Nutrition for Health and Sustainability

Explore the relationship between health, nutrition, and sustainability

Please note that a video introduction of the course can be found here, and that a Spanish version of the course is available here.

Diet is the biggest single risk factor for preventable diseases in the world and a key driver of diabetes, heart disease, and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

On this course, you’ll look at what makes up a healthy diet, and see what types of foods play a crucial part in preventing diseases and improving wellbeing.

Investigate the potential causes of unhealthy eating patterns

Medical professionals are of utmost importance in food transformation and a well understood knowledge of the link between food, health, nutrition and sustainability helps them in playing an active role.

You’ll build your understanding of the relationship between food and disease. You’ll also reflect on the possible biological, social, and psychological causes of unhealthy eating patterns, and interpret the importance of evidence-based nutrition.

Discover the importance of a sustainable diet

You’ll explore different forms of sustainable diet and how to apply current health guidelines to different groups of people based on their current life stage and health.

By understanding the link between food, nutrition, diets, and sustainability, you’ll be able to effectively assess human health at different life stages.

Understand the diagnosis, management, and treatment of NCDs

By interpreting and analysing evidence-based nutrition reports, you’ll be able to identify which foods are essential to maintain a healthy and balanced diet, as well as which ingredients can help treat and prevent various diseases. You’ll also develop skills to have conversations with people about improving their diet for health benefit.

This course has been designed for medical students or people working in the healthcare sector.

Professionals in the medical sector will find this course useful for providing an up to date analysis of topical nutrition debates.

If you’re looking to expand your knowledge on this topic, you might also find of interest the following EIT Food courses on nutrition and health:

• Food for Thought: The Relationship Between Food, Gut and Brain
• The Human Microbiome
• Superfoods: Myths and Truths
• Food and Nutrition: The Truth Behind Food Headlines
• Understanding Mediterranean and Okinawa Diets

• Why do we need to rethink our diets?
• Welcome to the course
• Diets and society
• Diet and nutrition
• Putting it into practice
• Review & reflect
• The role of diet in health
• Welcome to Week 2
• Diets to prevent diseases
• Diet and non-communicable diseases
• Putting it into practice
• Review & reflect
• Sustainable diet for healthy humans and planet
• Welcome to Week 3
• Diets for healthy living
• Diet and food systems
• Diet to save the planet
• Putting it into practice
• Course summary