Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 2, 2024 (22/07/2024 - 18/11/2024)
- Study level
- Undergraduate
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Human Movement & Nutrition Sci
NUTR3201 aims to develop knowledge and scientific critical thinking in contemporary nutrition topics and emerging issues. This course builds on prior studies in nutrition science, and the understanding of human physiology and biochemistry principles. The course examines the scientific basis for nutrition reference standards and guidelines, nutraceuticals and functional foods; the methodology (with strengths and limitations) to measure dietary intake; the emerging paradigm of personalised nutrition through the understanding of nutritional genomics and nutritional epigenetics; the role of the gut microbiota in health, and interactions with dietary constituents; the factors involved in energy balance and in the regulation of energy intake. Finally, the course explores the scientific evidence of the role of dietary patterns and food constituents in regulating the metabolic drivers of lifestyle-related chronic disease, the concept of energy balance with processes involved in the regulation and dysregulation of appetite, and association with eating disorders. The course explores the scientific evidence of the role of dietary patterns and food constituents in regulating the metabolic drivers of lifestyle and ageing-related chronic disease.
This course is an advanced level nutrition science course, building on prior studies in nutrition science (NUTR2101), physiology and biochemistry. The course content revisits some of the NUTR2101 topics to build a further depth of understanding into nutrition science. The course explores the scientific underpinning of a broad range of topics including: diet-disease relationships; detoxification processes; dietary constituents and the gut microbiota; the safety, efficacy and feasibility of nutraceuticals; the nutrition reference values and the concept of optimal nutrition and the triage theory;ﾠthe scientific reasoning (or lack of) behind popular dietary patterns and fads;ﾠthe factors and mechanisms involved in energy balance; the concept of personalised nutrition with the study of nutritional genomics; the metabolic dysregulations commonly associated with obesity and the onset of chronic disease, and the role of dietary constituents; the physiological and molecular mechanisms that underpin the benefits of popular fasting protocols.
Course requirements
Assumed background
The course builds on the content of NUTR2101 (pre-requisite), and assumesﾠbackground knowledge acquired through the other two pre-requisite courses (biochemistry and physiology atﾠ2nd year level).
Prerequisites
You'll need to complete the following courses before enrolling in this one:
BIOC2000 + physiology at year 2 level (either PHYL2730 or BIOM2011 or BIOM2015) + NUTR2101
Companion or co-requisite courses
You'll need to complete the following courses at the same time:
BIOC3006
Incompatible
You can't enrol in this course if you've already completed the following:
NUTR2201
Course contact
Course staff
Lecturer
Dr Nathan Cook
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
Timetables are available onﾠmySI-net.
IMPORTANT: Information on workshop sign-on
You are required to sign-on to a workshop group to attend the sessions throughout the semester. Workshops start in week 2. There are no workshops in the week of public holidays if a workshop group is impacted, however personal learning material is provided. This applies to week 4 of semester due to the Ekka day public holiday on Wednesday 14th August.
The weekly workshops are integral to the course and each include in-semester and final semester exam questions practice. Some workshops also include marked practical assessments and are therefore compulsory. Refer to the assessment section for details.
There is a maximum class size for each workshop group. Lectures are recorded live (or pre-recorded in week 11 - 7th October, public holiday) and made available on Blackboard. Workshops are not recorded.
NOTE: YOU MUST ATTEND YOUR TIMETABLED WORKSHOP. IT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE TO TURN UP TO A DIFFERENT WORKSHOP GROUP.
Once sign-on has been opened online, students will be able to choose their workshop group on a first come, first serve basis until the given group is full. Only in cases of extreme personal hardship (see below) will students be permitted to enrol in an already fully enrolled practical group. Job, sport, travel commitments or your computer / internet didn't work are not sufficient reasons to be considered for extreme personal hardship. Failing to attend your workshop on the day of an assessment at the correct time will result in penalties to assessment (see Assessment section).
Please note that electronic sign-on for practicals (via Allocate). A listing of all available workshop times is available in Allocate.
With each group holding a maximum number of students,ﾠand with the entire course containing about 100 students,ﾠit is more than likely that most people will find themselves in a group that is not 'ideal' for their desired timetable.ﾠ
We usually receive about 50 requests for re-allocation each semester. Clearly, we cannot accept all of these, because we simply do not have room in the tutorial rooms. It would also not be fair to those who are not happy with their original allocation and did not contact us.
