Course information and syllabus 

Next course will be offered in winter semester of the academic year 2024/25.

You may sign for the course via AIS2 system. Concerning the administrative issues and enrolment into the course, please contact the Study department.

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Course title

Basics of Physiological and Clinical Nutrition

 

Contact information

Instructor: Assoc. prof. Katarína Babinská, MD, PhD., MSc.

katarina.babinskafmed.uniba.sk

MS Teams: babinska1uniba.sk

Office: Institute of Physiology, Sasinkova 2, Bratislava, room 8, ground floor

Course is provided by the Institute of Physiology

Head of the Institute: Prof. Daniela Ostatníková, MD, PhD

 

Course information

This is a restricted optional course for General medicine 4^th year students. The course is for international students of the Faculty of Medicine studying in English, as well as for Erasmus students. Expected number of students in the course: 8 – 20. Course takes place in winter semester and it lasts 12 weeks. Classes will take place online according to the semester schedule once a week in duration of 2 lessons (2 x 50 minutes).

You may sign for the course via AIS2 system. Concerning the administrative issues and enrolment into the course, please contact the Study department.

 

Online course access

The course will be conducted online via MS Teams. Course participants will have access to the team “Nutrition COS LF 24/25” that will be the platform for all course activities (classes, study materials, assignment submissions, communication of students and instructor, etc.).

 

Brief description of the course

The course is focused on nutrition as a major determinant of human health, and a significant factor in prevention and treatment of a variety of health disorders worldwide. The course builds on the students’ previous knowledge of basics of nutrition gained in compulsory subjects, such as physiology, pathophysiology or biochemistry. In the course, the most frequent health-related nutritional problems of current time that a health professional may face in clinical practice will be discussed. The course will develop students’ practical skills in providing nutritional counselling concerning nutrient intakes, food choices and dietary plans. Risks and benefits of alternative nutritional approaches will be analysed. The course will train students in selection of information resources. International context, geographical or regional specifics of the course topics will be included in the discussions.

 

Expected learning outcomes

After completing the entire course you should be able:

1. To apply the knowledge of nutrients and their functions, as well as nutrient content of foods in evaluation of overall dietary patterns.

2. To analyse evaluate individuals’ dietary patterns in health and disease.

3. To design dietary recommendations for an individual in health and disease with consideration of experts’ guidelines, scientific evidence and geographic/national specifics.

 

Major learning activities

Participants are expected to join a MS Teams meeting every week in the time scheduled in your MS Teams calendar. The lessons will be rich in discussions, in which your contribution is expected.

For most lessons reading will be assigned via MS Teams Assignments, as well as written assignment in form of 2-5 questions to be answered based on the reading. The deadline for submitting the assignment is the afternoon on the day of the class. It is important to complete reading assignments prior to each lesson. Without the background information provided therein, students are unlikely to realize the full potential benefit of lectures, and may find them difficult to follow.

The lessons are introduced by a short lecture of the instructor. In each lesson, students will present their topics. Each student is expected present one topic during the course. Students sign for a topic that they choose from a list of topics provided by the instructor. They are expected to prepare a 10-15 minute presentation (guidelines how to approach the presentation will be published). The presentation will be marked and the mark will be a part of the final grade.

In most classes, group work will be performed. Students will discuss topics in international groups (group members coming from different countries, and local students if applicable) of 3-5 individuals in breakout rooms, subsequently a general discussion will follow. Other activities will include short multiple choice online quizzes followed by discussions to questions. Role play format will is planned for training of skills to provide nutritional guidance to patients.

 

Assessment criteria

The final mark will be based on

1. Participation in class discussions and tasks: 25 %

Students are expected to present understanding of the topic and sharing their national/international experience

2. Presentation of a topic: 25%

A 10-15 minute presentation, students choose the topic from a list provided by the instructor. 

3. Final written assignment: 50%

Students are expected to design a leaflet with dietary information for a patient, taking into consideration specifics of the country of their residence (their future patients). The choice of the topic/disease is upon the student, it needs to be discussed with the instructor. Students are expected to provide self-reflection on instructor’s feedback.

 

Grading policy and scale

Mark	Percent*
A	100 - 92
B	91 - 84
C	83 - 76
D	75 - 68
E	67 - 60
Fx	Less than 60

The percent will be rounded up, e.g. 74.49% will be rounded to 75%.

 

Policy on absences

One absence is tolerated without a need for substitution. Submitting of the written assignment for that class is required (if applicable). Please announce your absence in advance if possible. One more absence is tolerated, substitution of the topic in form a written assignments is required.

 

Statement academic integrity

Any academic dishonesty is a basic offense against the university. Academic dishonesty includes submitting written material as one’s work when it has been prepared by or copied from another.

 

Online etiquette

Please have your camera turned on during the online class. If you do not speak, please mute your microphone. If you wish to join a discussion, make a comment, etc. click the “raise hand” button.

Your instructor and fellow students wish to foster a safe on-line learning environment. All opinions and experiences, no matter how different or controversial they may be perceived, must be respected in the tolerant spirit of academic discourse. You are encouraged to comment, question, or critique an idea but you are not to attack an individual.

 

Tentative course schedule (may be subjected to modification)

Date	Topic
1	Introduction Nutrition information sources
2	Nutrients, their functions and sources, healthy choices Dietary fats, proteins, carbohydrates How much of a nutrient is the optimum intake?
3	Nutrients, other food components, their functions and sources, healthy choices Dietary fibre and gut microbiota Micronutrients, phytochemicals and nutraceuticals Food supplements
4	Food groups and healthy choices Cereals, Milk and milk products, Meat and meat products, Fish Vegetables, fruit and legumes, Dietary fats, nuts and seeds, Fast food, Beverages
5	Healthy nutrition, nutrition of groups with special needs (children, elderly, sportsmen, etc.) Current concepts of healthy nutrition. Current dietary patterns – do we really eat healthy? Ultra processed foods Nutritional specifics of groups with special dietary needs
6	Diets Self-study Vegetarian and vegan diet
7	Diets Ketogenic diet. Intermittent fasting. Fad diets. Paleo diet. Raw food. Hospital diets
8	Diets Energy requirements and energy value of the food. Nutrition in prevention and treatment of obesity
9	Diets Nutrition and diabetes mellitus Nutrition in prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases
10	Diets Nutrition and disorders of the digestive system. Celiac disease.
11	Diets Food allergies and intolerances. Histamine intolerance. Nutrition and osteoporosis Nutrition and cancer Nutrition and other health disorders
12	Conclusions Presentation of final projects

 

Reading list

For each lesson, reading will be announced one week in advance. Reading will include scientific articles or handouts. Please visit MS Teams - Files – Weekly reading to download the readings and materials to study.

 

Basic reading on nutrition:

Human Nutrition: 2020 Edition. Authors: University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa Food Science and Human Nutrition Program. Accessible on

http://pressbooks.oer.hawaii.edu/humannutrition2/