9797345 - WATER, FOOD AND SUSTAINABLE DIETS

By the end of the course, students are expected to:

·       Identify the impact of nutritional risk factors on risk of chronic diseases and mortality

·       Describe food groups, including their main characteristics, nutritional and non-nutritional components, and effects of their habitual consumption on human health

·       Be common with the dietary guidelines for the Italian population

·       Be common with the institutions/associations providing dietary recommendation and their indications

·       Identify aspects of a sustainable diet

The course aims to provide essential knowledge on human nutrition and its relevance to health outcomes. Foods and their components will be introduced in the context of dietary guidelines, and evidence-based nutritional recommendations aiming at prevention of non-communicable diseases. Sustainable diets and their nutritional and health aspects will be discussed.

The course will focus on:

·       Nutrition and global health

·       Diet as a modifiable risk factor

·       Plant-based foods and their components:

Fruits and vegetables

Whole-grains

Legumes

·       Foods of animal origin and their components:

Dairy

Eggs

Fish and shellfish

Meat

·       Dietary guidelines for the Italian population

Standard portions

Frequencies of consumption

·       Diet and inflammation as the underlying cause of chronic diseases

·       Evidence-based nutritional recommendations

Slides, scientific publications, and other material will be provided/indicated during the lessons.

The final assessment of acquired knowledge is conducted by an oral examination. The grade is expressed on a scale of thirty, up to a maximum of 30/30 cum laude (with honors). The final grade is determined by the weighted average of the scores obtained in the course subjects.

The oral examination consists of an interview during which questions will cover at least three different topics from the course curriculum. The assessments aim to evaluate: i) the level of knowledge in the disciplines; ii) the ability to apply this knowledge to solve specific problems related to the disciplines (autonomous problem-solving); iii) clarity of expression; iv) proficiency in medical-scientific language. The assessment of learning can also be conducted remotely if the conditions necessitate it.

For the assignment of the final grade, the following parameters will be considered:

·       Score 29-30 with honors: The student demonstrates an in-depth knowledge of the topics, promptly and correctly integrates and critically analyzes presented situations, independently solving even highly complex problems. They possess excellent communication skills and command medical-scientific language proficiently.

·       Score 26-28: The student has a good understanding of the topics, is able to integrate and critically and logically analyze presented situations, can fairly independently solve complex problems, and presents topics clearly using appropriate medical-scientific language.

·       Score 22-25: The student has a fair understanding of the topics, although it may be limited to the main areas. They can integrate and critically analyze presented situations, although not always in a linear fashion, and present topics fairly clearly with moderate language proficiency.

·       Score 18-21: The student has minimal knowledge of the topics, possesses modest ability to integrate and critically analyze presented situations, and presents topics sufficiently clearly, although their language proficiency may be underdeveloped.

· 

• Whole-grain consumption and risk of chronic diseases
• Recommendations for fruit and vegetable intake
• Dietary strategies for cardiovascular disease prevention
• Characteristics of the sustainable diet