Revised 5/2025

HLT 230 - Principles of Nutrition (3 CR.)

Course Description

Introduces students to the basic concepts of nutrition and its impact on personal wellness. Emphasizes an evidence-based approach to various topics, such as the nutrient components of food, the components of a healthy eating pattern, and the relationship between diet and health. Provides a behavioral approach to nutrient guidelines for the development and maintenance of optimum wellness. The assignments in the course require college-level reading fluency and coherent communication through documented written reports. Lecture 3 hours. Total 3 hours per week.

General Course Purpose

HLT 230 introduces basic nutrition concepts and the relationship between diet and personal health.

Course Prerequisites/Corequisites

None.

Course Objectives

Upon completing the course, the student will be able to:

Communication
  • Communicate openly and accurately with others regarding nutrition issues
Critical Thinking
  • Discuss the impact of lifestyle behaviors, including nutrition and physical activity, on lifelong health
  • Evaluate current individual nutrition practices and incorporate components of a healthy diet into personal nutrition choices
  • Compare and contrast nutritional needs at various stages of the life cycle
Social and Cultural Understanding
  • Discuss the personal, cultural, social, and psychological factors affecting food choices
Information Literacy
  • Assess nutrition information for scientific reliability and evaluation current nutrition concepts and controversies
  • Select and utilize credible sources of nutrition and health information
Scientific Reasoning
  • Identify the major nutrients, where they are found in foods, and their role in body structure and function.
  • Describe the components of a healthy eating pattern based on current evidence-based guidelines
  • Explain the physiological processes whereby the body breaks down food and absorbs nutrients
  • Discuss the interrelationships of diet to development of obesity and specific chronic diseases, and other physical and mental illnesses and conditions
Personal Development
  • Discuss the role nutrition plays in the maintenance of health/wellness
  • Construct and employ a personalized meal plan that meets individual dietary needs and incorporates sound nutrition principles
Introduction to Nutrition Concepts
  • Define nutrition
  • Describe the body’s need for calories, nutrients and other substances
  • Explain the connection between diet and health
  • Distinguish among the six classes of nutrients
  • Explain the concept of essential nutrients
  • Discuss the concepts of adequacy, balance, calorie control, moderation, and variety.
  • Discuss the factors affecting individual food choices
  • Explain the motivations for nutrition misinformation in the media
  • Discuss ways to identify nutrition misinformation
  • Discuss sources of scientifically reliable nutrition research and funding sources
  • Analyze selected nutrition articles and websites for reliability and credibility
Nutrition Standards, Guidelines, and Healthy Eating Patterns
  • Define the five dietary reference intake (DRI) values
  • Discuss the application of the DRIs to various population groups and individuals
  • Discuss the key recommendations in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans
  • Explain the key recommendations for each food group based on the USDA Choose My Plate plan
  • Discuss the key components of USDA Eating Patterns
  • Demonstrate how various diet-planning tools can be used to plan a nutritious diet
  • Identify strategies for healthy eating on a budget
  • Identify and dispel common nutrition myths
  • Explain the key elements of the nutrition label
  • List the requirements/rules for each element of the nutrition label
  • Explain the FDA's policy on health claims on food labels
  • Discuss the differences between the nutrition label and the supplement label
  • Analysis and compare various nutrition labels for required elements and health claims
Body Systems and Nutrition
  • Name six basic needs of the body’s cells
  • Explain the interaction among the endocrine, nervous, and cardiovascular systems, and digestive system health.
  • Explain the role of nutrition in the functioning of the immune system
  • List the main digestive organs and describe the function of each
  • Describe the primary function of digestion enzymes
  • Describe how fats, carbohydrates and proteins are digested
  • List and describe the major digestive disorders to include possible causes and treatment
Carbohydrates, Proteins and Fats
  • Discuss the role of carbohydrates, protein, and fat in the body
  • Distinguish between simple and complex carbohydrates
  • Discuss the health benefits of a high fiber diet
  • Dispel the myth that "carbs are bad" and discuss the health benefits of eating complex carbohydrates
  • Distinguish between complete and incomplete proteins
  • Explain the concept of complementary proteins
  • Discuss the consequences of too little and too much protein
  • Distinguish among saturated, trans and unsaturated fats
  • Discuss the health benefits of a diet rich in unsaturated fats and the adverse health effects of saturated and trans fats
  • Distinguish between "good" and "bad" cholesterol
  • List the recommended amount of calories from fat, carbohydrates and protein
  • Identify food sources for carbohydrates, proteins and fats
