Nutritional Policy

Code:

CN41002

Acronym:

POLNUT

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Social Science

Instance: 2015/2016 - 1S

Active?	Yes
Course/CS Responsible:	Nutrition Sciences

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
CNUP	97	Plano oficial	4	-	4,5	49	121,5

Teaching language

Suitable for English-speaking students

Objectives

Besides nutritional issues, the supply and demand of food is based on different constraints, which condition the market, such as production of food and agricultural policies, distribution, marketing and price strategies. The core of this course unit is to provide understanding on the impact of these factors and transform them into opportunities to enhance the nutritional status of populations. This unit course intends that students acquire leadership and management skills enabling them to develop and implement a set of collaborative and cross-actions. The objective is to ensure and encourage the availability and access to certain type of food in order to improve the nutritional status and the health promotion of population.

Learning outcomes and competences

The unit course of Nutritional Policy should give to the students basic skills in several areas:

- Analysis of the political system and the political constraints that influence decision-making on nutrition and food policies, locally and globally.

- Collection and systemization of information in order to provide a diagnosis of the food/nutrition situation and health of the population and at the same time of the various systems that can influence food consumer behaviour, namely the production system, distribution and regulation.

- Formulation of integrated and sustainable strategies, which integrate the various areas and actors of the food system to influence food behaviour, promoting the multistakeholder partnerships and resource allocation.

- Formulation of integrated and sustainable strategies incorporating social, demographic and economic characteristics of the population able to modify eating behaviour.

- Formulation of integrated and sustainable strategies, involving dimensions such as equity, citizenship, welfare, sustainable development, food waste reduction, the reducing of disparities and social cohesion.

- Development and implementation of mechanisms for management, monitoring and evaluation of the nutrition policies impact.

- Integration of ethical issues in food and nutrition policies formulation.

Working method

Presencial

Program

- Definition of basic concepts in nutritional policy.

- Critical analysis of the theoretical foundations of political theory related with the nutritional policies.

- Analysis of nutrition policies in the European and Non-European context.

- Planning and implementation of information systems that support decision making on nutrition policies.

- Development of intersectoral nutrition policies, taking into account the agricultural, environmental, social, economic, health and related policies.

- Planning, implementation, management, monitoring and evaluation of nutrition policies at regional, national and international level.

- Understanding ethical principles in nutrition policy.

Mandatory literature

Isabel Ribeiro; Pedro Graça; José Lima Santos; Isabel do Carmo; O futuro da alimentação, Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, 2012. ISBN: 978-972-31-1486-7

Teaching methods and learning activities

The theme of this semester is about  utopian societies in general and their nutritional strategies. Students will be faced with the need to build / think one utopian model of society to achieve health objectives of the population that relate to sustainable food chain from the environmental point of view, social development and health promotion.

Based on the proposals for food and nutrition strategies (food policies) of Portugal and other countries and international organizations such as WHO, it proposes the construction of a nutritional utopia (Nutopia) through various working groups.

The objectives of the practical work is the construction and justification of a proposal of ideal society around a particular nutritional or dietary goal.

Each group will present and give reasons for decisions to be taken, around five themes:

1. Reduction of obesity or  society without obesity.

2. Public participation and interactive society in health, food and nutrition.

3. Environmentally sustainable society from food point of view.

4. Fair society or without  nutritional inequalities.

5. Reducing sodium intake or society without excessive sodium intake.

During the semester will be presented a must-read book. The book will be discussed regularly and made a reading of the evaluation at the end of the semester

Software

End Note

keywords

Natural sciences > Biological sciences > Nutritional sciences
Social sciences > Political sciences

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

Designation	Weight (%)
Exame	40,00
Trabalho escrito	60,00
Total:	100,00

Eligibility for exams

The frequency of the theoretical-practical classes is mandatory (according to general University academic rule), as well as the delivery and the positive evaluation of the  work-groups.

Calculation formula of final grade

Continuing assessment (60 %): 1 - Workgroup report (40 %) + 2 - Workgroup presentation (20%). Final assessment (40 %) (minimum score of 9,5) - Questions about theoretical programme.

Continuous assessment may incorporate fieldwork, participation in conferences and other activities agreed with the students. 

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

Students in special conditions are evaluated only by a final assessment (100%). The students should inform the teacher at the beginning of the semester, through a written document.

Classification improvement

See general Faculty academic rules.

Observations

Compulsory Language of Teaching: Portuguese. Teaching materials can be provided in English.The literature and study materials will be in Portuguese and English.