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Nutrition (NUTR) 331
Nutrition for Health (Revision 6)

Revision 6 closed, replaced by current version.

View previous syllabus

Delivery mode: Individualized study or grouped study. Computer access required.

Credits: 3 - Science

Prerequisite: Senior high school chemistry and biology courses are recommended but not required.

Precluded course: NUTR 330 or NUTR 405 (NUTR 331 may not be taken for credit if credit has already been obtained for NUTR 330 or NUTR 405). Students who take NUTR 331 may NOT continue to NUTR 405.

Centre: Centre for Science

NUTR 331 as a Challenge for Credit option. Students who are challenging NUTR 331 and NUTR 330 will not be eligible for a refund of the learning resources. The learning resources package contains computer disks that you must use in order to complete the challenge.

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Overview

This course introduces nutritional concepts and covers the most common nutrition-related conditions. For a student who plans to take only one nutrition course, NUTR 331 is best. It is also the best nutrition course for students with limited science background. Students wanting to study nutrition in more detail should take NUTR 330 followed by NUTR 405.

There is now a large body of evidence demonstrating that our diets have a major impact on our health. In this course, we examine all aspects of this subject.

In Unit 1, we take an overview of nutrition and examine how a nutrition assessment is done. In Unit 2, we look at nutrition research: without some understanding of how nutrition advances are made, you cannot appreciate the significance of conflicting claims. In Unit 3 we consider recommended nutrient intakes and diet-planning guides; and in Unit 4, we look at body systems, such as the digestive system. Units 5 to 10 cover the different components of the diet, and discuss how they are used by the body. Units 11 to 15 cover the role of diet in the prevention of heart disease, obesity, cancer and other diseases.

Outline

Unit 1: Overview of Nutrition; Assessment of Nutritional Status

Unit 2: General Principles of Research in Nutrition

Unit 3: Dietary Reference Intakes and Diet-planning Guides

Unit 4: Body Systems and Digestion

Unit 5: The Carbohydrates: Sugar, Starch, and Fibre

Unit 6: The Lipids: Fats, Oils, Phospholipids, and Sterols

Unit 7: Protein and Amino Acids

Unit 8: Metabolism of Nutrients and Energy Balance

Unit 9: The Vitamins

Unit 10: Water and the Minerals

Unit 11: Introduction to Chronic Diseases, Obesity, and Diabetes

Unit 12: Cardiovascular Diseases

Unit 13: Diet and Cancer

Unit 14: Vegetarian Diets, Alcohol, Caffeine, and Sugar

Unit 15: What Is the Healthiest Diet?

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Evaluation

To receive credit for NUTR 331, you much submit the assignment and obtain a mark of at least “60” percent, obtain at least “55” percent on the final examination, and obtain a course composite grade of at least “C-” (60 percent). The chart below summarizes the course activities and the credit weight associated with each.

Assignment Mid-term Exam Final Exam Total
25% 30% 45% 100%

To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University's online Calendar.

Course Materials

Textbooks

Sizer, F. S., and E. Whitney. Nutrition: Concepts and controversies, 10th ed. Toronto: Wadsworth, 2006.

Hedley, M., L. Piché., A. Garcia. Canadian student supplement to accompany Nutrition: Concepts and controversies Tenth Edition. Scarborough, ON: Thomson Nelson, 2006.

ESHA Research. Diet Analysis+ (8.0). Salem, OR: Wadsworth, 2006. [CD-ROM]

Health Canada. Eating Well with Canada's Food Guide. Ottawa: Minister of Health Canada, 2007.

Other Materials

The course materials include a study guide, student manual, assignment booklet.

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