Vitamins, Minerals, and Water
  • Distinguish between water soluble and fat soluble vitamins
  • Explain the function of vitamins and minerals in the body
  • Identify food sources for vitamins
  • Describe recommendations for preventing vitamin deficiencies and toxicities
  • Explain the health benefits of calcium, iron, and potassium
  • Discuss the relationship between sodium intake and hypertension
  • Discuss the role of water as an essential nutrient
  • Discuss the health benefits of water
  • Discuss the risks of water deficiency and water toxicity 
Energy Balance and Weight Management
  • Define basal metabolic rate (BMR), non-exercise thermogenesis, exercise thermogenesis, and diet- induced thermogenesis
  • Discuss the concept of energy balance
  • Calculate energy needs based on the DRI method.
  • Explain how weight status is defined in adults and children
  • Calculate body mass index (BMI)
  • Define BMI classifications in adults and children
  • Discuss the influences of obesity on health status
  • Distinguish between types and location of fat as it pertains to health risk
  • List methods for measuring body fat
  • Discuss various theories of obesity
  • List the health effects of being underweight
  • Discuss the strategies for achieving and maintaining a healthy body weight to include food and lifestyle choices
  • Identify the pros and cons of popular diet plans
  • Define medical treatment of obesity
Diet and Disease
  • Define the three types of diabetes
  • Describe the characteristics of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes
  • Explain the health consequences of Type 2 diabetes
  • Describe pre-diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome
  • Identify dietary and lifestyle factors to prevent and manage Type 2 diabetes
  • Discuss the major risk factors for heart disease
  • Distinguish between HDL and LDL cholesterol
  • Identify strategies to prevent and manage heart disease
  • Define acceptable blood lipid levels
  • Define cancer and explain how it develops
  • Identify the causes of cancer, genetic and environmental
  • Identify cancers amenable to dietary intervention
  • Describe a diet that will lower the risk of cancer
Performance Nutrition
  • Define physical activity and performance nutrition
  • Explain the health benefits of physical activity
  • List the physical activity guidelines for Americans
  • Describe the components of physical fitness (cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular strength and endurance, and flexibility)
  • Identify the key nutrient needs for physical performance
  • Identify healthy foods choices for various types of physical performance
Life Cycle Nutrition: Mother and Infant
  • Identify critical periods of fetal development
  • Discuss the importance of pregnancy weight status and prenatal weight gain
  • Discuss energy needs during pregnancy
  • Identify key nutrient needs during pregnancy and the health implications of deficiencies
  • Discuss the effects of alcohol and tobacco consumption during pregnancy
  • Discuss the benefits of breastfeeding
  • Identify nutrient needs for breastfeeding
  • Discuss current infant feeding recommendations
Life Cycle Nutrition: Children, Teens, and Older Adults
  • Identify nutrient needs during each stage of childhood (early childhood, school-age, and adolescence)
  • Discuss food preference development in children
  • Discuss recommendations for healthy diets in children and youth
  • Distinguish between food allergies and food intolerance
  • Describe how food allergies and food intolerances develop
  • Describe the most common symptoms of intolerance and allergic reactions to food
  • List the foods most likely to cause intolerance symptoms or allergic reactions
  • Discuss the effects of alcohol and tobacco consumption.
  • Review the recommended nutrient intake ranges for older adults
  • Discuss key nutrition issues for older adults
  • Identify key nutrient needs for middle age and older adults
Food Safety
  • Define foodborne illness
  • Distinguish between food infection and food intoxication
  • Identify potential sources of food contamination
  • Discuss the causes and risks of foodborne illness
  • Discuss food safety regulations
  • Discuss the consumer’s role in preventing foodborne illness
  • Explain regulation of food additives
  • Discuss the benefits and potential risks of food additives
U.S. and Global Nutrition Issues
  • Define food insecurity
  • Identify socio-economic factors that affect access to food, food choice and food quality
  • Identify strategies for addressing food insecurity
  • Identify the leading problem areas related to malnutrition and hunger
  • Discuss strategies for tackling the global nutrition crisis
  • Identify threats to the global food supply
  • Discuss strategies for protecting the US and global food supply

Major Topics to Be Included

  • Introduction to Nutrition Concepts
  • Nutrition Standards, Guidelines, and Healthy Eating Patterns
  • Body Systems and Nutrition
  • Carbohydrates, Proteins, & Fats
  • Vitamins, Minerals, and Water
  • Energy Balance and Weight Management
  • Diet and Disease
  • Performance Nutrition
  • Life Cycle Nutrition: Mother and Infant
  • Life Cycle Nutrition: Children, Teens, and Older Adults
  • Food Safety
  • U.S. and Global Nutrition Issues

Optional Topics

  • Food as medicine
  • Energy drinks/soda
  • Sports nutrition
  • Cellular respiration
  • Specialty diets