84297 - Biochemistry of Nutrition

Learning outcomes

Understand the biochemical basis of nutrition, including nutritional requirements and outline the molecular mechanisms by which nutrients can affect health.

Course contents

Basic Nutrition

Lesson 1: Bioenergetics and integration of metabolism

Applied Nutrition

Lesson 2: Nutritional guidelines

Lesson 3: Impact of healthy life style on life span

Lesson 4: Obesity and caloric restriction

Lesson 5: Disordered eating

Lesson 6: Obesity, aging and appropriate BMI

Lesson 7: Drugs and supplements

Lesson 8: Nutrition and the Brain

Readings/Bibliography

Main text book:

The Science of Nutrition

Janice Thompson, Melinda Manore and Linda Vaughan

Pearson, 3rd or 4th Edition.

 

Additional reading material:

Articles:

Quantifying life style impact on lifespan [ Lorenzini A, Annales Kinesiologiae 2012, 3, p139.

How much should we weigh for a long and healthy life span? The need of reconciling caloric restriction versus longevity with body mass index versus mortality data. Lorenzini A. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2014 Jul 30;5:121.

Obesity May Accelerate the Aging Process. Salvestrini V, Sell C, Lorenzini A. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2019 May 3;10:266.

The slide presented in class will be uploaded.

Teaching methods

Frontal lessons.

Assessment methods

The learning assessment for this module is conducted through a final written multiple choice exam.

The questions at the end of each chapter of the Nutrition textbook are a good example of the kind of questions that will be proposed.

Rules regarding the Integrated Course:

The exam of the integrated course consists of 4 modules:

1 module about Biochemistry

1 module about Semeiotics

1 module about Anatomy

1 module about Physiology.

Given the integrated nature of this course, students must take all the modules in the same period (usually the tests’ dates of the four parts are all within 10 days).

If the student passes only one or two modules, all the 4 tests must be repeated.

If a student passes only three modules out of the four, the unsuccessful module can be repeated under 2 conditions:

1) each mark of the other three modules is equal or higher than 24. If a module mark is lower than 24, then the entire exam must be repeated.

2) the unsuccessful module must be repeated only in the next available exam date. If the student will not pass that module again, the entire exam must be repeated.

Please note:

In case one student wants to refuse a mark of 1 module, it is possible to refuse only one mark out of four (if each mark of the other three tests is equal or higher than 24), and in this case the ‘refused' module must be repeated on the next date.

Office hours

See the website of Antonello Lorenzini