The course aims to provide students with a thorough knowledge and understanding of the fundamentals of: - Nutrients and Foods: Exploration of the essential characteristics of nutrients and properties of foods, with a focus on their role during pregnancy and lactation. - Balanced and Conscious Nutrition: Exploration of optimal nutritional practices at different stages of life, with a specific focus on pregnancy, lactation and other physiological conditions such as childhood, adolescence and menopause. - Malnutrition by Deficiency and Excess: Analysis of the issues related to malnutrition, both in terms of nutrient deficiency and excess, and their consequences on maternal and neonatal health. - Nutrition in Chronic Diseases: Insight into the dietary implications of prevalent diseases, such as Obesity, Diabetes Mellitus, Dyslipidemia and Metabolic Syndrome, with particular reference to their management during pregnancy and lactation. At the end of the course, the student will be able to: - Understand the Role of Diet in the Different Phases of Life: Interpret the importance of adequate nutrition both in physiological conditions, with particular regard to pregnancy and lactation, and in the presence of pathologies and conditions of malnutrition. - Promoting Good Nutrition Education: To apply the knowledge acquired to offer nutritional counselling and promote nutrition education, recognised as an essential part of health education.
Course Prerequisites
Knowledge of the basics of biochemistry and physiology of nutrition.
Teaching Methods
Frontal lesson with the use of visual aids, comparison and discussion
Assessment Methods
In agreement with the chairman of the committee written test with closed answers or oral examination.
Contents
Course Content The course will be divided into three basic sections: - Fundamentals of Human Nutrition: In-depth study of the principles of human nutrition, with a focus on the classification of nutrients, their physiological role, and their distribution in various foods. Analysis of the methodologies for calculating caloric requirements at different stages of life, with a focus on specific nutritional needs during pregnancy and lactation. Practical application of the acquired knowledge for the development of customised diets, based on individual physiological needs and health conditions. - Malnutrition by Defect and Excess: Examination of issues related to malnutrition, both in terms of nutrient deficiency and excess, with attention to the consequences on general and maternal health. Strategies for prevention and treatment of malnutrition, including assessment of nutritional status and an overview of artificial nutrition techniques, when necessary. Insight into the dynamics that lead to malnutrition conditions and the preventive measures that can be taken in clinical and community settings. - Nutrition, Pathologies and Psychological and Cultural Aspects of Food: General approach to food-related problems, with particular reference to the relationships between diet and common pathologies, such as Obesity, Diabetes Mellitus, and Dyslipidemia. Analysis of the psychological and cultural significance of food, considering how eating behaviour is influenced by emotional, social and cultural factors. Study of the regulatory mechanisms of food intake, including biological and environmental factors influencing appetite and eating habits, with practical applications in dietary counselling and nutrition education.
Course Language
Italian
More information
The lecturer is available in the classroom before and after lessons or by prior appointment (e-mail: eugenia.dozio@uninsubria.it )
