MEDI 6047 Policy and Programs
This module develops your understanding of the wider social and political context within which the formation of public health nutrition policies and programmes operate.
In particular for you to understand how policies to improve or protect health and well-being and strategies to put the policies into effect are developed; develop an integrated understanding of the links between the underlying nutrition principles and practice in public health nutrition using the lifecycle approach; critically evaluate approaches to planning public health nutrition policies and programmes aimed at solving public health nutrition problems; assess the impact of policies and programmes on nutrition related health.
Title: Policy and Programs
Code: MEDI 6047
CATS points: 20 ECTS points: 10
Level: Postgraduate Taught
Co-ordinator(s): Dr Penelope Nestel
Pre-requisites and / or co-requisites
Module dates and fees
The module is run in March with 12 half days of teaching.
Programmes in which this module is compulsory
MSc Public Health Nutrition, PG Diploma Public Health Nutrition
Aims and objectives
The aim of the module is to develop your understanding of the wider social and political context within which the formation of public health nutrition policies and programmes operate. In particular,
- To provide you with the knowledge to understand how policies to improve or protect health and well-being and implementation strategies to put the policies into effect are developed.
- To enable you to develop an integrated understanding of the links between the underlying nutrition principles and practice in public health nutrition using the lifecycle approach.
- To enable you to critically evaluate approaches to planning public health nutrition policies and programmes aimed at solving public health nutrition problems.
- To develop your skills and understanding of how to assess the impact of policies and programmes on nutrition related health
- Food, nutrition and health policy
- Patterns of food, nutrients and dietary intakes in the local, national, and international population, including the differences in patterns of sub-groups within each
- Role of Agencies: International (UN), European and national, NGOs, charities etc.
- Current policies at UK, EU and international levels
- Policy and programme planning: ethical considerations, human rights approach
- Nutritional surveillance and monitoring
- Integrated public health nutrition programmes (at different critical stages in life cycle-pregnancy, lactation, infancy, early childhood, school-age, adults, elderly)
- Nutrition and the environment
- Sustainability and measuring economic impact.
Learning and teaching
Study time allocation
Contact hours: 40
Private study hours: 160
Total study time: 200 hours
Teaching and learning methods
Tutorials, discussions and problem-solving approaches will be used in addition to formal lectures. The module involves discussion of key issues; practice in applying concepts, both orally and in writing, including analysis and interpretation of material and feedback on work produced.
Resources and reading list
Books and Publications (Students are not expected to read all these texts)
Bhutta ZA, Ahmed T, Black RE, Cousens S, et al. (2008) What works? Interventions for maternal and child undernutrition and survival. Lancet 371:417-440. http://download.thelancet.com/pdfs/journals/lancet/PIIS0140673607616936.pdf?id=aeaa5a245ca1fddb:-3ab210e1:11f0874ef09:50631232806328471
Black RE, Allen LA, Bhutta ZA, Caulfield LE, et al. (2008) Maternal and child undernutrition: global and regional exposures and health consequences. Lancet 371:243-60. http://download.thelancet.com/pdfs/journals/lancet/PIIS0140673607616900.pdf?id=aeaa5a245ca1fddb:-3ab210e1:11f0874ef09:50631232806328471
Commission on the Nutrition Challenges of the 21st Century. (2000) Ending Malnutrition by 2020: an Agenda for Change in the Millennium. Geneva: UN SCN. http://www.unscn.org/Publications/UN_Report.PDF
FAO. (2003) Community-based food and nutrition programmes - what makes them successful: A review and analysis of experience. Rome: FAO ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/006/y5030e/y5030e00.pdf
Government UK. (2007) Foresight - Tackling Obesities: Future Choices http://www.foresight.gov.uk/OurWork/ActiveProjects/Obesity/KeyInfo/Index.asp
Merialdi M, Carroli G, Villar J, Abalos E, et al. (2003) Nutritional interventions during pregnancy for the prevention or treatment of impaired fetal growth: an overview of randomized controlled trials. J Nutr 133:1626S-1631S. http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/content/full/133/5/1606S
WCRF (2008) Food, nutrition, physical activity and the prevention of cancer. World Cancer research Fund & Amer. Institute of Cancer Research. http://www.dietandcancerreport.org/?p=ER
WHO. (1999) A critical link: Interventions for physical growth and psychological development: A review. Geneva, WHO http://whqlibdoc.who.int/hq/1999/WHO_CHS_CAH_99.3.pdf
WHO/FAO (2003) Diet, nutrition and the prevention of chronic diseases. WHO Technical Report Series 916. WHO, Geneva. http://whqlibdoc.who.int/trs/WHO_TRS_916.pdf
A variety of assessment methods is employed and all emphasize the requirement for you to demonstrate your cognitive skills through the production of coherent written and oral responses either to problems or set tasks.