SHN4242 - Food and Health

Objectives:

On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:

Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the core sociological and psychological concepts of health.
Identify how health is experienced by different social groups, especially problems associated with inadequate diet.
Evaluate the effectiveness of health education, in particular health-promoting food habits.
Outline and understand the complex interactions involved in food choice.
Evaluate the impact of the food provision process on consumer behaviour, health and the environment.

Content:

Core concepts from sociology and psychology in health and wellbeing such as diverse approaches to health, socioeconomics and health and theoretical models of health interactions. The relationships between diet, disease, nutrition and health. Health problems related with under and over-consumption. Inequalities and food access. The effectiveness of health-promoting food habits. The complexity of factors interacting in food choice: cultural, social, political, economical, psychological. Food provision process (from farm to fork) and its impact on health, consumer behaviour and the environment. Moral issues and ethics of food production.

Learning and Teaching Information:

Lectures will deliver key information relevant to the subject and supported by workshops and seminars and independent study. Students will extend their learning by independent study from resources indicated in lecture material.

Lectures
Contact hours: 20
Intended Group size: 30

Workshops/Seminars
Contact hours: 20
Intended Group size: 30

Guided independent study
Hours: 160
Further details relating to assessment
Assessment 1 – Directed activities: these consist of weekly tasks that must be completed and submitted for inspection at timetabled sessions each week. The assessment will be assessed on a pass/fail basis with a pass requiring at least 75% of all weekly tasks to be completed successfully. A pass will lead to the full award of 10% towards the final module mark. A fail in directed activities will contribute 0% to the final mark.

Assessment:

001 Directed activities semester 1 10%
002 Exam (in class test) 1 hours semester 1 20%
003 Essay 2250 words equivalent end of semester 1 70%

Fact File

Module Coordinator - Nina Fryer
Level - 4
Credit Value - 20
Pre-Requisites - NONE
Semester(s) Offered - 4S1