University of Jordan
Faculty of Agriculture
Dept. Nutr. Food Tech.
Human Nutrition and Dietetics
Semester: Second 2012/2013
Course title: Human Nutrition and Metabolism
Course number: (0603332)
Credit hours: Three
Level: Third Year
Prerequisite (s): Fundamentals of Nutrition Science (0603231)
Classes: 9:30-11:00 pm. Monday and Wednesday
Lecture Room #: 189
Instructor: Dr. MOUSA NUMAN AHMAD
E. mail: mosnuman@ju.edu.jo
Phone Extensions: 22412
Office #: 168
Course Description:
Applications of human nutrition concepts emphasizing the integration of the effect of
nutrient and nutritional status of metabolic and physiological function at cellular,
tissue, organ and whole body level in humans as related to health and disease;
regulation of metabolic homeostasis; health claims and their nutritional implications;
dietary standards and their methods of determination under different physiological
conditions; drug- nutrient interactions and nutrition and physical fitness.
Learning Outcomes/Objectives:
1. To understand integrative metabolism and function of nutrients in humans and to
acquire a fundamental background for cellular and molecular mechanisms related
to nutrient metabolism.
2. To develop an understanding of the fundamentals related to thermodynamics and
nutritional bioenergetics in particular, as well as fuel/substrate biotransformation
in metabolism and its nutritional and physiological regulation.
3. To acquire a fundamental background for applying the metabolic concepts of
bioenergetics to different clinical conditions of energy imbalance.
4. To acquire knowledge about the metabolic processes underlying diseases affecting
man’s nutritional status.
5. To understand nutrient requirements, recommended dietary allowances, and dietary
reference intakes under different physiological conditions, and their methods of
determination.
6. To acquire a fundamental background of nutrient-drug interactions in man and their
applications in dietetics, including efficacy and risk/benefits of these interactions.
7. To be able to relate the biochemical and physiological well-being and nutritional
status to human physical fitness.
Learning Resources:
 Recommended Textbooks and References:
01. Medeiros DM & Wildman REC. Advanced Human Nutrition. 2nd Edition, Jones
& Bartlett Learning, LLC: USA, 2012.
02. Gropper SS, Smith JL & Groff JL. Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism.
5th Edition, Wadsworth, Cengage Learning. Belmont, CA, USA, 2009.
03. Bender DA. Introduction to Nutrition and Metabolism. London: Taylor and
Francis, 2002.
04. Mahan LK. & Escott-stump S. Krause’s Food, Nutrition and Diet Therapy.
Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders, 2008.
05. Whitney E. & Rolfes SR Understanding Nutrition. USA: Thomson-Wadsworth, 2011.
06. Garrow JS., James WPT. & Ralph A. Human Nutrition and Dietetics. London:
Churchill Livingstone, 2000.
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07. James WPT. and Schofield EC. Human Energy Requirements. Oxford: Oxford
University Press, 1990.
08. Food and Nutrition Board. Dietary Reference Intakes: Recommended Intakes
for Individuals. USA: National Academy of Sciences, 2002.
09. Food and Nutrition Board. Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate,
Fiber, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids. USA: National Academy
of Sciences, 2002.
10. Selected Internet Sites:
01. www.nutrition.org 02. www.faseb.org/ascn
03. www.asns.org
04. www.nas.edu
05. www.ilsi.org
06. www.nin.ca
07. www.bda.uk.com 08. www.nse.org
09. www.who.int
10. www.dietetics.com 11. www.nih.org
12 www.nutritiongate.com
13. www.webmed.com 14. www.fda.gov
15. www.diabetes.org
16. www.dietitians.ca 17. www.fao.org/food
18. www.usda.gov
 Exams and Grade Distribution:
Exam
Mid-term exam
2 Assigned Quizzes
Final exam
%
30
20
50
Date
Course Content:
