Course Description

Studies food composition, dietary guidelines, and nutrients essential to healthy human life. Analyzes nutrient function and metabolism. Lecture 3 hours per week.

General Course Purpose

The purpose is to help the student recognize the relationship between good nutrition and the health, well-being, and productivity of individuals. The student must acquire a knowledge of the various nutrients required by the human body, their function, and the process of how our body digests and utilizes food.

Course Prerequisites/Co-requisites No pre-requisite courses required.

Course Objectives

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• Identify the six major nutrient classes and state their function
• Describe the role of energy nutrients in the diets for fats, carbohydrates and protein
• List the water and fat soluble vitamins, their functions, and major food sources
• Describe the functions of fiber and other non-nutrient components of the diet and their role in health promotion
• Describe symptoms of the most common nutritional deficiencies
• Describe the processes of digestion, absorption, and metabolism of the major energy nutrients
• Assess the adequacy of various nutrients in an individual's diet based on the RDAs and DRIs
• Understand the foundation for planning a healthy diet
• Use a computer nutritional analysis program to evaluate their diet
• Interpret the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and ChooseMyPlate.gov Guidelines