Syllabus
Course name:
Course number:
Semester:
Instructor:
Contact:
Classroom:
Office Hours:
Practical Nutrition: Separating Flax from Fiction
FST 512
Fall/2013
Miriam (Mim) Seidel, MS, RD, LDN
office: (412) 365-1852; cell: (412) 445-2182
MSeidel@chatham.edu
Shadyside Campus
By appointment 115 Dilworth Hall
Course Description and Course Objectives:
This class is designed to offer an overview of basic nutritional knowledge while exploring a
different practice-based topic each week. The course begins with the premise that nutrition is a
science, which demands that we must rely on evidence-based research when discussing food and
nutrition issues. The topics that follow are independent units, which rely on the basic framework
but can be explored individually. Topics include science and politics of dietary guidelines; the
science and controversies of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamin and minerals;
supplements; obesity and weight loss; digestion and absorption; allergies and intolerances;
functional foods, phytochemicals and organic food.
Books:
Nutrition Now 7th ed (you may use the 6th ed, although there are some used 7th editions
available, too) and Diet Analysis Plus (available as a “bundle” from Cengage, publishers of
Nutrition Now. Talk to the Book Store, they can sell you Diet Analysis Plus alone. BTW, Diet
Analysis Plus has also been updated: instant access diet code: edition ISBN 9780538495080.
Food Politics, 10th ed by Marion Nestle
Diet for a Small Planet, 20th ed. Francis Moore Lappe
Student Learning Outcomes At the end of this course, students will be able to:
• Recognize the term “science of nutrition” and differentiate the belief-based approach
from the science-based approach; separate fact from fiction.
• Identify the intent of nutritional recommendations and how they were established.
• Identify ways the food industry influences nutrition recommendations and guidelines
• Evaluate his/her nutritional needs; design a healthy and sustainable way of eating.
• Appreciate and identify the regulatory issues regarding non-food items (supplements) and
functional foods in the US.
• Successfully research a nutritional supplement, functional food, or other “hot” nutritionrelated topic to identify its functions, safety and “hype.”
• Identify the positive and negative health effects of simple and complex carbohydrates;
protein and dietary fat; fat modified and artificially sweetened foods.
• Explore the positive and negative health benefits of vegan, vegetarian and meat-based
diets.
• Explore obesity trends in the US, industry’s role in America’s overeating; related chronic
diseases
• Identify how the body uses food and food calories and the implications for weight
control and disease.
Program Goals:
 Applied scientific literacy: graduates will grasp basic scientific principles, empirical
methods, and evaluative criteria in the biological and physical sciences. The goal is for
students to analyze and evaluate empirical research for context-specific applications and
communicate that data for a variety of audiences.
 Systems knowledge: graduates will have a command of food systems as a conceptual and
practical tool for understanding the connections between agriculture and food production,
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social configurations, cultural meanings, and environmental conditions. This goal
includes understanding and applying various research methods to real-world problems.
Comprehensive awareness of sustainability: graduates will be versed in the complexities
of defining and enacting sustainable practices related to food (meat) production and
consumption.
Learning Methods: Lecture; individual topic exploration and presentation; nutritional selfassessment and self-evaluation; discussion.
Class policies:
Every student enrolled at Chatham accepts the responsibility to attend all required class meetings.
To obtain the fullest benefit from their courses, students must participate fully. This implies
attending regularly, engaging in course activity, completing work on time, and making up work
missed because of an emergency absence. It is the student’s responsibility to let the course
instructor know within the drop-add period if he or she will have to miss class for religious
reasons, athletics, or other.
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Active participation in weekly group discussion is expected; watching is not sufficient.
Complete the (almost) weekly quizzes
Completion of all assignments by deadline*
a) Dietary Supplement/Hot Topic: Paper is due Oct 10,
5 pm. Key points from the paper will be shared with class in a 10 minute
presentation on October 10 or Oct 17. Find details on Moodle.
b) Vegan, Vegetarian or Carnivore: nutritional implications of each. Find details
on Moodle. Paper is due Oct 31, 5 pm.
c) Final Project due: December 13, 5 pm. . The goal of the Final Project is for
students to perform a nutritional self-assessment. •Syllabus is subject to
change – students are responsible for keeping track of updates on
Moodle and email.
The final grade for this course will be determined by
Quizzes
20%
Supplement” paper/presentation
Vegetarian-Carnivore paper
Final Project
25%
20%
35%
Total Percentage
100%
Attendance*
A quiz may be made up the following week only if the instructor was informed ahead of time
that the student is unable to attend class.
* 100% attendance or only one missed (excused) class means I may “bump you up” to the
next grade if you are 1% point down. (89% becomes 90% = A-)
Texts and Readings: Required texts/ readings:
1. Nutrition Now by Judith E Brown and purchase the accompanying “Diet Analysis Plus” software.
2. Food Politics by Marion Nestle;
3. Diet for a Small Planet by Anna Moore Lappe
4. Supplemental readings – links provided in syllabus.
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Note: This general session/topic outline including assignments, lecture topics and dates are
subject to change. Students will be notified in advance of any changes. Please also look at
Moodle for links to all readings.
