Module SPRT2451: Nutrition for Sport and Health

Department: Sport and Exercise Sciences

SPRT2451: Nutrition for Sport and Health

Prerequisites

• SPRT1311 Introduction to Physical Activity, Diet and Health, and SPRT1281 Introduction to Exercise Physiology

Corequisites

• None

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None

Aims

• Specific Aims of the Module are to:
• Build upon students underpinning knowledge of exercise physiology and critically apply this to the field of nutrition for special populations within sport, and health;
• Enable students to evaluate dietary and energy requirements, along with contemporary nutritional strategies for athletes across a range of sports, for positive health and well-being, and for mitigation of adverse health and wellbeing
• Facilitate understanding and exploration of key processes involved in energy and macronutrient metabolism and function;
• Foster student awareness and understanding of broad determinants of dietary intake across a range of special populations
• Build transferrable skills in communication of nutrition science to a range of audiences
• Facilitate a critical understanding of key laboratory and field-based techniques in applied nutrition, along with interpretation of associated outcomes.

Content

• This module will be delivered in two blocks (the order of which may change), one focusing on sport nutrition and metabolism and the other focusing on nutrition for health; Indicative content is as follows:
• Collecting nutritional information in research and practice (for example recalling and recording of food intake, assessment of body composition and physical activity);
• Sport and exercise nutrition (for example strategies for before and during competition/training and for recovery);
• Metabolic processes and nutrient function within sport nutrition;
• Applied sport nutrition and professional practice examples;
• Dietary recommendations and interventions for health and well-being – for example obesity, bone health, diabetes, mental health;
• Nutritional considerations for other special populations (for example children, vegetarian athletes)

Learning Outcomes

• Upon successful completion of this module, students will have demonstrated:
• awareness and application of validity and reliability principles in assessment of nutritional status;
• ability to compare and contrast nutritional strategies for health and for athletes;
• understanding of metabolism and nutrient function in sport nutrition.

• upon successful completion of this module, students will have demonstrated:
• application of competent and professional laboratory skills within the disciplines of nutrition, physical activity and health.

• upon successful completion of this module, students will have demonstrated:
• application of evidence-based research methodologies to analyse, interpret and evaluate nutritional information;
• interpretation of contemporary literature in the field of study;
• analysis and problem-solving skills;
• application of literacy and numeracy skills;
• application of science communication principles when interpreting nutritional information.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• The learning outcomes of this module will be addressed through blended learning, comprising a series of synchronous and asynchronous activities as required (e.g. online and face-to-face lectures, practical laboratory sessions, seminars and directed learning tasks). Lectures (or online equivalent) will provide theoretical principles relevant to sport, and health-based nutrition, whilst seminar-style activitues and directed learning tasks will afford students the opportunity to engage with supporting material such as empirical journal articles and systematic reviews. Laboratory sessions will consolidate learning from lecture sessions whilst providing an opportunity for students to practise applied techniques and develop vocational skills relevant to the professional nutritionist. The assessment strategy will comprise one formative and two summative components addressing relevant learning outcomes.
• One summative assessment (50%) will consist of a 'Dragon's Den' style presentation (in small groups) whereby students will prepare and pitch a nutrition strategy to a panel (academic markers and coaches/other professionals). The other summative assessment (50%) will focus on science communication, via a 500 word lay piece of writing, related to one of a choice of research articles provided by academic tutors.
• Formative Assessment will feed directly into the presentation summative assessment through preparation of a draft presentation plan (verbal and written tutor feedback). For the other summative, ongoing verbal feedback will be provided by tutors during dedicated preparatory seminar activities.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

• For the first summative, ongoing feedback will be provided by tutors during dedicated online sessions. • Formative Assessment will feed directly into the second summative assessment through verbal feedback on planning. This will be provided to each group during a dedicated in-person laboratory session

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University