HSN719 - Assessment Methods for Nutrition and Physical Activity Research

Unit details

Year:

2024 unit information

Enrolment modes:Trimester 1: Burwood (Melbourne), Online
Trimester 3: Burwood (Melbourne), Online
Credit point(s):1
EFTSL value:0.125
Unit Chair:Trimester 1: Sara Dingle
Trimester 3: Catherine Milte
Cohort rule:

H511, H517, H616 and H714 students: enrol in online mode only.

H748 students: enrol via Campus mode at Burwood (Melbourne) only.

Other Postgraduate students who wish to enrol in this unit:

If you are enrolled in an on campus course, you can enrol in the on campus unit offering and you will need to request a manual enrolment from a Student Adviser in Student Central.

If you are enrolled in an online course, you need to enrol into the online unit offering.

Prerequisite:

Nil

Corequisite:Nil
Incompatible with: HSN305
Typical study commitment:

Students will on average spend 150 hours over the teaching period undertaking the teaching, learning and assessment activities for this unit.

This will include educator guided online learning activities within the unit site.

Educator-facilitated (scheduled) learning activities - on-campus unit enrolment:

5 x 2 hour seminars per trimester

Educator-facilitated (scheduled) learning activities - online unit enrolment:

5 x 2 hour online seminars per trimester

Content

This unit provides an overview of methods of measuring food intake, physical activity, energy expenditure and body composition at the individual and population level. Practical activities are undertaken to gain a strong understanding of issues in analysing and interpreting data relating to nutritional and physical activity status and body composition. The uses and limitations of each of the assessment methodologies are critically evaluated. Reference standards and Australian norms for nutrition, physical activity and anthropometry are examined. The interpretation of dietary, physical activity and body composition survey data is addressed along with an examination of the theory and practice of validation and measurement error.

ULO These are the Learning Outcomes (ULO) for this unit. At the completion of this unit, successful students can: Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes
ULO1

Describe the principles and methods of assessment for dietary intake, physical activity and anthropometry.

GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities

ULO2

Critically evaluate the methods of assessment for dietary intake, physical activity and anthropometry.

GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities
GLO4: Critical thinking

ULO3

Perform dietary intake assessment using appropriate Australian food composition databases and nutrient analysis software.

GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities
GLO3: Digital literacy
GLO4: Critical thinking

ULO4

Interpret the dietary intake, physical activity and anthropometric assessment data making comparisons against population norms and recommendations.

GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities
GLO4: Critical thinking

ULO5

Report and communicate dietary intake, physical activity and anthropometric assessment data, your critical evaluation and interpretation using appropriate, discipline specific language, references and presentation.

GLO2: Communication
GLO5: Problem solving

Nutrition core competencies developed in this unit:

Nutrients

  • Amounts required for lifespan stages
  • Strengths and limitations to nutritional assessment
  • Markers of nutritional status

Be able to assess, analyse and interpret nutritional data

  • Assess nutritional status
  • Analyse food composition
  • Interpret dietary data according to guidelines
  • Use current technology

Abilities in research skills

  • Identify and critically evaluate literature
  • Select research methods and applications
  • Understand strengths and weaknesses of different research methods
  • Analyse and interpret data 

Assessment

Assessment description Student output Grading and weighting
(% total mark for unit)
Indicative due week

Assessment 1: Written report

1500 words 30%
  • Week 4 

Assessment 2: Written report

1500 words 30%
  • Week 7

Assessment 3: Written report

2000 words 40%
  • Week 11

The assessment due weeks provided may change. The Unit Chair will clarify the exact assessment requirements, including the due date, at the start of the teaching period.

Learning Resource

The texts and reading list for the unit can be found on the University Library via the link below: HSN719 Note: Select the relevant trimester reading list. Please note that a future teaching period's reading list may not be available until a month prior to the start of that teaching period so you may wish to use the relevant trimester's prior year reading list as a guide only.

Unit Fee Information

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Tuition fees increase at the beginning of each calendar year and all fees quoted are in Australian dollars ($AUD). Tuition fees do not include textbooks, computer equipment or software, other equipment or costs such as mandatory checks, travel and stationery.

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