______________________________________________________________________________
Aug 29 Class 1
Overview of "Nutrition"
Nutrition Now: Chapter 1, pages 1.1 - top 1.9 (stop at Nutrient Intake Standards)
Chapter 3
Food Politics: Introduction; Chapters 4 and 5. Skim Chapter 1
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Jillian Michaels sued File
Plug pulled on Meatless Monday File
Diabetes Prevention Research
__________________________________________________
Sept 5 Class 2
Quiz Nutrition overview; ways of knowing; nutrition is a science
Dietary Requirements, Labels and Health Claims
Nutrition Now Chapter 1 pages 1.9 - end of chapter; Chapter 4
Food Politics Chapters 11 and 12
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Tips for Savvy Supplement User URL
FDA sends warning letter
_________________________________________________________
Sept 12 Class 3
Quiz Dietary requirements, labels and health claims
Digestion and Absorption
Nutrition Now Chapter 7
_____________________________________________________________
Sept 19 Class 4
Quiz - Digestion and Absorption
Carbohydrates: Friend or Foe?
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Nutrition Now Chapter 12
Food Politics Chapter 9
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Soda Cap Debate by Marion Nestle File
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AHA statement on sugar File
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Coke turns 125 File
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How safe is HFCS?
__________________________________________________________
Sept 26 Class 5
Quiz Carbohydrates
Fats: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly; Diabetes and Heart Disease
Nutrition Now Chapters 18, 13, 19
Food Politics Chapter 15
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Butter vs Margarine (Snopes) URL
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NYC and Trans Fat
____________________________________________________________
Oct 3 Class 6
Quiz: Fats, Heart Disease, Diabetes
Protein; Vegetarianism
Nutrition Now Chapters 15, 16
Diet for a Small Planet pages 117 - 139; 158 - 182; optional: 141-157; 203+
__________________________________________________________________
Oct 10 Class 7 Dietary Supplements/ Presentations
No Quiz
Nutrition Now Chapter 24
Food Politics Chapter 10
Supplement Presentations
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Supplement Paper Assignment
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FDA issues warning URL
__________________________________________________________________
Oct 17 Class 8 Dietary Supplements Presentations Continued
No Quiz
Supplement Presentations
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Tips for the Savvy Supplement User URL
Dietary Supplements and Mortality File
________________________________________________________________________
Oct 24 Class 9
Quiz Dietary Supplements (from NN and Food Politics)
Vitamins and Minerals
Nutrition Now Chapters 20, 23
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Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet_Calcium URL
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Calcium controversy File
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Very new thoughts on sodium reduction from IOM URL
_______________________________________________________________________
Oct 31 Class 10
Quiz Vitamins and Minerals
Obesity and Weight Loss
Nutrition Now Chapters 9, 10
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Protein/Vegetarianism Paper Assignment
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physical inactivity and sitting URL
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Obesity in America URL
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David Kessler: the end of overeating File
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Behavioral Economics File
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Comparison of weight loss diets File
________________________________________________________________________
Nov 7 Class 11
Quiz Obesity and weight loss
Nutritional Guidance
Nutrition Now Chapter 2 - pay special attention to pp 2.4-2.5 re inflammation; Ch 6
Food Politics Chapter 3
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Nov 14 Class 12
Quiz Nutritional Guidance
Allergies, Intolerances
Nutrition Now Chapter 17
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Nov 21 Class 13
Quiz allergies/intolerances
Organics, Phytochemicals, Techno Foods (Functional Foods) GMO
Nutrition Now Chapter 21
Food Politics Chapters 13, 14
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Response to paper in Annals... URL
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Are organic food safer/healthier...? Annals of Internal Medicine URL
________________________________________________________________________
HAPPY THANKSGIVING
________________________________________________________________
Dec 5 Class 14
Quiz - organic, Techno-Foods (functional foods), GMO
TBD
Final Project due December 13, 5pm. Earlier submissions appreciated.
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Final Project_ Nutritional Self-Assessment Assignment
Chatham University students pledge to maintain the Honor Code, which states in part: “Honor is
that principle by which we at Chatham form our code of living, working, and studying together.
The standards of honor at Chatham require that all students act with intellectual independence,
personal integrity, honesty in all relationships, and consideration for the rights and well being of
others.”
Information about the Honor Code is available in the Student Handbook.
Cheating and Plagiarism:
Cheating is defined as the attempt, successful or not, to give or obtain aid and/or information by
illicit means in meeting any academic requirements, including examinations. Plagiarism is
defined as the use, without proper acknowledgement, of the ideas, phrases, sentences, or larger
units of discourse from another writer or speaker.
Disability Statement:
Chatham University is committed to providing an environment that ensures that no individual is
discriminated against on the basis of her/his disability. Students with disabilities, as defined under
the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and who need special academic
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accommodations, should notify the assistant dean of the PACE Center as soon as possible. The
PACE Center will work with students and the course instructor to coordinate and monitor the
provision of reasonable academic accommodations.
Non-Registered Students Policy:
In accordance with University policy, only officially registered students may attend this class and
all other classes offered at the University after the drop/add period. Please confer with your
academic advisor if you need assistance with the registration process or you need additional
information.
Athletics policy: Note that athletes in this course are excused from class for games, but not for
practices. Athletes are responsible for material covered on game days, and for turning in any
work that may be due on game days.
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