NUTR09017 2019 Food and Nutrition Policy

General Details

Full Title
Food and Nutrition Policy
Transcript Title
Food and Nutrition Policy
Code
NUTR09017
Attendance
N/A %
Subject Area
NUTR - Nutrition
Department
HEAL - Health & Nutritional Sciences
Level
09 - NFQ Level 9
Credit
05 - 05 Credits
Duration
Semester
Fee
Start Term
2019 - Full Academic Year 2019-20
End Term
9999 - The End of Time
Author(s)
Laura Keaver, Irina Uzhova
Programme Membership
SG_SPUNU_M09 201900 Master of Science in Public Health Nutrition
Description

This module will enable students to integrate and apply their knowledge and skills in public health nutrition to the development and analysis of food and nutrition policies

 

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this module the learner will/should be able to;

1.

Critically evaluate specific food and/or nutrition policy with respect to its evidence-base, adequacy of implementation, nutritional impact and forces which hinder or help it's implementation

2.

Discuss the contexts (nutritional, political, economic, cultural, etc.) in which food and nutritional policies are developed

3.

Demonstrate an understanding of effective planning, implementation and monitoring of food and nutrition policy, taking into consideration population's health issues. 

4.

Illustrate how public health policy is related to nutrition policy and to common agricultural policy

5.

Reflect on the processes and interaction of stakeholders which lead to policy decisions

Teaching and Learning Strategies

This module will be delivered through online weekly lectures. This will consist of a one-hour lecture per week as well as one hour of asynchronous learning which will consist of interactive and forum discussions and MCQ's. In addition, the learner will be expected to allocate an additional 5 hours per week for continuous assessment and additional reading. 

Module Assessment Strategies

This module is 50% continuous assessment and 50% open book exam

Repeat Assessments

Repeat continuous assessment and/or final exam

Indicative Syllabus

Planning (including implementation and monitoring) of food and nutrition policy; governance frameworks; policy analysis; interactions between health, nutrition and agricultural policies; history and philosophy of national food and nutrition policies in EU and internationally, in the context of GATT, CAP, other food-, economic- and health frameworks including information systems, goals and targets; national and European law (international), especially food and trade regulations from the perspective of food as a human right; assessment of the contexts (nutritional, political, economical, cultural) affecting pocily development; assessment of nutritional, environmental and health-related impacts of national, European and international food and trade regulations; interrelationships among community, private and public sector stakeholders in policy formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation; the translation of policies into feasible programs

Coursework & Assessment Breakdown

Coursework & Continuous Assessment
50 %
End of Semester / Year Formal Exam
50 %

Coursework Assessment

Title Type Form Percent Week Learning Outcomes Assessed
1 Policy critique: critical evaluation of an existing policy Coursework Assessment Assessment 20 % Week 5 1,4
2 Case study: analysis of stakeholders involvement in policy decisions Coursework Assessment Assessment 20 % Week 10 5
3 Class MCQ Coursework Assessment Assessment 10 % OnGoing 2,3,4

End of Semester / Year Assessment

Title Type Form Percent Week Learning Outcomes Assessed
1 Exam Final Exam Open Book Exam 50 % End of Semester 2,3
             
             

Full Time Mode Workload


Type Location Description Hours Frequency Avg Workload
Online Lecture Online Lecture 2 Weekly 2.00
Directed Learning Not Specified Self-directed 5 Weekly 5.00
Total Full Time Average Weekly Learner Contact Time 7.00 Hours

Required & Recommended Book List

Required Reading
2015-08-31 Food Policy CRC Press
ISBN 1439880247 ISBN-13 9781439880241

