Nutrition Course Syllabus
Course title: Nutrition
Course code: ComH4246
Course ECTS: 3
Course hours: 3*27 = 81
Pre-requisite if any: None
Course Description:
This human nutrition course is designed to prepare Bachelor of pharmacy students in order to be competent
in nutrition related to health and disease. The course is designed to introduce students to normal nutrition,
diet therapy, infant & child and maternal nutrition. It helps the students to identify different nutrients and to
be competent in assessing and managing nutrition and nutrition related problems in the community and for
women, children and PLWHA in particular. It also helps students to recognize public importance of ensuring
food safety and quality.
Course Objectives:
After completion of this course, the student will be able to recognize essential nutrients for life function,
develop skill on nutritional assessment methods, recognize nutritional intervention methods and also able to
apply them in promotion of health and in the care of the sick in an effective and integrated manner.
Supporting objectives:
At the end of this course, the students will be able to:
Explain the historical development of nutrition.
Describe the characteristics and types, physiological functions, and food sources of essential
nutrients.
Explain recommended intakes and the adverse effects of both inadequate and excessive intake of
nutrients.
Describe the epidemiology, population at risk, classification, clinical feature and management of
malnutrition.
Analyze and develop skill on the major nutritional assessment methods.
Discuss infant and young child feeding options.
Describe the public health importance nutritional deficiency states in Ethiopia.
Integrate maternal nutrition with other programs band services.
Describe the management algorithm for HIV patients with malnutrition
Describe the importance and application of nutritional surveillances.
Prevent micronutrient deficiencies through active participation in micronutrient supplementation
programs and control of common infections such as malaria and helmenthiasis.
Control micronutrient deficiencies through proper therapeutic supplementation with micronutrients.
Discuss the public health importance of ensuring food safety and quality in terms of protection from
microbiological hazards, pesticide residues, misuse of food additive, chemical contaminants,
biological toxins (national toxins in foods), and adulteration
Remark
Week/ Lesson/ Topics
date
Day 1 Introduction to nutrition
Historical development of
nutrition.
Terminologies.
Growth and development.
Consequences of malnutrition.
Major factors contribute to
malnutrition.
Day-2 Carbohydrates, Proteins Lipids
Functions
Types
Food Sources
Digestion
Absorption
Metabolism
RDA
Day-3 Vitamins, Minerals
Functions
Types
Food Sources
Digestion
Absorption
Metabolism
RDA
Day-4 Nutrition requirement:
Methods of calculating normal
food requirements
Influence of age sex and
occupation
Nutrition value of common foods
Day-5 Nutritional deficiency states
Chronic energy deficiency.
Micronutrient deficiencies
Day-6-7 Nutritional deficiency states
Nutritional assessment:
Anthropometry
Biochemical method
Clinical method
Dietary survey method
Prevention and control
Day-8-9 Nutritional deficiency states
Diet as therapeutic agent
Diet and the patient
Hospital diets
Day 10-11 Nutritional care and support for PLHIV
Day 12-13 Nutritional interventions for major
nutritional problems in Ethiopia
Methods
Mechanisms and criteria.
Essential Nutrition Actions(ENA)
Teaching Good nutrition
Day 14-15 The quality and safety of nutrition related
products
