Nutrition and cognitive development

Code:

MEA1102

Acronym:

NUDECO

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Nutritional Sciences

Instance: 2024/2025 - 1S

Active?	Yes
Course/CS Responsible:	Master in Nutrition Education

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
MEA	12	Official plan	1	-	3	20	81

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

1. Understand the action of individual and contextual determinants in human development
2. Reflect on the different paradigms of cognitive development.
3. Identify the different stages of cognitive development and understand the main tasks of each stage
4. Understand the application of knowledge about cognitive development in the design of food education projects
5. Reflect on the main effects of dietary patterns and nutrition on cognitive development throughout the life cycle.

Learning outcomes and competences

At the end of this UC, the student should be able to identify the main individual and contextual paradigms and determinants in human development, as well as the main stages of cognitive development and their respective tasks.

The student should also be able to apply knowledge about cognitive development in the design and planning of food education projects, as well as know the main effects of food and nutrition patterns on cognitive development throughout the life cycle.

Working method

Presencial

Program

1. Biopsychosocial Model of Human Development

2. Main paradigms of cognitive development: Piagetian, Neo-Piagetian, Social Information Processing and Neuroconstructivist.

3. Brain development: Man and the specificity of his CNS development. Main stages of cognitive development.

3.1. Intrauterine development: germinal, embryonic and fetal

3.2. Birth and first three years of life

3.3. Preschool age

3.4. School age

3.5. Adolescence

3.6. Youth

3.7. Adulthood

3.8. Elderly

4. The impact of eating behavior and nutrition on cognitive development

4.1 Nutritional factors for brain growth: intrauterine life and early life. Role of lipids. Iodine.

4.2 Neurotoxicity: heavy metals.

4.3 Nutritional requirements for correct brain function.

4.4 Dietary factors with effect on brain performance: caffeine.

4.5 Nutrition and psychiatric pathology: depression.

5. The impact of dietary patterns, nutrition on degenerative diseases.

5.1 Nutrition and neurological and neurodegenerative pathology: sleep disorders, epilepsy, dementia and Parkinson's disease.

6. The influence of cognitive skills on intervention in the domain of eating behavior

Mandatory literature

John Flavell, Patricia Miller, Scott Miller; Desenvolvimento Cognitivo, Artmed, 1999. ISBN: 159.95 FLA-DES
Leonard Poon, David Rubin, Barbara Wilson; Everyday cognition in adults and late life, Cambridge University Press, 1999. ISBN: 159.95 POO-EVE

Teaching methods and learning activities

Theoretical lectures followed by joint discussion of the topics covered.

Theoretical-practical classes for analysis and discussion of practical situations.

keywords

Health sciences > Neuroscience > Neuropsychology
Health sciences > Medical sciences > Medicine > Dietetics
Social sciences > Psychological sciences > Cognitive science

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

Designation	Weight (%)
Exame	70,00
Trabalho prático ou de projeto	30,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Designation	Time (hours)
Elaboração de projeto	21,00
Estudo autónomo	40,00
Frequência das aulas	20,00
Total:	81,00

Eligibility for exams

To obtain frequency, the student must cumulatively meet the following conditions:
1- pass the final exam (minimum grade 9.5 out of 20)
2- pass the practical project work (minimum grade of 9.5 out of 20)
3- have been present in at least two thirds of the classes actually taught.

Calculation formula of final grade

Final classification = Exam classification x 0.7 + practical project work classification x 0.3

Classification improvement