating principles to the nutritional requirements of healthy adults
- GA1: Intellectual rigour
- GA4: Knowledge of a discipline
- GA6: Communication and social skills
- discuss the food related consumer concerns identified in the unit, including ways
in which government agencies and individuals can help to promote the safety and sustainability
of the food supply.
- GA4: Knowledge of a discipline
Prescribed texts
- Whitney, E, Rolfes, SR, Crowe, T, Cameron-Smith, D & Walsh, A, 2014, Understanding nutrition. Australia and New Zealand Edition, 2nd edn, Cengage Learning, S. Melbourne, Victoria. ISBN: 9780170222853.
- Whitney, E, Rolfes, SR, Crowe, T, Cameron-Smith, D & Walsh, A, 2014, Understanding nutrition. Australia and New Zealand Edition, 2nd edn, Cengage Learning, S. Melbourne, Victoria. ISBN: 9780170222853.