This module offers an in-depth exploration of how food and nutrients influence the development and management of major health conditions. You’ll examine the scientific and epidemiological evidence behind diseases such as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular and gastrointestinal disorders, mental health issues, and more. The module also explores how this evidence shapes public health policies and nutrition strategies. Importantly, you'll learn how to translate complex research into clear, practical dietary advice for individuals and the wider population—equipping you with the skills to bridge the gap between science and real-world health promotion.

The module content includes:

• The evidence underpinning role of food and nutrients in the aetiology and management of various conditions (this will (cancer, cardiometabolic disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, renal, gastrointestinal, biliary/hepatic/pancreatic/endocrine, rheumatologic/musculoskeletal and neurological disorders and mental health)
• The epidemiological evidence underpinning public health policies and strategies relating to such conditions
• The translation of scientific evidence into general advice for the population

This comprehensive module delves into the science of nutrients and their role across the human lifespan. You'll explore energy balance, macronutrients and micronutrients—covering their properties, metabolism, functions, and UK dietary intakes. Learn about nutrient requirements, dietary reference values, and non-nutritive bioactive compounds. You'll also gain hands-on knowledge of nutritional assessment methods, including anthropometry, dietary intake analysis, and biochemical markers. The module introduces nutritional epidemiology and how data informs health strategies. Finally, you’ll study nutrition from conception to old age, exploring how diet influences development, disease risk, and healthy ageing—equipping you to apply nutrition science across individual and population contexts.

Module content will include:

• Energy balance
• Macro and micro nutrients: chemical properties, bioavailability, metabolism, biological function, availability and consumption in the UK in relation to their distribution in food. 
• Nutrient requirements: basic concepts, DRVs
• Non-nutritive bioactive components in food 

Nutritional assessment techniques: anthropometry, biochemical and dietary intake approaches at individual and population level.  This will include:

• Applications of various anthropometric measurements in the determination of body composition
• Methods for the measurement of dietary intake: group and individual intake, sampling techniques, retrospective and prospective study designs, analysis and interpretation of data.
• Food composition tables, interpretation and use (including limitations)
• Biochemical determinants of nutritional status with reference to excess or deficient intake
• Epidemiology: introduction to concepts and methods with reference to nutrition and nutrition related diseases

Nutrition through the life span. This will include:

• Pregnancy and reproduction, maternal nutritional status and metabolic adaptations, foetal growth, foetal origins of adult disease. For example, the role of foods, nutrients and environmental influences during conception and gestation on adult disease risk and incidence
• Lactation & neo-natal nutrition, maternal metabolic adaptations, energy/nutrient requirements of lactation, composition of breast milk.
• Early growth, infant feeding, critical periods of growth, growth standards, hormonal and nutritional influences
• Nutritional intake, requirements and dietary guidelines in toddlers and school children
• Puberty -  body composition, nutritional requirements, influences on food choice, obesity / eating disorders   
• Ageing, nutritional influences on degenerative disease and lifespan e.g. bone health, CHD and cancer. 

This module explores the fascinating world of human metabolism, focusing on how the body processes nutrients for energy and function. You’ll examine key anabolic and catabolic pathways, lipoprotein metabolism, and how metabolism is regulated by neural, hormonal, and biochemical signals. Topics include the role of hormones, second messengers, and metabolic control mechanisms like allosteric regulation. You'll study how metabolism adapts in fed, fasted, and starved states, as well as during illness. The module also covers metabolic disorders—such as inborn errors and metabolic syndrome—plus specialised topics like one-carbon metabolism and vitamin D. It provides a strong foundation in applied metabolic science.

• Overview of the major catabolic and anabolic pathways  
• Lipoprotein metabolism  
• Control of metabolic pathways: allosteric effectors, product inhibition etc.      
• Neural and endocrine regulation of metabolic pathways
• Mechanism of hormone action - second messengers, steroid hormones   
• Integration of metabolism: carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism
• Metabolism in the fed and fasted state 
• Metabolic adaptation: starvation
• Metabolic response to disease e.g. cancer, infection  
• Metabolic disorders: (the genetic basis of various diseases (for example inborn errors of metabolism), metabolic syndrome
• One carbon metabolism  
• Vitamin D Metabolism

This dynamic module explores the psychological and sociological influences on health, lifestyle, and eating behaviour. You’ll be introduced to health psychology theories that explain health behaviours, including motivation, personality, and social factors. The module traces the evolution of behaviour change approaches and health promotion strategies, equipping you with practical counselling skills such as motivational interviewing and cognitive behavioural techniques—including the use of telehealth. You’ll also examine the psychology of eating, from everyday habits to disordered behaviours. Finally, sociological perspectives highlight how class, culture, income, and identity shape food choices, alongside the role of organisations in supporting health and wellbeing.

Module content will include:

• Review of psychological and sociological contributions to health, lifestyle, and the impact of long-term health conditions
• Introduction to health psychology, specifically examining factors that affect health behaviours (social cognition models of health, personality factors, motivation, interpersonal communication and group dynamics).
• Historical principles of behaviour change and the modern development of health promotion and health education strategies.
• Practical skills in behaviour change including counselling skills, motivational interviewing, cognitive behavioural techniques, health promotion, and health education to resolve barriers in communication (including telehealth and assistive technologies)
• Psychology of eating behaviour in both normal and disordered eating.
• Review of socio-cultural factors related to food and eating.
• Review of sociology of food and eating; symbolic factors of food and consumption, food as a value system, cultural roles in society.
• Impact of class, ethnicity, income level and social expectation in food choice.
• Role of organisations in delivering health, relevant organisational behaviour.

This module introduces key concepts in research methodology, preparing you to design, conduct, and evaluate studies in nutrition and health. You’ll explore experimental and non-experimental research designs, alongside the role of audits in assessing outcomes. Learn how to conduct critical literature and media reviews, and develop your skills in writing research proposals. The module covers both qualitative and quantitative data analysis, supported by subject-specific statistics. You'll also engage with essential considerations such as research ethics, health and safety, and sustainability—ensuring you can carry out responsible and impactful research in both academic and applied settings.

Module content includes:

• Research methodology and applied research
• Experimental and non-experimental design
• Role and use of audit in evaluating outcomes 
• Literature and/or media review
• Research ethics, health and safety, and issues of sustainability in research
• Proposal writing
• Data analysis - qualitative and quantitative
• Statistics: subject specific