FBMLNP-Lifestyle, Nutrigenetics and Personalised Nutrition

Module Provider: Food and Nutritional Sciences
Number of credits: 20 [10 ECTS credits]
Level:7
Terms in which taught: Autumn term module
Pre-requisites:
Non-modular pre-requisites:
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2023/4

Module Convenor: Prof Vimal Karani
Email: v.karani@reading.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:

The module deals with human nutrition during the life cycle in health and disease and links this to nutrigenetics, nutrigenomics, epigenetics and personalised nutrition. Throughout the module you will study a selection of current issues in nutrition which impinge on lifestyle (diet and physical activity), health, genetic susceptibility and disease and matters relevant to the interface between human nutrition and food science.

Aims:

• To analyse nutritional requirements throughout the life cycle in individuals with and without the disease


• To inform students of the subject matter relevant to the interface between nutrigenetics and personalised nutrition


• To acquaint students with a balanced account of current issues in nutrition which impinge on diet, health and disease


• To provide the student with an understanding of topical issues in nutritional sciences which have made major advancements over the last decade including the areas of diet-gene-chronic disease interactions, nutrigenomics, epigenetics and personalised nutrition.

Assessable learning outcomes:

On completion of the course, students should be able to: 

• Discuss the major issues of nutrition during the life cycle;


• Discuss the scientific base of controversial issues of nutrition: e.g. the dietary aetiology of heart disease, immune function, bone disease, diabetes and cancer;


• Critically assess positive and negative influences on health of various diets, food components and nutrients;


• Appraise the contribution of genetic variation to disease risk and the impact of lifestyle factors, in particular diet, on the association between genotype and disease;


• Discuss gene-diet and gene-physical activity interactions on metabolic and cardiovascular disease-related outcomes and the contribution of foetal nutrition to later disease development;


• Propose strategies for implementing personalised nutrition and developing functional foods based on nutrigenetics findings;

Additional outcomes:

On completion of the module the student should

• Critically assess the usefulness and limitations of risk markers for chronic diseases; 


• Have developed a number of key skills such as critical evaluation, use of on-line databases, presentation and writing skills.

Outline content:

During the Autumn Term the module deals with issues of nutrition during the life cycle and how lifestyle factors (diet and physical activity) modify the relationship between the genetic factors and disease development. Specific topics include: Introduction to gene structure and regulation and gene discovery methods in genetic epidemiology, gene-lifestyle interactions on obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and cancer, epigenetics, foetal origin of adult disease, gut microbiome and metabolomics and personalised nutrition. In addition, the module covers topics relating to the role of lifestyle factors in various chronic diseases, including cancer, bone disease, obesity and diabetes. The module will also include tutorials on the basics of genetics.

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:

The module consists primarily of tutorials (weeks 1-3), lectures (weeks 4-5), student presentations and invited speaker talks (weeks 7-9). The coursework comprises student presentations (weeks 7-9) and non-lab based practicals on statistical genetics (weeks 10-11). The module will be primarily taught as informal small group interactive lectures given by academics who have active research groups in the area. In addition, students will have an opportunity to critically appraise research article s and present the discussion in groups (weeks 1-3). . There will be a non-lab based practical session where students will be provided with a dataset and will get the opportunity to run statistical analysis pertaining to gene-diet interactions (nutrigenetics) using the available statistical softwares.

Contact hours:

	Autumn	Spring	Summer
Lectures	10
Seminars	20
Tutorials	5
Practicals classes and workshops	10
Guided independent study:
Wider reading (independent)	70
Wider reading (directed)	35
Preparation for presentations	10
Revision and preparation	40
Total hours by term		0	0
Total hours for module	200

Summative Assessment Methods:

Method	Percentage
Written exam	50
Oral assessment and presentation	20
Practical skills assessment	30

Summative assessment- Examinations:

2 hours

Summative assessment- Coursework and in-class tests:

• Presentations given by individual students. Submission Deadline: End of Autumn Term (weeks 7-9))


• Non-lab based practical class test on Statistical Genetics. Submission Deadline: End of Autumn Term (weeks 10-11)

Formative assessment methods:

Question and answer session during lectures, tutorials and non-lab based practical sessions.

Penalties for late submission:

The below information applies to students on taught programmes except those on Postgraduate Flexible programmes. Penalties for late submission, and the associated procedures, which apply to Postgraduate Flexible programmes are specified in the policy 'Penalties for late submission for Postgraduate Flexible programmes', which can be found here: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/cqsd-old-site-documents/penaltiesforlatesubmissionpgflexible.pdf
The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of five working days;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than five working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/cqsd-old-site-documents/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf
You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Assessment requirements for a pass:

Pass mark for the module is 50%.

Reassessment arrangements:

Resubmission of coursework.

Additional Costs (specified where applicable):

1) Required text books: 

2) Specialist equipment or materials: 

3) Specialist clothing, footwear or headgear: 

4) Printing and binding: 

5) Computers and devices with a particular specification: 

6) Travel, accommodation and subsistence: 

Last updated: 15 February 2024