Doel vak

Is coffee healthy or not? Does sugar tax work? Is the
cholesterol-lowering claim on the product Becel pro-activ justified?
These questions are examples of nutrition questions that nutritionist
are confronted with.
Everyone knows that nutrition is an important contributor to better
public health. But what is a healthy diet, and what foods are 'a
healthy choice'?
For development and revisions of dietary guidelines and for validation
of health claims on food products an evidence-based approach is
necessary. For this evidence-based approach all evidence should be
collected and critically weighed in an objective way, putting aside
prejudice and beliefs. Only in this way nutrition research can be
translated into good policy. This course covers nutrition research from
critically evaluating available evidence,
choosing the appropriate study design for nutrition related research,
analyzing and interpreting the results, and finally translating
nutrition research in nutrition policy.
Aims:
• Recognize and evaluate study designs for quantitative research and
weigh the current scientific evidence on specific nutrition topics using
an evidence based approach
• Formulate a specific research question in the nutrition field,
systematically search, analyse and critically judge the available
literature, write a systematic review on the findings and orally discuss
the results.
• Judge the implications of available scientific evidence for future
research, policy measures and industry in the nutrition field.

Inhoud vak

•- Various evidence based approaches
•- Quantitative research designs
•- Scientific evidence for dietary recommendations
•- Public health nutrition in practice
•- Major nutrition-related diseases
•- Scientific evaluation of a self chosen topic on nutrition and health

Onderwijsvorm

This course consists of 6 credits divided as follows: lectures (~16
hours); workshops literature assignment (~10 hours), guest lectures (~4
hours), self study (~138 hours)

Toetsvorm

Grades for written exam and for literature assignment.
Both grades should be 5.5 or higher in order to pass the course (no
compensation).

Vereiste voorkennis

Bachelor course 'Voedingsonderzoek' or 'Voedingsleer en onderzoek', or
equivalent level.
Students should have followed the master course in September ''Research
Methods for Health Sciences''. If not, contact the course coordinator.

Literatuur

Will be announced through Canvas and the study
guide

Doelgroep

Master students Health Sciences

Overige informatie

The course is a compulsory course for the specialization `Nutrition and
Health' within the MSc Health Sciences program.
Students should have passed the bachelor course 'Voedingsonderzoek' or
'Voedingsleer en onderzoek', or
equivalent level.
Students should have followed the master course ''Care and Prevention
Research''. If not, contact the course coordinator.