EXERSCI 206 : Exercise Nutrition

Science

2020 Semester Two (1205) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

A cross-disciplinary focus on nutrition, examining nutritional enhancement of sports performance, diet and physiological function, eating disorders, energy balance, body composition and the role of diet in growth and exercise.

Course Overview

This course provides scientific background for understanding human nutrition as it applies to sport and exercise. It introduces principles of physiology and biochemistry that underpin diets and nutritional practices for physical activity. The course examines the fundamentals of nutrition, macro- and micro-nutrients, fluids, dietary supplements, and drugs in sport. Practical skills include quantifying nutritional status, critically evaluating dietary practices, and examining the scientific basis of supplements. The course uses a blended learning system, with online knowledge topics and quizzes followed by 2-hour laboratory seminars each week. 

If you are interested in understanding the science and application of nutrition to support a physically active lifestyle, or enhance athletic performance, then you will find the skills developed in this course useful.

Course Requirements

Prerequisite: 15 points from BIOSCI 107, EXERSCI 101, MEDSCI 142 Restriction: SPORTSCI 206

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: Disciplinary Knowledge and Practice
Capability 2: Critical Thinking
Capability 3: Solution Seeking
Capability 4: Communication and Engagement
Graduate Profile: Bachelor of Science

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Recall the basic physiology and biochemistry underpinning nutrients and their metabolism. (Capability 1)
  2. Demonstrate how nutritional practices can improve exercise training and performance outcomes. (Capability 1 and 4)
  3. Apply techniques of dietary assessment to quantify nutritional status. (Capability 2)
  4. Evaluate the efficacy of diets and dietary supplements. (Capability 2 and 4)
  5. Design individualised and periodised nutritional interventions. (Capability 3)
  6. Recognise potentially marginal diets and sports with dietary pressures. (Capability 1)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Final Exam 50% Individual Examination
Mid Semester Test 15% Individual Test
Assignments 35% Group & Individual Coursework
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3 4 5 6
Final Exam
Mid Semester Test
Assignments

Coursework is composed of three assignments: Assignment 1 involves the quantitative dietary assessment of two athletes using different dietary recording tools. Assignment 2 requires the critical analysis a dietary supplement followed by in-class presentation of findings. Assignment 3 is a dietary recommendations report that is designed following consultation with an athlete. All 

Key Topics

Learning is organised within six modules: 1. Fundamentals of exercise nutrition; 2. Nutritional Status and exercise; 3. Macronutrients; 4. Micronutrients and Fluids; 5. Dietary supplements & drugs in sport; 6. Personalised nutrition.

During the laboratory seminar, students will develop knowledge topics and learn practical skills related to each module. Students will complete three coursework assignments and participate in the appraisal of classmates' work. 

Learning Resources

The following textbooks are recommended reading for the course:
Sport Nutrition (2018) Jeukendrup, A and Gleeson, M. ISBN: 9780736079624 Library: QT263 J58 2018 
Understanding Nutrition (2019) Whitney, E. ISBN: 9780170424431 Library: QU145 W618 2019

Special Requirements

The mid-semester test for this course is scheduled in the evening on 3/9/20 at 1800-1900 (Grafton Campus, room 505-011).

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in. Each week you can expect up to 2 hours of lectures and online material, a 2 hour lab class, 3 hours of reading and thinking about the content, and 3 hours of work on assignments and/or test preparation

Digital Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Software used in laboratory classes is also available for use on personal windows computers (MacOS version not available).

Copyright

The content and delivery of content in this course are protected by copyright. Material belonging to others may have been used in this course and copied by and solely for the educational purposes of the University under license.

You may copy the course content for the purposes of private study or research, but you may not upload onto any third party site, make a further copy or sell, alter or further reproduce or distribute any part of the course content to another person.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against online source material using computerised detection mechanisms.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website at http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Student Feedback

During the course Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the staff responsible for the course and staff-student consultative committees.

At the end of the course students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback.

Your feedback helps to improve the course and its delivery for all students.

In the previous delivery of this course 80% of students were satisfied with the overall quality of the course and 96% of students agreed that the lecturer was an effective teacher.  Students found the online knowledge topics to be particularly helpful for their learning, but several students reported that some adjustment to this style of learning was required. Lab classes have been modified for 2020 to include self-study exercises and an option to actively participate via videoconference (for those unable to attend in person).

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter (https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html).

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.

Published on 10/07/2020 10:30 a.m.