FB3LNN: Lifestyle, Nutrigenetics, and Personalised Nutrition

Module code: FB3LNN

Module provider: Food and Nutritional Sciences; School of Chemistry, Food and Pharmacy

Credits: 20

Level: Level 3 (Honours)

When you'll be taught: Semester 2

Module convenor: Professor Vimal Karani, email: v.karani@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: Yes

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 21 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

The module deals with human nutrition during the life cycle in health and disease and links this to nutrigenetics, nutrigenomics, and personalised nutrition. Students will be able to have an understanding of clinical, biochemical and molecular genetic basis of complex diseases such as metabolic (obesity and diabetes) and cardiovascular disease- related traits and topical issues in nutritional sciences which have made major advancements over the decade including the areas of genetic and nutritional epidemiology, gene-diet and gene-physical activity interactions, epigenetics, foetal origin of adult disease and personalised nutrition.

The module will also focus on training students to assess health outcomes, deliver appropriate healthy living advice and to motivate lifestyle behaviour change.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Understand the basics of molecular genetics and genetic epidemiology of multifactorial diseases.
2. Understand the methods employed to identify human genes involved in metabolic and cardiovascular disease outcomes.
3. Have developed an understanding of the impact of lifestyle factors (diet, exercise, biological rhythms) on the association between genotype and disease.
4. Have developed an understanding of the concept of personalised nutrition and precision nutrition.
5. Development of a number of key skills such as critical evaluation, and use of on-line databases and communicating evidence-based advice to different audiences.

Module content

• Basics of molecular genetics and genetic epidemiology of multifactorial diseases.
• Insight into the contribution of genetic variation to disease risk and methods employed to identify human genes involved in metabolic and cardiovascular disease outcomes.
• An in-depth understanding of the biochemical and clinical aspects of human genetic diseases.
• An understanding of the impact of lifestyle factors, in particular diet, on the association between genotype and disease.
• Concepts of gene-lifestyle and nutrient-drug interactions.
• Concept of personalised nutrition and precision nutrition.
• Healthy living assessment training, and the practice and delivery of appropriate healthy living advise. 

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

The module consists primarily of lectures.

The coursework comprises one written coursework assignment (500 words) and non-lab based practical class test on Statistical Genetics.

The module will be primarily taught as informal small group interactive lectures given by academics who have active research groups in the area.

There will be non-lab based practical sessions where students will get the opportunity to learn the statistical methodologies involved in testing gene-diet interactions using the available statistical software.

There will be training in healthy living assessments and delivery of appropriate healthy living advise

Study hours

At least 30 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• 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 three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/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.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

• Feedback on all tasks in the Healthy Living Assessment workshops
• Feedback on delivery of appropriate healthy living advice
• Formative MCQ for the Healthy Living Assessment advice

Reassessment

Additional costs