We will consider requests for changes but ONLY for those students who are in situations involving ‘extreme hardship.’ Please see the evidence we will need to see in order to grant a change on the basis of ‘extreme hardship’ below. Work, sporting, or travel considerations will generally not suffice. We are sorry if this seems harsh; we do try hard, but sometimes we just cannot accommodate all 100 or so students to keep them happy.
Changes due to timetable clashes will only be made if there is absolutely no other options available – BOTH with this course as well as the other course(s) that the clash refers to. For instance, if you are able to change your tutorial time for another course and this removes the timetable clash with your NUTR3201 workshop, then you will be expected to do this. Timetabling will be able to advise on the changes that can be made to your timetable.
Students who enrol in NUTR3201 as an elective and not as part of a HMNS degree will be expected to resolve timetable clashes by selecting courses that do not clash with each other.
Procedure to apply for change of workshop group allocation on timetable clash or extreme hardship grounds:
- Gather all relevant evidence to support your case (e.g. rent receipts, food budget, employment timesheets, signed letter from employer that shift changes are not possible, signed medical documentation to support carer status, signed medical documentation to support inability to attend university at certain times,ﾠsiNet timetable).
- Email the HABS Timetabling team (habs.mytimetable@uq.edu.au) your desire to apply for a change of workshop including your name, student number, your current workshop group and time and your desired workshop group and time. Please list several alternatives for the group you wish to join. Requests received after Monday 22nd July (first day of Semester 2 2024) will not be accommodated and you will be required to attend your originally allocated time.
- After considering your personal circumstances and the evidence you provide, a decision will be made later in the week and you will be notified of the decision by the start of week 2 (Monday 29th July).
What is extreme hardship?
Extreme hardship does not mean you miss out on a shift at work. It means that you are unable to support yourself if that shift is lost (evidence such as rent receipts is required for this) AND that there are no alternative shifts available (evidence such as an employer statement is required for this).ﾠ
Extreme hardship does not mean you will be inconvenienced by a long or difficult commute to university for one practical only. We understand and regret the inconvenience, but I am sure the same type of inconvenience would apply to a large fraction of the class. You can organise yourself to combine library study time on that day to make it worthwhile.
Unfortunate factors outside your control that may have contributed to you missing out on preferred time-slots do not constitute extreme hardship. I genuinely feel for those who have computer problems etc, however, it wouldn't be fair to disadvantage somebody else (by moving them out of a workshop group to fit you in) on the basis of your bad luck.
Pre-planned overseas travel, workﾠat a part-time job, weddings, family birthdays interstate and weekly sports training / competition are all NOT valid reasons for a change in prac groups or failure to attend university activities.
Elite Athlete Consideration
The University of Queensland is an Elite Athlete Friendly University that allows reasonable adjustments to studies / arrangements to permit students classified as an Elite Athlete to continue to study around their sporting commitments. If you think you may classify as an Elite Athlete, please take a look at the following website: (http://www.uqsport.com.au/content/applying-elite-athlete-status) and feel free to contact the Elite Athlete Personal Development Advisor at the UQ Sport.
Aims and outcomes
1-ﾠTo provide an advanced level understanding of the science underpinning contemporary nutrition topics and issues.
2- To provide skills for critical thinking, analysis of nutrition data, and nutrition science-related topics information retrieving skills,ﾠin preparation for further studies in nutrition science, nutrition research, and dietetics.
ﾠ
ﾠ
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Demonstrate in-depth understanding of the metabolism of macronutrients and micronutrients, of the specific requirements at key periods of the lifecycle, of the body's detoxifications and antioxidant defence processes, and the role nutrition plays in detoxification pathways and redox homeostasis.
LO2.
Demonstrate good understanding of strengths and limitations of the methodology for investigating dietary intake in humans. Demonstrate skills to retrieve and evaluate nutrition scientific literature when assessing nutraceuticals, functional foods, and popular dietary protocols and ideologies with respect to the available body of evidence of safety, efficacy and feasibility in humans.
LO3.
Demonstrate good understanding of the science underpinning the Nutrient Reference Values, and evaluate them against the principles of optimal nutrition described by the triage theory. Identify the key nutritional requirements in the life-cycle, including the reasoning.
LO4.
