Essentials of Human Nutrition: Course Syllabus and Structure

Course Overview

This syllabus outlines the structure, content, and expectations for the Essentials of Human Nutrition (BIOL-1262-L01) course at South Louisiana Community College. The course provides foundational knowledge in nutritional science, focusing on the physiological and biochemical roles of nutrients, their impact on health, and practical applications across the lifespan.

Main Topics Covered

• Science of Nutrition: Introduction to nutrition, health promotion, and understanding food choices.

• Tools for Healthful Eating: Dietary guidelines, MyPlate, and food labels.

• The Human Body & Digestion: Digestive system, metabolism, and common digestive problems.

• Carbohydrates: Simple and complex carbohydrates, glucose metabolism, dietary fiber, sugar, hypoglycemia, and diabetes.

• Lipids: Types of lipids (triglycerides, phospholipids, sterols), saturated/unsaturated/trans fats, essential fatty acids.

• Proteins: Essential/nonessential amino acids, protein function, digestion, absorption, protein quality, deficiency, and excess.

• Vitamins: Fat-soluble and water-soluble vitamins, food sources.

• Water and Minerals: Types and safety of drinking water, fluid balance, major and trace minerals, alcohol's impact.

• Energy Balance: Body weight vs. fatness, appetite control, weight gain/loss, obesity causes, medical treatment, eating disorders.

• Nutrition & Fitness: Benefits of fitness, energy for activity, fuel use, hydration, vitamins/minerals for activity.

• Food Safety & Regulation: Microbes, pesticides, environmental contaminants, food additives.

• Food Insecurity: Global food supply and food safety.

• Nutrition: Pregnancy Through Infancy: Nutrition for pregnancy, lactation, infants, childhood, adolescence, older adults.

• Nutrition: Toddlers to Late Adulthood: Nutrition across the lifespan, including childhood obesity.

Student Learning Outcomes

• Explain fundamental principles of nutritional science, including digestion, absorption, and metabolism of macronutrients and micronutrients.

• Apply evidence-based nutritional knowledge to assess and improve health across the lifespan.

• Analyze the impact of nutrition on health, disease prevention, weight management, exercise performance, and eating disorders.

• Communicate nutrition concepts effectively to diverse audiences.

Course Structure and Assessment

• Lecture Hours: 2 per week (no laboratory or clinical hours).

• Assessment Methods: Writing assignments, collaborative projects, quizzes, exams (multiple choice, matching, labeling, true/false, fill-in-the-blank).

• Exams: Five non-cumulative exams (100 points each), one cumulative final exam (100 points). Exams are online, require Lockdown Browser/Respondus Monitor, and are closed-book.

• Quizzes: Chapter quizzes, academic integrity quiz, syllabus quiz, and discussion assignments.

• Homework and Projects: Video assignments, pop quizzes, and collaborative projects.

• Grading Scale: A (90%+), B (80-89%), C (70-79%), D (60-69%), F (<60%).

Weekly Schedule and Chapter Topics

Academic Integrity and Policies

• Strict adherence to academic integrity: no cheating, plagiarism, or collusion.

• Attendance is recommended but not graded; excused absences require documentation.

• Make-up exams and assignments are allowed only for legitimate, documented reasons.

• Students must read all assigned chapters and are responsible for material not covered in lecture.

Recommended Textbook

• Human Nutrition: Science for Healthy Living (3rd Edition) by Tammy Stephenson and Wendy Schiff, McGraw-Hill.

• Other recommended resources: Personal Nutrition (Boyle, 2019), ChooseMyPlate.gov, USDA.gov, HealthyPeople.gov.

Keys to Success

• Read the textbook and attend class regularly.

• Take good notes and study daily.

• Write outlines, study vocabulary, and review end-of-chapter questions.

• Participate actively and ask questions.

• Complete homework and assignments on time.

Additional info:

• This syllabus is directly relevant to nutrition college students, covering all major topics listed in the course outline.

• Image included is the cover of the recommended textbook, which is central to the course content.