NUTR09032 2022 Nutrition through the Life Stages

Understand nutritional requirements and importance of nutrition during different stages of the life cycle

Apply current nutritional guidelines to propose the appropriate strategy to combat nutrition problem in a context of a given life stage

Reflect upon the various factors including financial, social and environmental circumstances impacting diet and nutritional intake of a population group during particular stage of the life cycle

Discuss how the nutrition-related issues specific to each stage of the life cycle relate to health and disease development

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

This module is 100% continuous assessment, learning outcomes for this module will be assessed through a report, presentation and a case study focused on particular nutrition related issues/ stages in the life cycle.

Repeat continuous assessment if required.

LO 1) Understand nutritional requirements and importance of nutrition during different stages of the life cycle (pre-conception, pregnancy, lactation, infancy, preschool and childhood, adolescence, adulthood / late adulthood)

Students will learn and expect to understand:  

- principles of science of nutrition and key nutrition concepts 

- nutrients and dietary recommendations from pre-conception to late adulthood (e.g. Dietary Reference Values) 

- age related physiological changes throughout the life cycle

- nutritional needs of specific groups such as those intolerant to gluten. 

LO 2) Apply current nutritional guidelines to propose the appropriate strategy to combat nutrition problem in a context of a given life stage. 

Students will become familiar and appraise:  

- current nutritional guidelines used in Ireland and EU to combat key nutrition related problems throughout the life cycle e.g. nutrient deficiency.  

- key nutrients of concern for specific age groups in the context of relevant case studies. 

LO 3) Reflect upon the various factors including financial, social and environmental circumstances impacting diet and nutritional intake of a population group during particular stage of the life cycle. 

Students will understand and discuss:  

- factors (e.g. individual, socioeconomic, environmental) influencing the diet and nutritional status of sub-population groups throughout the life cycle with reference to the relevant up to date literature in the area.  

LO 4) Discuss how the nutrition-related issues specific to each stage of the life cycle relate to health and disease development. 

Students will discuss and required to critically appraise in the context of the evidence base: 

- common nutrition related issues at each stage of the life cycle (e.g. childhood obesity, iron deficiency anaemia among women of reproductive age, non-communicable diseases among adults, osteoporosis and age-related neurodegenerative diseases among elderly) 

- nutrient – disease relationship and the role of nutrients in the disease development and progression (e.g. the importance of folate in foetal development, saturated fat and cardiovascular disease).