Explain the mechanisms that are commonly associated with obesity-related metabolic dysregulations, and how food constituents and dietary patterns exacerbate the dysregulations, or may improve metabolic health by breaking the vicious cycle of systemic inflammation and insulin resistance.
LO5.
Demonstrate understanding of the factors involved in energy balance, the neuro-endocrine regulation of appetite and taste preferences which influence energy intake. Explain the mechanisms of novel nutrition theories that may predict eating behaviours and obesity outcomes, the hunger trap hypothesis, the protein leverage hypothesis and nutrient sensing pathways.
LO6.
Demonstrate a good understanding of the principles included in nutritional genomics: nutrigenetics, nutrigenomics and nutritional epigenetics, investigative methodology, application, and the molecular basis of the emerging personalised nutrition paradigm.
LO7.
Explain the interactions between food-constituents, dietary patterns and the gut microbiota, with resulting outcomes, taking the example of mental health and feeding behaviours. Explain the impact of food ultra-processing on the gut microbiota and the drivers of chronic disease in the lifecycle.
LO8.
Demonstrate a good understanding of the physiological and biochemical processes that explain the benefit of fasting protocols.
LO9.
Demonstrate a good understanding of the food flaw, the food guidance system in Australia, the science underpinning the Nutrient Reference Values and the Australian Dietary Guidelines, and how food and dietary products are regulated.
LO10.
Demonstrate an understanding of food processing purposes and outcomes on nutrition, the impact of exposure to related toxicants on drivers of chronic disease, the methods used to increase nutrients density in diets, the arguments raised in debates opposing organically grown and genetically engineered foods.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Practical/ Demonstration |
Practical activity report in three parts
|
30% (3 reports x 10% each) |
Due time and date is as follows:
|
| Examination |
In-semester exam
|
30% |
In-semester Saturday 31/08/2024 - 14/09/2024
ﾠ |
| Examination |
Final Exam (Inspera)
|
40% |
End of Semester Exam Period 2/11/2024 - 16/11/2024 |
A hurdle is an assessment requirement that must be satisfied in order to receive a specific grade for the course. Check the assessment details for more information about hurdle requirements.
Assessment details
Practical activity report in three parts
- In-person
- Online
- Mode
- Activity/ Performance, Written
- Category
- Practical/ Demonstration
- Weight
- 30% (3 reports x 10% each)
- Due date
Due time and date is as follows:
- Your workshop day in weeks 5, 7 and 9
- End of workshop time on that day as per timetable
- Other conditions
- Time limited.
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L09
Task description
The practical activity report assessment contains three parts, relating to practical activities completed during workshops in weeks 5, 7 and 9 on the topic of dietary intake data collection methodology, analysis and interpretation. The report for each part is submitted at the end of the workshop time. The assessment details are released in sequence on Blackboard and explained at the start of each workshop. The section of the report are completed and submitted on the Inspera platform: https://web.library.uq.edu.au/libraryservices/it/assessments-inspera. You will bring your charged laptop or get a short loan from the UQ Library (indicate that you need to access Inspera on the laptop). Attendance to these workshops is compulsory to complete the assessment.
Submission guidelines
Submission of each report is via the Inspera platform as instructed on the task sheet available on Blackboard on the day of the workshop.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to defer this exam.
As all assessment is part of an assessment sequence, deferred assessment will be scheduled within 7 days following the original due date and time to ensure that students have completed the assessment prior to the next assessment item due date within the sequence. Your new date and time will be determined by the course coordinator and communicated to you via your UQ student email account.
Late submission
You will receive a mark of 0 if this assessment is submitted late.
The report must be submitted on the day of the workshop at the end of the workshop time. This assessment is completed in 3 parts. You must complete part 1 in week 5 to be able to proceed to parts 2 in week 7 and part 3 in week 9.
In-semester exam
- In-person
- Online
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Examination
- Weight
- 30%
- Due date
In-semester Saturday
31/08/2024 - 14/09/2024
ﾠ
- Other conditions
- Time limited.
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04
Task description
The in-semester exam is a 90 minutes + 10 minutes reading time. The exam takes place on the Inspera platform. You will need your charged laptop or get a short term loan from the UQ library. The exam covers content from weeks 1 to 5. Details on the format of the exam will be communicated via Blackboard and during contact time.
