Alimentation and Prevention of Nutritional Diseases

A.Y. 2024/2025
6
Max ECTS
48
Overall hours
SSD
BIO/13 MED/13 MED/49
Language
Italian
Learning objectives
The purpose of the course is to provide an overall picture of the current perspectives in terms of diagnosis, prevention and therapeutic support of malnutrition in complex diseases characterized by dysfunctional eating behavior, and chronic diseases with a significant impact on energy consumption and macro and micronutrients requirement.
Expected learning outcomes
At the end of the course the student must be able to know and apply the principles underlying the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of nutritional disorders and malnutrition condition, responsible for serious consequences on the state of health.
The student will acquire transversal skills such as ability to manage their own learning, to reflect critically and constructively and then to make a judgment.
Contributions to the achievement of the listed results: integration with literature articles; analysis and discussion of case studies; meetings with experts including the application of methodologies through instrumental practical testing.
Single course

This course can be attended as a single course.

Course syllabus and organization

Single session

Lesson period
Second semester
Course syllabus
Interdisciplinary nature of food science

Strategies for managing the Nutritionist - Patient relationship
Control of hunger and satiety:
· Homeostatic and Hedonic hunger, satiation, satiety, appetite
· Feeding Center and Satiety Center signaling

Nutritional status assessment

Anthropometric assessment

Body composition assessment

Energy expenditure evaluation

Welfare diseases: Obesity
· Classification criteria, aetiopathogenesis, Obesity and genetics.
· Italian standards for the treatment of obesity.

Metabolic bariatric surgery:
· Endogastric balloon
· Adjustable gastric banding
· Sleeve Gastrectomy (SV) and Vertical sleeve gastrectomy
· Bilio-Pancreatic Diversion; variants to the standard intervention
· Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery; variants to the standard intervention

Relationships between obesity and eating disorders

Risk factors for eating disorders

Anorexia Nervosa:
· comorbidities, physical symptoms, diagnostic criteria according to the DSM 5, severity levels; manifestations

Bulimia Nervosa:
· onset, comorbidities, physical symptoms, diagnostic criteria according to the dsm-5, severity levels, manifestations

Link between anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa

Binge Eating Disorder (BED):
· Symptoms, BED and obesity, comorbidities, correlations with anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, physical symptoms, prognosis, diagnostic criteria according to the dsm-5, severity levels

Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder: Diagnostic Criteria

Pica: diagnostic criteria

Rumination disorder in the dsm-5

Nutritional rehabilitation in eating disorders:
· importance of the multidisciplinary approach
· ACDs nutritional rehabilitation

Nutritional rehabilitation in Anorexia Nervosa:
· counseling
· weight goal to be achieved
· organic and functional evaluation
· oral nutritional supplements
· the refeeding syndrome (rfs)
· drug treatment

Nutritional Rehabilitation in Bulimia Nervosa
· main objectives
· psychotherapy
· drug treatment
·
Nutritional Rehabilitation in Binge-Eating Disorder:
· psychotherapy,
· bariatric surgery
· pharmacological treatment

Obesity and BED Association: need for a differential diagnosis

OSFED (Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorders) Nutrition

.UFED (Unspecified Feeding or Eating Disorders)

Night Eating Syndrome

Orthorexia Nervosa

Reverse Anorexia or Muscular Dysmorphy or Vigoressia or Bigorexia

Drunkorexia or Drunkorexia

Oncological Nutrition:
· prevalence of malnutrition in cancer patients
· main catabolic alterations in cancer patients
· nutritional assessment and diagnosis of malnutrition
· Early diagnosis of nutritional needs and ESPEN intervention programs
· guidelines for oncological nutrition
· use of nutraceuticals

, Artificial Nutrition Support:
· protein-calorie malnutrition
· Pharmaconutrition
· Nutritional Screening test:
o malnutrition universal screening tool (must)
o nutritional risk screening 2002 (nrs-2002)
o mini nutritional assessment (mna)
· Energy, protein, water, electrolytes, vitamins and trace elements needs
· administration methods
Prerequisites for admission
rior knowledge of elements of biochemistry, human physiology and anatomy; firm understanding of nutrition.
Teaching methods
Frontal lectures with the aid of slide projection.
Attendance is strongly recommended
Teaching Resources
Reference material is presented during frontal lectures (slides and scientific articles). Lecture slides will be uploaded to the Ariel portal.
Suggested text:
Manuale dei disturbi alimentari Grazia Fernanda Spitoni; Massimiliano Aragona - Carocci editore 2019
Assessment methods and Criteria
Written exam with open-ended questions: the student will be asked to carry out two themes among those proposed, related to the program of the course (time: 120 minutes).
The written exam is considered sufficient with a score of at least 18/30.
Assessment criteria:
Critical ability in recognizing symptoms, diagnostic criteria and rehabilitative intervention;
quality of written exposure; competence in the use of the specialized lexicon.
The results of the test are communicated by entering and verbalizing them on the University web page (laStatale @ work). Students can accept or decline the grade.
BIO/13 - EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY - University credits: 1
MED/13 - ENDOCRINOLOGY AND METABOLISM - University credits: 1
MED/49 - FOOD AND DIETETIC SCIENCES - University credits: 4
Lessons: 48 hours
Professor(s)