Evaluation of Nutritional Status and Principles of Dietetics and Diet Therapy
A.Y. 2024/2025
Learning objectives
The course aims at reaching two groups of learning objectives, developed in two modules.
The nutritional evaluation objectives include the definition of malnutrition, knowledge and abilities related to nutritional diagnostic methods. The study of the most frequent clinical and diagnostic pictures in malnourished patients, and the main diagnostic strategies.
The dietetics and diet therapy objectives will provide the knowledge of the different levels of nutritional intervention and of their management, the understanding of the deontological and professional aspects of the nutritionist and of the interaction with the other professional figures involved. The students will learn the principles of dietetics in physiologic conditions, the nutritional guidelines for the main diet-correlated diseases and the principles of diet therapy.
The nutritional evaluation objectives include the definition of malnutrition, knowledge and abilities related to nutritional diagnostic methods. The study of the most frequent clinical and diagnostic pictures in malnourished patients, and the main diagnostic strategies.
The dietetics and diet therapy objectives will provide the knowledge of the different levels of nutritional intervention and of their management, the understanding of the deontological and professional aspects of the nutritionist and of the interaction with the other professional figures involved. The students will learn the principles of dietetics in physiologic conditions, the nutritional guidelines for the main diet-correlated diseases and the principles of diet therapy.
Expected learning outcomes
At the end of the course, the student will be able to understand malnutrition and nutritional risk. He/she will also develop the ability to design and conduct protocols for assessing the state of nutrition, to apply nutritional surveillance strategies in particular physiological conditions, to interpret the results of nutritional investigations and to recognize malnutrition patterns, developing diagnostic judgment skills of malnutrition or nutritional risk.
The student will also acquire the skills to plan and promote nutritional education and counseling interventions with specific targets. He/she will acquire the skills to define a balanced diet plan or with specific nutrient compositions. Finally, the student will have competence on dietary approaches for diseases of nutritional interest.
The student will also acquire the skills to plan and promote nutritional education and counseling interventions with specific targets. He/she will acquire the skills to define a balanced diet plan or with specific nutrient compositions. Finally, the student will have competence on dietary approaches for diseases of nutritional interest.
Lesson period: First semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
First semester
Prerequisites for admission
basic nutritional knowledge required to access the degree course, knowledge of human physiology
Assessment methods and Criteria
single choice test covering both modules (1 correct answer between 4, in 1 hour, 0.5 points per each correct answer) followed by an oral examination aimed to evaluate the ability to evaluate malnutrition and to plan a dietary intervention
Multiple choice test (40 questions, 1 correct answer, 1 hour duration, 1 point per each correct answer), followed by an oral examination aimed to evaluate the ability to organize and to present the knowledge of the main homeostatic mechanisms.
Students with specific Learning disorders and disabilities should e-mail the Teacher responsible for the course at least 15 days prior to the exam, to adopt adequate examination modalities. In the mail to the teachers the following services should be included in CC: [email protected] (for students with learning disabilities) and [email protected] (for students with disabilities)
Multiple choice test (40 questions, 1 correct answer, 1 hour duration, 1 point per each correct answer), followed by an oral examination aimed to evaluate the ability to organize and to present the knowledge of the main homeostatic mechanisms.
Students with specific Learning disorders and disabilities should e-mail the Teacher responsible for the course at least 15 days prior to the exam, to adopt adequate examination modalities. In the mail to the teachers the following services should be included in CC: [email protected] (for students with learning disabilities) and [email protected] (for students with disabilities)
Evaluation of nutritional status
Course syllabus