Access to safe, adequate, and nutritionally balanced food is a cornerstone of public health. Food Policy: Looking Forward from the Past examines the influences of grassroots movements, the government, and industry on the US food systems. The authors explore the intersection of food and nutrition and how policy influences this overlap. They illuminate how current food policies stem from choices made (or abandoned) along the way. Sprinkled throughout the book are challenging questions meant to evoke critical analysis and inspire further, in-depth exploration. Although the book focuses mainly on policy, it provides enough detailed nutrition information to put the policy discussion in historical context. It examines the emergence of trends, food policies, and legislation balancing issues of food, nutrition and diet-related conditions, such as obesity. It also covers food markets, sustainable agriculture, dietary guidelines and dietary allowances, food labeling, food safety, and school wellness. The book details the nuances of policy discussions and the struggles of the FDA in regulating fortification, food additives, and the development of daily values for nutrients. It also examines themes of government action versus individual liberty. With balanced coverage of nutrition and policy issues, the book illustrates how the past gave rise to the present. It poses many questions, not the least of which is: Do we have the right to know how our food is produced? The balanced coverage of nutrition and policy issues in this book gives you the foundation to critically explore the influence of food policy on public health.

Required Reading
2014 Food Security, Poverty and Nutrition Policy Analysis Academic Press
ISBN 0124058647 ISBN-13 9780124058644

Food insecurity, the lack of access at all times to the food needed for an active and healthy life, continues to be a growing problem as populations increase while the world economy struggles. Formulating effective policies for addressing these issues requires thorough understanding of the empirical data and application of appropriate measurement and analysis of that information. Food Security, Poverty and Nutrition Policy Analysis, 2nd edition has been revised and updated to include hands-on examples and real-world case studies using the latest datasets, tools and methods. Providing a proven framework for developing applied policy analysis skills, this book is based on over 30 years of food and nutrition policy research at the International Food Policy Research Institute and has been used worldwide to impart the combined skills of statistical data analysis, computer literacy and their use in developing policy alternatives. This book provides core information in a format that provides not only the concept behind the method, but real-world applications giving the reader valuable, practical knowledge. Updated to address the latest datasets and tools, including STATA software, the future of policy analysis Includes a new chapter on program evaluation taking the reader from data analysis to policy development to post-implementation measurement Identifies the proper analysis method, its application to available data and its importance in policy development using real-world scenarios Over 30% new content and fully revised throughout

Required Reading
2015-05-21 The Fight Against Hunger and Malnutrition Oxford University Press, USA
ISBN 9780198733201 ISBN-13 0198733208

Advances in science and policy during the past 50 years have prevented the predicted widespread food shortages as the world's population soared. Malnutrition, however, remains prevalent. This book details strategies and practical approaches to scientific and policy challenges for alleviating hunger and malnutrition in an era where technological change, markets, patterns of governance, and social programs have an increasingly global dimension. The contours ofagricultural, food, and nutrition policy have been redrawn by a range of factors, including the unfettered reach of multinational corporations, emerging technologies such as genetically modified foods, andthe new competition between the food and energy sectors for agricultural output. More emphasis on evidence-based policymaking is raising the standard of proof for evaluating the impact of social programs and targeted interventions. Overlaying all these challenges are domestic and international political and social constraints that need to be addressed when trying to translate scientific knowledge and information into practice.

Module Resources

Non ISBN Literary Resources

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Journal Resources

Food Policy  

British Journal of Nutrition 

European Journal of Nutrition  

Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics 

Nutrition and Dietetics 

Nutrition Reviews 

Public Health Nutrition  

Journal of Health and Social Policy 

URL Resources

International Food Policy Research Institute. www.ifpri.org 

Role of government policy in nutrition—barriers to and opportunities for healthier eating https://www.bmj.com/content/361/bmj.k2426 

USDA Centre for Nutrition Policy and Promotion: https://www.fns.usda.gov/cnpp/center-nutrition-policy-and-promotion 

World Health Organisation  www.who.int 

Global Panel. 2014. How can agriculture and food systems improve nutrition? Technical Brief No. 1. London: Global Panel on Agriculture and Food Systems for Nutrition: http://www.glopan.org/technical-brief

Baker, Phillip, et al. "What Drives Political Commitment for Nutrition? A Review and Framework Synthesis to Inform the United Nations Decade of Action on Nutrition." BMJ Global Health, vol. 3, no. 1, BMJ Specialist Journals, Feb. 2018, p. e000485 

Other Resources

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