Human Nutrition

Recommended Prerequisites

Biochemistry, Spanish , English.   

Teaching Methods

 Expository and dialogued classes and tutorials.

Learning Outcomes

Human Nutrition subject aims to provide students with the skills to disseminate knowledge about the role for health and well-being that proper nutrition plays as it relates to several diseases, including Obesity, Cardiovascular Disease, Diabetes Mellitus, Cancer, Alcoholism and Eating Disorders. It also aims to educate consumers about the nature of the overall nutritional information included on labels and how to use it in order to safeguard their health as well as providing adequate information on products that are dispensed in pharmacies, para-pharmacies and supermarkets, such as milk for babies, baby food, dietary supplements and slimming products. Finally it teaches students to be on the lookout for interactions between food and medicine. Active participation of the students both in lectures and in practical classes is encouraged.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

Lectures: History of Food; Food balance; Food habits of the Portuguese people; Food Groups; Characteristics and properties of different food groups; Food Composition tables; Food wheel; Food Pyramid; Nutrients: Macronutrients (Proteins, Lipids and Carbohydrates); micronutrients (vitamins and minerals); Dietary Fiber; Water; Balanced diet. Nutrition during the life cycle – pregnancy, lactation, childhood and old age; Nutrition in Pathological Situations of Large Prevalence: Obesity, Diabetes, Hypertension, Cancer, Alcoholism and Eating Disorders. Artificial feeding; Functional foods; Food Suplements; Food Drug Interaction.

Theoretical practice: How to write a scientific paper. Energy value of foods. Basal metabolism. Assessment of Nutritional Status: Anthropometric parameters. Assessment of food intake. Biochemical assessment. Diet types. Unbalanced weight loss diet. Team paper presentation and discussion.

Head Lecturer(s)

Fernando Jorge dos Ramos

Assessment Methods

Final Assessment
Exam: 100.0%

Continuous Assessment
Other: 5.0%
Laboratory work or Field work: 10.0%
Research work: 35.0%
Frequency: 50.0%

Bibliography

Aranceta J.(2001) Nutrición Comunitaria. Ed. Fox Cameron

F. A. Gonçalves Ferreira (1994) Nutrição Humana - Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian Lisboa
F. Ramos, L. Santos, M. C. Castilho, M.G.Campos (2014) Medicamentos, Alimentos e Plantas: As Interacções esquecidas, Editor- Hollyfar, Lisboa,

J. Aranceta, Ll.Serra Majen, R. Ortega, A. Entrala y A. Gil. ( 2002) Las Vitaminas en la Alimentación de los Españoles. Estudio Eve, Editorial Médica Panamericana
Luís Horta,(2006) A Nutrição no Desporto, Ed Caminho 3.ª edição

Mataix, J. (2002), Nutrición y alimentación humana. Ergón. Masson. Barcelona
Maurice E. Shils   James A. Olson   Moshe Shike   A. Catharine Ross , (2002) Tratado de Nutrição Moderna na Saúde e na Doença, Editora: Manole , Madrid
Nutrición y Dietoterapia de, Krause (2000) 10.ª edición. México: McGraw-Hill Interamericana