• Length:
    9 Weeks
  • Effort:
    6–8 hours per week
  • Price:

    FREE
    Add a Verified Certificate for $99 USD

  • Institution
    WageningenX
  • Subject:
    Biology & Life Sciences
  • Level:
    Introductory
  • Language:
    English
  • Video Transcript:
    English
  • Course Type:
    Self-paced on your time

Associated Programs:

Prerequisites

Basic biology

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About this course

Skip About this course

There is an overload of information about nutrition and health, but what is the truth and what can you do to improve the health of your patients? Learn more about nutrition and how our diet profoundly impacts our current and future health. This course addresses the relationship between nutrition and human health, with a focus on health problems related to overnutrition.

In this course, Professor Sander Kersten from Wageningen University & Research will explain about the composition of the three macronutrients: carbohydrates, fat and protein. You will learn about their role in the body (how they are absorbed, stored and metabolized for energy) and their impact on our health. Moreover, this course will cover energy homeostasis and the regulation of body weight. You will learn about overweight and obesity and strategies to improve and combat these problems of overnutrition. Finally, the course will make you familiar with nutritional research and research methodologies.

This course is especially useful for health care professionals and people working in the food industry with a non-nutrition background. You will develop a critical mindset by learning to better weigh and interpret information about food, nutrition and health.

This course, is part of the Food, Nutrition and Health Professional Certificate Program of Wageningen University & Research. Did you already complete Nutrition and Health: Micronutrients and Malnutrition? That is the other course in the Food, Nutrition and Health Professional Certificate Program. To explore other learning opportunities about nutrition, have a look at the courses:

What you'll learn

Skip What you'll learn
  • Introduction to the field of food and nutrition
  • Composition of foods
  • Basic chemistry of carbohydrates, fat and protein
  • How macronutrients are absorbed, stored and metabolized
  • How macronutrients may impact health
  • How to better weigh and interpret the information overload about nutrition and health

Syllabus

Skip Syllabus

Module 1: Basic Principles
In the first module you will be introduced into the basics of nutritional science
and you will learn about the different study designs that are used in nutrition
research.

Module 2: Carbohydrates
In this module you will be introduced to the basics of carbohydrates.

Module 3: Carbohydrates and Health (verified learner only)
In this module we will focus on the health effects of one specific group of
carbohydrates: sugar.

Module 4: Lipids
This module will teach you the basics of fats or lipids.

Module 5: Lipids and Health (verified learner only)
This module will start out by discussing cardiovascular (heart) disease and risk
factors for cardiovascular disease, and will go on to explore the effects of fatty acids
on cholesterol.

Module 6: Proteins and Health
The module starts with the basics of dietary protein, and will go on to address the
question of what specific health effects can be attributed to dietary protein.

Module 7: Energy homeostasis sand energy balance
In this module we will look at the balance between food (energy) intake and exergy
expenditure.

Module 8: Weight management
This module concentrates on weight management and the topic of obesity.

Module 9: Nutrition and Sports (verified learner only)
In this extra module we look at the impact of nutrition on exercise

_ If you like this course, you might also like: _

Meet your instructors

Wageningen University & Research
Sander Kersten
Professor, Division of Human Nutrition
Wageningen University & Research

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Learner testimonials

"I was fascinated by the content of the course and I enjoyed all the different components of it. Not being scientific I found some aspects quite challenging but everything was clearly explained and my questions were always answered. I found Professor Sander inspiring and he guides you through the units in easy stages. I would recommend this course to anyone who would like to know more about how food impacts your health."
-- Previous student

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