SEMESTER AT SEA COURSE SYLLABUS
University of Virginia, Academic Sponsor
Voyage: Fall 2015
Discipline: Biology
BIOL 1559-101: Nutrition Around the World
Division: Lower
Faculty Name: Mary Ropka, Ph.D., RN
Credit Hours: 3; Contact Hours: 38
A Day 0925 - 1040
Last Updated: Saturday, October 10, 2015
Pre-requisites:
None
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Study of the science of human nutrition provides a relevant and fascinating way to familiarize students with
fundamental biological and public health principles related to nutrition that will be useful to them in their daily
lives. Examining nutrition around the world allows a glimpse into the various roles that nutrition plays in health
and welfare, culture, and social interactions; and provides increased awareness of current issues in nutrition
and health globally. Topics to be included are: the human body and the different kinds of nutrients required by
humans; metabolic processes that transform food into energy and the chemical building blocks for the creation
and renewal of cellular structures; basic scientific principles of energy balance that determine weight gain or
weight loss, as governed by diet and exercise; nutritional requirements and nutritional status; and current
issues in nutrition related to global health. The course will address the global health implications of local
solutions to meeting nutritional needs; cultural, social, and economic influences on food choices and food
sufficiency; and the relationship between proper nutrition and health maintenance. Nutrition topics related to
global health (including countries on our voyage) will be addressed, such as Mediterranean diet, oral
rehydration therapy for diarrhea, obesity, and infant and child feeding options. As we visit three continents, we
will sample the food and participate in the food culture of the countries we visit.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
1. Understand the basic principles of nutrition so students can make informed decisions about the relationship
between the food they eat and their prospects for good health.
2. Explore the relationship globally between nutrition and health, and cultural, social, educational, and
economic factors that influence nutrition and health.
3. Increase awareness of the role of nutrition and nutritional status in current issues in global health, and
interventions and policies to improve nutrition and nutritional status.
4. Discuss how food is produced, prepared, and distributed within a country or region, and how these factors
influence nutrition and health.
REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS
AUTHOR: Frances Sienkiewicz Sizer & Ellen Whitney
TITLE: Nutrition: Concepts and Controversies
PUBLISHER: Wadsworth Cengage Learning
Belmont, CA
ISBN #: SBN-13: 978-1133603184
DATE/EDITION: 2013/13th edition
AUTHOR: Levine, Ruth
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TITLE: Cases Studies in Global Health – Cases #8 Preventing Diarrheal Deaths in Egypt [pdf] and #15
Preventing Neural-tube Defects in Chile [pdf] ONLY
PUBLISHER: Jones & Bartlett Learning
ISBN-13#: 978-0-7637-4620-9
DATE/EDITION: 2007
TOPICAL OUTLINE OF COURSE
Depart Southampton—September 13
A1—September 15:
 SAS Library Orientation – SAS Librarian
 Dialogue on teaching and learning within the context of our SAS Voyage
 Course and course requirements/evaluation (Review syllabus)
 Course textbooks; accessing readings and other resources on ship’s Intranet
 Course Field Lab REQUIRED – 20% of GRADE
 Meet “My Plate” – On your own before Class A3, complete Sections 1 – 3 ONLY of “MyPlate Ambassador
Training Module” [pdf in <My Plate> subfolder in course folder on ship Intranet]
Reading Assignment:
None
Assignment Due Today:
None
A2—September 17:
 Global Health (Skolnik Ch 1)
Video “What’s Public Health?”
Millennium Development Goals
Video Hans Rosling “The Good News of the Decade”
 Nutrition and Global Health (Skolnik Ch 8)
Reading Assignment:
Skolnik Ch 1 [pdf in course folder]
Skolnik Ch 8 [pdf in course folder]
Review MyPlate materials [pdfs in <My Plate> subfolder in course folder]
Assignment Due Today:
Complete Student Information Sheet (Word file) and turn in hard copy in class
Civitavecchia—September 19-22
Naples—September 23-24
A3—September 25:
 Observations regarding local foods and eating customs in Italy
 Discuss MyPlate Ambassador Training Module Quiz
 Food Choices and Human Health; Evidence-based Nutrition; Health Behavior (Sizer Ch 1)
 Discuss assigned reading -- NIH How to Evaluate Health Information 2011 [pdf in course folder]
2

Reading Assignment:
By this class you should have completed Sections 1 – 4 of “MyPlate Ambassador Training Module” [pdf in <My
Plate> subfolder in course folder on ship Intranet]
Sizer Ch 1
Sizer Use it! A Consumer Guide To – Reading Nutrition News (p. 19 - 20)
NIH How to Evaluate Health Information 2011 [pdf in course folder]
Assignment Due Today:
Begin recording dietary intake for 2 days (9/25 and 9/26) for Nutrition Analysis Group Work on Day A4.