01. Introduction to Human Nutrition and Metabolism. (2 Lectures)
1. Course description and objectives.
2. Basics of human nutrition: Review of important terms and concepts.
3. Important nutritional bioenergetics’ terms and concepts.
4. Food, nutrition and health.
5. Dietary goals and guidelines.
02. Dietary Needs, Allowances and Standards. (4 Lectures)
1. Recommended dietary allowances: Normal, safe and upper limits.
2. Dietary reference intakes.
3. Methods of determination of dietary standards.
4. Selected dietary standards.
03. Cell Physiology and Biochemistry: An Overview. (2 Lectures)
1. Cell components and functions.
2. Cellular proteins.
3. Cell Cycle.
4. DNA/RNA – Genes and Gene Expression.
5. Enzymes, reactions and metabolic pathways.
6. Cytosolic versus mitochondrial metabolic pathways.
04. Dynamic Status in Human Metabolism. (2 Lectures)
1. The concept of dynamic status.
2. Systems of human dynamics.
05. Experimental Approaches in the Study of Human Metabolism: (2 Lectures)
1. Direct or invasive versus indirect or non-invasive methods.
2. Selected approaches: whole body, blood, isolated organs, cell strips and lines.
06. Partition of Food Energy in the Human Body. (3 Lectures)
1. Laboratory methods for determining food energetic values.
2. Gross energy of foods- the heat of combustion.
3. Digestibility coefficient: Basic aspects.
4. Metabolizable energy of foods-the physiological fuel value of foods.
5. Dietary-induced thermogenesis.
6. The concept of net energy.
7. Relation to thermodynamics- laws and concepts.
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07. Carbohydrate Nutrition and Metabolism. (4 Lectures)
1. Introduction.
2. Glucose transport and regulation in blood.
3. Cellular glucose uptake, phosphorylation and glycolysis.
4. Cytoplasm to mitochondria shuttles for reducing equivalents.
5. Pyruvate conversion to acetyl-CoA.
6. Pyruvate to lactate conversion and acid-base status.
7. The fate of lactate.
8. Glycogen synthesis, glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis.
08. Fat Metabolism Nutrition and Metabolism. (4 Lectures)
1. Introduction.
2. Synthesis and storage of triacylglycerol in adipose tissue.
3. Adipose tissue lipolysis and release of free fatty acids.
4. Fatty acid transport in blood, across muscle membrane and in cytoplasm.
5. Beta-oxidation of fatty acids.
09. Protein and Amino Acid Nutrition and Metabolism. (4 Lectures)
1. Introduction.
2. Ammonia production– amino acid oxidation and purine nucleotide cycle.
3. Central role of transdeamination reactions – ammonia disposal
4. Central role of glutamate metabolism.
5. Importance of the TCA intermediates in TCA cycle flux?
10. Substrate and Human Metabolism (2 Lectures)
1. Substrate biotransformation in metabolism: Concept maps. .
2. Flow of metabolic fuels during stress: Starve-fed cycle and exercise.
3. Integration of substrate metabolism: Uniqueness of individual organ and tissue.
11. Vitamins and Human Metabolism. (2 Lectures)
1. Water- soluble and fat-soluble vitamins: Overview of metabolic roles.
2. B-complex vitamins as coenzymes in metabolic regulation.
12. Mineral Elements and Human Metabolism. (2 Lectures)
1. Macro- and micro- mineral elements: Overview of metabolic roles.
2. Mineral elements in metabolic regulation.
13. Whole Body Energy Metabolism. (6 Lectures)
1. Basic Concepts
2. Energy intake
3. Energy expenditure
4. Body energy stores
5. The Adipose Tissue
6. Disturbances in Energy Metabolism
14. Nutrition and Physical Fitness. (3 Lectures)
1. Bio-energetic aspects of the physical work.
2. Biochemical and physiological fitness versus physical fitness.
3. Nutritional considerations for the physical work and sports.
4. Selected diets for athletes.
15. Food, Nutrient and Drug Interactions. (4 Lectures)
1. Background information.
2. Drugs versus nutritional utilization.
3. Foods and nutrients versus drug utilization.
16. Health Claims and Their Nutritional Implications. (2Lectures)
1. Introduction, definitions, and related laws and legislations.
2. Fads, frauds, quackery, nutritional supplements, and their dangers.
3. Health claims for obesity, athletes, and other cases.
4. Selected supplements and functional/health foods.
5. Some protective measures and acts.
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