Details about Inspera assessments including an introduction to Inspera functionality and where to go for support are available at: https://web.library.uq.edu.au/libraryservices/it/assessments-inspera.
Exam details
| Planning time | 10 minutes |
|---|---|
| Duration | 90 minutes |
| Calculator options | (In person) Casio FX82 series or UQ approved , labelled calculator only |
| Open/closed book | Closed Book examination - specified written materials permitted |
| Materials | One A4 sheet of handwritten notes , single sided, is permitted Unmarked language dictionary |
| Exam platform | Inspera |
| Invigilation | Invigilated in person |
Submission guidelines
Submission via Inspera
Deferral or extension
You may be able to defer this exam.
Late submission
You will receive a mark of 0 if this assessment is submitted late.
Final Exam (Inspera)
- Hurdle
- In-person
- Online
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Examination
- Weight
- 40%
- Due date
End of Semester Exam Period
2/11/2024 - 16/11/2024
- Other conditions
- Time limited.
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06, L07, L08, L09, L10
Task description
The exam covers the full semester content. Details on the format of the exam will be communicated via Blackboard and during contact time.
Details about Inspera assessments including an introduction to Inspera functionality and where to go for support are available at: https://web.library.uq.edu.au/libraryservices/it/assessments-inspera.
Hurdle requirements
Summative. A mark of at least 40 % and a total course mark of 50 % are required to pass the course.Exam details
| Planning time | 10 minutes |
|---|---|
| Duration | 120 minutes |
| Calculator options | (In person) Casio FX82 series or UQ approved , labelled calculator only |
| Open/closed book | Closed Book examination - specified written materials permitted |
| Materials | One A4 sheet of handwritten notes, double sided, is permitted Unmarked language dictionary |
| Exam platform | Inspera |
| Invigilation | Invigilated in person |
Submission guidelines
Submission via Inspera
Deferral or extension
You may be able to defer this exam.
Late submission
You will receive a mark of 0 if this assessment is submitted late.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | 0 - 24 |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Fails to demonstrate most or all of the basic requirements of the course. |
| 2 (Fail) | 25 - 44 |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Clear deficiencies in understanding and performance but evidence that some basic requirements have been met. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 45 - 49 |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes Course grade description: Fails to satisfy all basic requirements for pass but is close to satisfactory overall and has compensating strengths in some aspects. |
| 4 (Pass) | 50 - 64 |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Satisfies the basic learning requirements for the course, such as knowledge of fundamental concepts and performance of basic skills; demonstrates sufficient quality of performances to be considered satisfactory in the course. |
| 5 (Credit) | 65 - 74 |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Demonstrates ability to use and apply fundamental concepts and skills of the course going beyond mere replication of content knowledge and skills to show understanding of key ideas, awareness of their relevance, some use of analytical skills and some originality or insight. |
| 6 (Distinction) | 75 - 84 |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Demonstrates awareness of deeper and more subtle aspects of the course, such as ability to identify and debate critical issues or problems, ability to evaluate new ideas, and ability to incorporate relevant scientific knowledge to address topics. |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 85 - 100 |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Demonstrates imagination, originality or excellence in metacognition, based on proficiency in all learning objectives of the course; work is interesting, surprising, and commendable. |
Additional course grading information
A final percentage mark will be rounded to the nearest whole number (e.g. 64.50 and above will be rounded to 65 and 64.49 and below will be rounded down to 64.)
Attendance to workshops is compulsory to complete in-class assessments. Workshops activities and assessments are formative and summative.