Step 1: Make a Recording Table with 4 columns labeled: Date, Meal, Food/Beverage, Amount.
Step 2: Analyze selected nutrient content in what you ate.
A4—September 27:
 Reading Quiz #1 available today
 Nutrition Tools – Standards and Guidelines (Sizer Ch 2) (Skolnik Ch 8, pp. 165 – 168 Gauging Nutritional
Status and Key Nutritional Needs)
 Nutrition Analysis Class Discussion based on 2-day dietary intake record (9/25 and 9/26)
Reading Assignment:
Sizer Ch 2
Skolnik Ch 8, pp. 165 – 168 Gauging Nutritional Status and Key Nutritional Needs [pdf in course folder]
Assignment Due Today:
Nutrition Analysis Group Work based on 2-day dietary intake record (9/25 and 9/26) – bring hard copy of
your Recording Table to discuss in class
Step 1: Make a Recording Table with 4 columns labeled: Date, Meal, Food/Beverage, Amount.
Step 2: Analyze selected nutrient content in what you ate.
Dubrovnik—September 29-October 3
[FIELD LAB Rescheduled to Saturday Day 5 10/3/15 in Dubrovnik ]
A5—October 4:
 Interport Lecturer for Greece
 Remarkable Body (Sizer Ch 3);
 Photojournalism Group Assignments and Explanation
Reading Assignment:
Sizer Ch 3
Sizer Controversy 3 – Alcohol and Nutrition: Do the Benefits Outweigh the Risk? (p. 100 - 110)
Assignment Due Today:
DUE: Quiz #1 (Covers Sizer Chapters 1, Skolnik Chapters 1 & 8) submit hard copy in class
Piraeus—October 6-10
A6—October 11: [John Philbrick M.D.]
3



Observations regarding local foods and eating customs in Greece
Carbohydrates: Sugar, Starch, Glycogen, Fiber (Sizer Ch 4)
Discuss Controversy 4 – Are Added Sugars Bad For You? (p. 151 - 155)
Reading Assignment:
Sizer Ch 4
Sizer Controversy 4 – Are Added Sugars Bad For You? (p. 151 - 155)
Assignment Due Today:
DUE: Submit Photo-journalism Option Chosen By Group – Option A or Option B (if B, what topic?)
A7—October 13: [John Philbrick M.D.]
 Spanish Food, Meals, and Eating Customs – Dr. Gayle Allord
 Lipids: Fats, Oils, Phospholipids, Sterols (Sizer Ch 5)
Reading Assignment:
Sizer Ch 5
Assignment Due Today:
DUE: Field Lab Assignment Write-up – submit hard copy in class [See separate sheet with instructions and
grading/evaluation information.]
Valencia—October 15-16
Barcelona—October 17-19
A8—October 20:
 Reading Quiz #2 available today (covers Sizer chapters 3-5)
 Moroccan Food, Meals, and Eating Customs – Dr. Magida Burgach, Interport Lecturer
 Observations regarding local foods and eating customs in Spain
 Global Health Nutrition Challenge: Mediterranean Diet
 Discuss Controversy 5 – Good Fats, Bad Fats – U.S. Guidelines and the Mediterranean Diet (p. 191 - 196)
Reading Assignment:
Sizer Ch 5
Sizer Controversy 5 – Good Fats, Bad Fats – U.S. Guidelines and the Mediterranean Diet (p. 191 - 196)
Assignment Due Today:
DUE: Photo-journalism installment #1 GREECE
Casablanca—October 22-26
A9—October 27: [John Philbrick M.D.]
 Observations regarding local foods and eating customs in Morocco
 Proteins and Amino Acids (Sizer Ch 6)
Reading Assignment:
4
Sizer Ch 6
Assignment Due Today:
DUE: Quiz #2 (Covers Sizer Chapters 3 - 5 ) submit hard copy in class
A10—October 29: [John Philbrick M.D.]
 Vitamins (Fat-soluble: A, D, E, K) (Water-soluble: C, B) (Sizer Ch 7)
 Discuss Controversy 7 – Vitamin Supplements: Do the Benefits Outweigh the Risks? (p. 279 - 284)
Reading Assignment:
Sizer Ch 7
Sizer Controversy 7 – Vitamin Supplements: Do the Benefits Outweigh the Risks? (p. 279 - 284)
Assignment Due Today:
DUE: Photo-journalism installment # 2 MOROCCO
Dakar—October 31-November 3
A11—November 4:
 Reading Quiz #3 available today (covers Sizer chapters 6 & 7)
 Observations regarding local foods and eating customs in Senegal
 Global Health Nutrition Challenge: Vit B Deficiency
 Discuss Case Study: Preventing Neural Tube Defects in Chile (Levine Case 16)
Reading Assignment:
Sizer Ch 7
Levine Case Study: Preventing Neural Tube Deficits in Chile
[pdf in course folder]
Assignment Due Today:
DUE: Case Study: Preventing Neural Tube Defects in Chile (Levine Case 16) submit hard copy in class
No Classes—November 6 (Neptune Ceremony)
A12—November 7: [John Philbrick M.D.]
 Water and Minerals (Major: Mg, Na, K, Cl Sulfate) (Trace: I, Fe) (Sizer Ch 8)
Reading Assignment:
Sizer Ch 8
Assignment Due Today:
DUE: Quiz #3 submit hard copy in class
A13—November 9: [John Philbrick M.D.]
 Energy Balance and Healthy Body (Sizer Ch 9)
Reading Assignment:
5
Sizer Ch 9
Assignment Due Today:
DUE: Photojournalism Installment #3 SENEGAL
Salvador—November 11-16
A14—November 17:
 Observations regarding local foods and eating customs in Brazil
 HBO “The Weight of the Nation: Confronting America’s Obesity Epidemic” – Part 1. Consequences
and Part 2. Choices (2012) [Disc 1]
 Global Health Nutrition Challenge: Obesity
Reading Assignment:
Sizer Ch 9
Assignment Due Today:
None
A15—November 19:
 Diet and Health (Immune System; CVD; Cancer ) (Sizer Ch 11) (Skolnik Ch 11 – Communicable Diseases)
Reading Assignment:
Sizer Ch 11
Skolnik Ch 11 Communicable Diseases [pdf in course folder]
Assignment Due Today:
None
No Classes—November 21 (Olympics)
A16—November 22:
 Reading Quiz #4 available today (covers Sizer chapters 8, 9, and 11)
 Global Health Nutrition Challenge: Diarrhea and Oral Rehydration Therapy
Discuss Case Study: Preventing Diarrheal Deaths in Egypt (Levine Case 8)
Reading Assignment:
Sizer Ch 11
Skolnik Ch 11 -- Communicable Diseases [pdf in course folder]
Levine Case Study: Preventing Diarrheal Deaths in Egypt [pdf in course folder]
Assignment Due Today:
DUE: Case Study: Preventing Diarrheal Deaths in Egypt (Levine Case 8) submit hard copy in class
A17—November 24:
 Trinidad and Tobago Food, Meals, and Eating Customs – Leah Brown, Interport Lecturer
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

Food Safety and Technology (Sizer Ch 12)
FRONTLINE The Trouble With Chicken: Inside a Major Salmonella Outbreak and a Broken Food
Safety System (2015) (runtime 60 min)
Reading Assignment:
Sizer Ch 12
Assignment Due Today:
DUE: Quiz #4 (Covers Sizer Chapters 8, 9, and 11) submit hard copy in class
Port of Spain—November 26-27
A18—November 28:
 Observations regarding local foods and eating customs in T&T
 Life Cycle Nutrition Mother and Infant (Sizer Ch 13)
Reading Assignment:
Sizer Ch 13
Assignment Due Today:
DUE: Photojournalism Installment #4 BRAZIL
A19—November 30:
 Continue Life Cycle Nutrition Mother and Infant (Sizer Ch 13); (Skolnik Ch 10 -- Child Health)
 Global Health Nutrition Challenge: Exclusive Breastfeeding
Reading Assignment:
Sizer Ch 13
Skolnik Ch 10 – Child Health [pdf in course folder]
Assignment Due Today:
None
A20—December 2:
 Child, Teen, and Older Adult (Sizer Ch 14, Early and Middle Childhood ONLY)
 Global Health Nutrition Challenge: Stunting
Reading Assignment:
Sizer Ch 14, Early and Middle Childhood section ONLY
Assignment Due Today:
None
No Classes—December 3 (Panama Canal)
Puntarenas—December 5-9
7
A21—December 10:
Working Session for Photojournalism Assignment Groups
A22—December 12:
DUE: Photo-journalism Field Assignment – ALL Groups hand in
DUE: Photo-journalism Field Assignment – Group A, B, C presentations and discussion
A23—December 14:
DUE: Photo-journalism Field Assignment – Group D, E, F presentations and discussion
Study Day—December 16
A24—December 17; A-Day Finals
Course Summary and Wrap-up
December 19—Grading and Re-entry
December 20—Convocation & Packing
Arrive San Diego—December 21
FIELD WORK
Field Lab attendance is mandatory for all students enrolled in this course. Do not book individual travel plans or a
Semester at Sea sponsored trip on the day of your Field Lab.
FIELD LAB (20%)
Rescheduled to Saturday 10/3/15 (Day 5 in Dubrovnik)
Participation is mandatory.
20% of your course grade is based on Field Lab Assignment drawn from the lab and other in-port
experiences.
Title: Croatian Foods at the Market and Fruit Tasting
Country: Dubrovnik, Croatia
Description:
Students will visit a local market to enable them to meet with vendors, and to observe foods that are available
and barriers to nutritious eating. They will work in small groups to use the MyPlate guide to evaluate the
nutritional value of available foods and determine the impact of its cost in providing a nutritionally balanced
diet.
Objective:
1. Based on observations and interactions at a local market and bazaar, (a) identify options of food
available to people living in Istanbul for choosing nutritious food – determine foods available, costs of
foods, methods of transportation used to reach market, how to fill MyPlate at market in terms of
nutritional value and cost; (b) consider relationship of nutrition of food people eat to their income; (c)
describe barriers that people of lower and moderate SES level have to choosing nutritious food in
Turkey.
DRESS CODE:
What to Wear: For men, pants, nice tee shirt, polo, or button own. For women, pants, dress or skirt, and nice tee shirt,
polo, or button down. Comfortable shoes for walking distances.
Do NOT Wear: Flip flops, sneakers, shorts, sort skirts, sweat pants, jeans, leggings, spaghetti tank tops, and/or revealing,
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stained, or dirty clothing. Best to avoid wearing obvious American logos.
DUE: Field Lab Assignment Write-up Day A7 10/13/15 Submit by e-mail sent by one Group Member. [See
separate sheet regarding instructions and grading.
FIELD ASSIGNMENT (20%)
FIELD ASSIGNMENT (20%)
Photojournalism Installments and Final Slide Show:
 Countries include: (#1) Greece, (#2) Morocco, (#3) Senegal, and (#4) Brazil.
 Students will be assigned to working groups specific to this assignment for the semester.
 Through photo-journalism, assigned student working groups will focus on either: (Option A) observations of
foods, food preparation, and eating customs in each country OR (Option B) a nutrition-related topic related to
health in each country (e.g., under- and over-nutrition; vegetarianism). You will focus on Option A or Option
B for the entire Field Assignment.
[Course Objective 2. Explore the relationship globally between nutrition and health, and cultural, social,
educational, and economic factors that influence nutrition and health.]
EACH INSTALLMENT will have these required components:
 Using pictures that group members have taken individually in a country, the group will select 4 - 6 photos
per country that capture images relevant to the selected option (A or B above).
 A caption for each photo that describes how the photo is relevant to the selected option (A or B above)
 3 - 4 sentences providing a description of what is important and/or unique in that country regarding
selected Option A or B
 One installment per country is due on the date in the course syllabus.
A FINAL SLIDE SHOW utilizing photos and information from the Installments is due towards the end of the
course.
 It will be limited to three countries.
 Choose the photos that you think best represent each country.
 Include the same components as in the INSTALLMENTS.
DUE: Assigned group obtains approval of your focus on Option A or Option B -- and a brief description. No later
than Day A6 9/27/15
DUE: Photo-journalism Installments #1 - #4 by country See syllabus above for due dates
DUE: Photo-journalism Final Slide Show 12/12/15
[See Evaluation Form regarding grading – relevance of images; quality of accompanying captions; quality of
description sentences; and scholarly composition, grammar (includes spelling), and punctuation]
COURSE REQUIREMENTS and EVALUATION
1. Prompt attendance; participation in all classes and group work [10%]
2. Quizzes (4) [40% -- 10% each]
3. Written answers submitted for two nutrition-related case studies from Case Studies in Global Health: Millions
Saved (2) [10% -- 5% each]
4. Field Lab [20%]
5. Field Assignment: Photo-journal installments (3) and final poster (1) [20%]
GRADING SCALE for COURSE
A+ = 97-100 A = 94-96
A- = 90-93
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B+ = 87-89
C+ = 77-79
D+ = 67-69
B = 84-86
C = 74-76
D = 64-66
B- = 80-83
C- = 70-73
D- = 60-63
F = below 60 is failing
LATE WORK POLICY:
If you are unable to meet one or more of the deadlines in this course, please contact me to negotiate a
different due date. I usually grant reasonable requests made well before the due date (48 hours or more).
Unless an extension is granted, I will not accept late work.
RESERVE BOOKS AND FILMS FOR THE LIBRARY
AUTHOR: Skolnik, Richard
TITLE: Global Health 101
PUBLISHER: Jones & Bartlett Learning
ISBN #: 978-0-7637-9751-5
DATE/EDITION: 2nd edition, 2012
AUTHOR: D’Aluisio F & Menzel P
TITLE: What the World Eats
PUBLISHER: Random House Distribution
ISBN #:
DATE/EDITION: 2008
AUTHOR: Menzel P & D’Aluisio F
TITLE: Hungry Planet: What the World Eats
PUBLISHER:
ISBN #:
DATE/EDITION: 2007
AUTHOR: HBO 4-part Documentary Films
TITLE: Weight of the Nation: Confronting America’s Obesity Epidemic
PUBLISHER: HBO
ISBN #: DVD set can be purchased from HBO
DATE/EDITION: 2012
ELECTRONIC COURSE MATERIALS
AUTHOR: Uauy R
ARTICLE/CHAPTER TITLE: Rank Prize Lecture: Global nutrition challenges for optimal health and well-being
JOURNAL/BOOK TITLE: Proc of Nutrition Society
VOLUME: 68
DATE: 2009
PAGES: 34-42
AUTHOR: Hamrani A
ARTICLE/CHAPTER TITLE: Physical activity and dietary habits among Moroccan adolescents
JOURNAL/BOOK TITLE: Public Health Nutrition
VOLUME: Epub ahead of print
DATE: Oct 2014
PAGES: 1-8
10
AUTHOR: Malik VA
ARTICLE/CHAPTER TITLE: Global obesity: Trends, risk factors and policy implications
JOURNAL/BOOK TITLE: Nature Reviews Endocrinology
VOLUME: 9
DATE: 2013
PAGES: 13-27
AUTHOR: Trichopoulou A
ARTICLE/CHAPTER TITLE: Definitions and potential health benefits of Mediterranean diet: Views from experts
around the world
JOURNAL/BOOK TITLE: BMC Medicine
VOLUME: 12
DATE: 2014
PAGES: 1741 -7015
AUTHOR: Bach-Faig A
ARTICLE/CHAPTER TITLE: Mediterranean diet pyramid today. Science and cultural updates
JOURNAL/BOOK TITLE: Public Health Nutrition
VOLUME: 14
DATE: 2011
PAGES: 2274 - 2284
AUTHOR: Tzioumis E
ARTICLE/CHAPTER TITLE: Childhood dual burden of under- and over-nutrition in low- and middle-income
countries: A critical review
JOURNAL/BOOK TITLE: Food Nutr Bull
VOLUME: 35 (2)
DATE: 2014
PAGES: 230-243
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Access to Power Point or other presentation software.
Access to My Plate website to complete assignments http://www.choosemyplate.gov/
Handheld calculator
OTHER REQUIREMENTS
Do not use Wikepedia as a Resource for any work you do for this course.
Our classes should provide an atmosphere of mutual respect for all. All of us should be able to express our
ideas and views, even when they conflict. This requires that side conversations unrelated to the classroom
activities should take place before or after class.
Laptops and other devices connecting to the internet are allowed in the classroom provided they are used only
to enhance the teaching/learning environment. These devices are not to be used for purposes unrelated to
this class – such as e-mailing, use of social media, playing computer games. Students observed using laptops
and other electronic devices will be asked to leave the class for that day. It is their responsibility to get the
missed class content.
Review the syllabus material and course materials carefully. You must remain familiar with all course
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requirements communicated via this syllabus or by e-mails sent by the course professor.
HONOR CODE
Semester at Sea students enroll in an academic program administered by the University of Virginia, and thus
bind themselves to the University’s honor code. The code prohibits all acts of lying, cheating, and stealing.
Please consult the Voyager’s Handbook for further explanation of what constitutes an honor offense.
Each written assignment for this course must be pledged by the student as follows: “On my honor as a student, I
pledge that I have neither given nor received aid on this assignment.” The pledge must be signed, or, in the case
of an electronic file, signed “[signed].”
F15 Syllabus Template ROPKA Fall 2015 Nutrition DETAILED.doc
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