The student will be able to:

1. Identify psychological and social influences on eating behaviors
2. Make food choices that promote nutritional health throughout their life span
3. Explain the scientific basis for and the uses of dietary guidelines
4. Discuss techniques used to evaluate human nutritional status
5. Describe the basic anatomy and physiology of the human digestive system
6. Explain the biological functions of nutrients and list major food sources for each
7. Recall factors influencing energy balance and appraise the role that they play in the management of weight control
8. Discuss the role of nutrition in chronic disease
9. Assess the nutritional adequacy of a diet of a healthy person and propose specific changes that will reduce the possibility of disease or malnutrition
10. Critically evaluate sources of nutrition information
11. Discuss current food and nutrition issues facing consumers

1. Identify psychological and social influences on eating behaviors
   1. Psychological influences
   2. Social/cultural influences
   3. Economic influences
2. Make food choices that promote nutritional health throughout their life span
   1. Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) across the life span
   2. Daily Values
   3. Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the MyPlate nutrition guide
   4. American Heart Association and American Cancer Association dietary guidelines
3. Explain the scientific basis for and the uses of dietary guidelines
   1. Scientific method - science is hypothesis driven
   2. Methodology in epidemiologic and experimental studies
4. Discuss techniques used to evaluate human nutritional status
   1. Anthropometric data
   2. Biochemical studies
   3. Physical examination
   4. Dietary intake data
   5. Economic, educational status
   6. Health history
   7. Personal dietary analysis using dietary analysis software
5. Describe the basic anatomy and physiology of the human digestive system
   1. Mouth
   2. Esophagus
   3. Stomach
   4. Small intestine
   5. Large intestine
   6. Pancreas
   7. Liver
   8. Gallbladder
6. Explain the biological functions of nutrients and list major food sources for each
   1. Macronutrients
      1. Carbohydrates
      2. Proteins
      3. Lipids
      4. Water
   2. Micronutrients
      1. Vitamins
         1. Fat-soluble
         2. Water-soluble
      2. Minerals
         1. Major minerals
         2. Trace minerals
7. Recall factors influencing energy balance and appraise the role that they play in the management of weight control
   1. Measurement of kilocalories in food
   2. Energy expenditure
   3. Basal metabolic rate
   4. Physical activity
   5. Thermic effect of food
   6. Thermogenesis
   7. Measurement of body weight and composition
   8. Obesity treatments
   9. Eating disorders
8. Discuss the role of nutrition in chronic disease
   1. Hypertension
   2. Heart disease
   3. Diabetes
   4. Cancer
   5. Osteoporosis
   6. Social determinants of health
9. Assess the nutritional adequacy of a diet of a healthy person and propose specific changes that will reduce the possibility of disease or malnutrition
10. Critically evaluate sources of nutrition information
    1. Internet resources
    2. Written publications
       1. Scholarly
       2. Popular
11. Discuss current food and nutrition issues facing consumers
    1. Ultraprocessed foods
    2. Food insecurity and food deserts
    3. Nutritional supplements
    4. Functional foods
    5. Food safety
    6. Food production and nutritional quality

Not applicable.

Online exams including multiple choice and short-answer/short-essay questions
Online open-book, open-note quizzes approximately every week including multiple choice and fill-in-the-blank question formats
Analysis of personal dietary intake from at least a four-day time period
Written assignments:
1. Mandatory, formal participation online discussion forums using language and grammar appropriate to their intended audience
2. Detailed written analyses of the results of their computerized dietary analysis using grammar and diction appropriate to the college academic community

Lecture
Discussion
Cooperative learning exercises
Electronic discussions/chat

Morill, Judi S.. Realities of Nutrition. 2025.

Smith, A., et al.. Wardlaw's Contemporary Nutrition: A Functional Approach. 2024.

Dietary analysis software: free options (e.g., Cronometer) and paid options (e.g., NutriCalc from McGraw Hill) available

1. Weekly reading assignment from the textbook, averaging 30-60 pages.
2. Formal written analysis of student's personal dietary intake.