1) the components of evaluation of nutritional status 2) methodologies to evaluate body composition, 2.1 models of body composition, levels of analysis and their components: atomic, molecular, cellular, tissutal and bodysegments. 2.2 body composition methods: densitometry, hydrometry, 40K, DEXA, Bioimpedentiometry, imaging techniques, anthropoplicometry. Focus on the evaluation of fat end fat free mass, and adipose and muscular tissue amount and distribution; 3) methodologies to evaluate energy expenditure 3.1 components of energy expenditure and their measure 3.2 resting energy expenditure, indirect calorimetry, principles and operation 3.3 total energy expenditure: direct calorimetry and doubly labeled water 3.4 physical activity: accelerometer, physical activity questionnaires and diaries, METS, levels of physical activity 3.5 estimates of individuals energy expenditure, relationship to body composition, clinical applications 4) nutritional evaluation in pediatric age, growth charts and their interpretation, motor milestones, Tanner staging 5) methods to evaluate nutritional intake 6) integrated approach to evaluate malnutrition 6.1 screening tools 6.2 nutritional assessment based on etiologies, history, physical examination, biochemical parameters and instrumental procedures 7) defect malnutrition, starvation and stress responses 7.1 causes 7.2 protein energy malnutrition 7.3 cachexia, hypermetabolism, hypercatabolism 7.4 sarcopenia 7.5 hospital malnutrition, 7.6 micronutrients defects 8) food allergies 9) excess malnutrition: obesity, metabolic syndrome and diabetes, childhood obesity
Teaching methods
Frontal lessons, online tutorials and practical sessions
Teaching Resources
- Material provided from the teacher (all lessons slides can be found on Ariel)
- Modern Nutrition In Health And Disease Ross AC, Caballero B, Cousins RJ, Tucker KL, Ziegler TR. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins eds
- Alimentazione e nutrizione umana. Aldo Mariani Costantini, Carlo Cannella, Gianni Tomassi Il Pensiero scientifico editore
- Modern Nutrition In Health And Disease Ross AC, Caballero B, Cousins RJ, Tucker KL, Ziegler TR. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins eds
- Alimentazione e nutrizione umana. Aldo Mariani Costantini, Carlo Cannella, Gianni Tomassi Il Pensiero scientifico editore
Principles of dietetics and diet therapy
Course syllabus
NUTRITIONAL INTERVENTIONS
1) Prevention and treatment in nutrition
3) Ethical aspects of nutritional interventions
Nutrition education interventions
1) Objectives and methodological aspects
2) Nutrition guidelines for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases
3) Nutrition guidelines for the prevention of diabetes
4) Nutrition guidelines for the prevention of Cancer
5) Nutritional guidelines in pregnancy and breastfeeding
Nutritional counseling interventions
1) General aspects
2) The strategies of "patient education": counseling
3) The motivation and the stages of change behavior
Diet therapy interventions
General concepts of personalized diet treatment
Elaboration of a dietary plan in healthy adult subject
Hypo and hyper calorie diets
Low-sodium diets
Hypolipidic diets
Hypoglucidic diets and the counting of the CHOs
Diet with restricted fiber content
Diet with high fiber content
Principles of diet therapy treatment in pathology
The dietary approach in overweight and obesity
The dietary approach in type I and II diabetes
The dietary approach in cardiovascular diseases
The dietary approach in the main diseases of the gastrointestinal tract
The dietary approach in food allergies and intolerances
1) Prevention and treatment in nutrition
3) Ethical aspects of nutritional interventions
Nutrition education interventions
1) Objectives and methodological aspects
2) Nutrition guidelines for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases
3) Nutrition guidelines for the prevention of diabetes
4) Nutrition guidelines for the prevention of Cancer
5) Nutritional guidelines in pregnancy and breastfeeding
Nutritional counseling interventions
1) General aspects
2) The strategies of "patient education": counseling
3) The motivation and the stages of change behavior
Diet therapy interventions
General concepts of personalized diet treatment
Elaboration of a dietary plan in healthy adult subject
Hypo and hyper calorie diets
Low-sodium diets
Hypolipidic diets
Hypoglucidic diets and the counting of the CHOs
Diet with restricted fiber content
Diet with high fiber content
Principles of diet therapy treatment in pathology
The dietary approach in overweight and obesity
The dietary approach in type I and II diabetes
The dietary approach in cardiovascular diseases
The dietary approach in the main diseases of the gastrointestinal tract
The dietary approach in food allergies and intolerances
Teaching methods
Frontal lessons and practical sessions
Teaching Resources
- Material provided from the teacher (all lessons slides can be found on Ariel)
- Modern Nutrition In Health And Disease Ross AC, Caballero B, Cousins RJ, Tucker KL, Ziegler TR. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins eds
- Alimentazione e nutrizione umana. Aldo Mariani Costantini, Carlo Cannella, Gianni Tomassi Il Pensiero scientifico editore
- Modern Nutrition In Health And Disease Ross AC, Caballero B, Cousins RJ, Tucker KL, Ziegler TR. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins eds
- Alimentazione e nutrizione umana. Aldo Mariani Costantini, Carlo Cannella, Gianni Tomassi Il Pensiero scientifico editore
Evaluation of nutritional status
BIO/09 - PHYSIOLOGY - University credits: 5
Practicals: 16 hours
Lessons: 32 hours
Lessons: 32 hours
Professors:
Battezzati Alberto, Bertoli Simona
Shifts:
Principles of dietetics and diet therapy
BIO/09 - PHYSIOLOGY - University credits: 5
Practicals: 16 hours
Lessons: 32 hours
Lessons: 32 hours
Professor:
Bertoli Simona
Shifts:
Turno
Professor:
Bertoli SimonaEducational website(s)
Professor(s)
Reception:
By appointment
Office: Giuseppe Colombo n.60 (DiSTAM)