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Additional assessment information
Assessment Tasks Prohibiting the Use of AI
Theﾠassessment tasks of the course evaluates students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI). Students are advised that the use of AI technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Week 1 (22 Jul - 28 Jul) |
Lecture |
Course introduction, NUTR2101 foundation revisions Course introduction and "housekeeping". NUTR2101 content revisions, including overview of the Food Guidance System and Nutrient Reference Values. Learning outcomes: L01, L03, L09 |
Week 2 (29 Jul - 04 Aug) |
Lecture |
Advanced nutrition science foundation topics Diet-disease relationships; food constituents without reference values; the triage theory in nutrient requirements; detoxification and biotransformation processes. Sub-activity: Workshop: activities involving the integration and application of course content. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Week 3 (05 Aug - 11 Aug) |
Lecture |
Investigating dietary patterns & intake Investigating dietary patterns to determine diet-disease and diet-health relationships; how do we know what people eat: an exploration of the research methods and investigation tools strengths and limitations when investigating dietary intake; the NOVA classification of foods; nutraceuticals and functional foods; the "reasoning" behind popular diets: the Paleo diet. Sub-activity: Workshop: activities involving the integration and application of course content. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L09 |
Week 4 (12 Aug - 18 Aug) |
Lecture |
Obesity-related metabolic dysregulations Low grade systemic inflammation and insulin resistance as metabolic dysregulations associated with obesity and metabolically obese normal weight phenotypes; the obesity paradox; advanced glycation end-products; the antioxidant defence systems and redox homeostasis; dietary patterns and constituents as drivers or regulators of systemic inflammation. Learning outcomes: L01, L04, L07 |
Week 5 (19 Aug - 25 Aug) |
Lecture |
Nutrition considerations in early life Nutrition considerations and rationale in pregnancy, during breastfeeding and in the growing years: impact on long-term health outcomes. Sub-activity: Workshop: Practical activity report 1 (ASSESSMENT). Learning outcomes: L01, L03 |
Week 6 (26 Aug - 01 Sep) |
Lecture |
Weeks 1-5 revision for in-semester exam Revision of weeks 1-5 content for IN SEMESTER EXAM. Sub-activity: Workshop: IN SEMESTER EXAM REVISIONS. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
Week 7 (02 Sep - 08 Sep) |
Lecture |
Nutritional genomics & personalised nutrition Nutritional genomics: concepts, mechanisms, specific examples and impact on health outcomes and dietary recommendations in personalised nutrition. Sub-activity: Workshop: Practical activity report 2 (ASSESSMENT). Learning outcomes: L04, L06 |
Week 8 (09 Sep - 15 Sep) |
Lecture |
Factors involved in energy balance regulation Neuro-endocrine regulation of hunger, appetite, satiation and satiety; energy balance: factors implicated in energy expenditure and intake; concepts and mechanisms in the regulation of energy balance. Sub-activity: Workshop: activities involving the integration and application of course content. Learning outcomes: L04, L05 |
Week 9 (16 Sep - 22 Sep) |
Lecture |
Nutrition considerations later in life Healthspan versus lifespan; the physiological mechanisms of ageing and their impact on digestion, absorption, metabolism and dietary requirements; inflammaging and redox homeostasis; nutrient-medicines interactions and outcomes. Sub-activity: Workshop: Practical activity report 3 (ASSESSMENT). Learning outcomes: L01, L03, L07 |
Week 10 (30 Sep - 06 Oct) |
Lecture |
Nutrition and the gut microbiota The role of the gut microbiota in health and disease throughout life; the impact of dietary patterns and constituents on the gut microbiota; the role of the gut microbiota in the host's response to diet; the gut-brain axis; psychobiotics. Sub-activity: Workshop: activities involving the integration and application of course content. Learning outcomes: L04, L05, L07 |
Week 11 (07 Oct - 13 Oct) |
Lecture |
The molecular mechanisms of the benefits of fasting protocols Fasting protocols: description and rationale; chrononutrition; physiological and molecular adaptation mechanisms to fasting; ketogenesis, autophagy, the IGF-1 axis, hormesis and mitohormesis as mediators of the health benefits of fasting protocols. Sub-activity: Workshop: activities involving the integration and application of course content. Learning outcomes: L05, L08 |
Week 12 (14 Oct - 20 Oct) |
Lecture |
Food processing and nutrition; Food law in Australia Food law, purposes and regulations in Australia. Food processing steps and derived toxicants with exposure-associated health outcomes. Sub-activity: Workshop: activities involving the integration and application of course content. Learning outcomes: L07, L09, L10 |
Week 13 (21 Oct - 27 Oct) |
Lecture |
Diet disease-relationships: the case of lipids and cardiovascular disease risk Primary hypertension: the role of dietary constituents as risk factors or in prevention; differential response to dietary factors depending on lipoprotein phenotypes; the DASH and Mediterranean style diets in the reduction of cardiovascular disease risk; associations between dietary pattern and mental health. Sub-activity: Workshop: integration of the course content and overall Learning Outcomes. End of semester exam revisions guidance. Learning outcomes: L01, L04, L06, L07, L10 |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.
School guidelines
Your school has additional guidelines you'll need to follow for this course: