Contemporary Nutrition and Public Health Challenges aims to equip Learners with the ability to understand and apply the principles of public health nutrition in relation to current nutrition and health challenges. Learners can recognise the social, economic, environmental and disease related factors that influence nutritional wellbeing and relate these to public health responses, policy and practice. Upon successful completion, Learners have an informed awareness of contemporary nutrition issues, including malnutrition, food insecurity, non-communicable diseases and HIV/AIDS and their relevance to health, wellbeing and professional practice within African and wider global contexts.
Introduction to Contemporary Nutrition and Public Health
- Meaning and scope of public health nutrition
- Relationship between nutrition, health and public health
- Burden of malnutrition in contemporary societies
- Double burden of malnutrition
- Nutrition as a public health concern in local, regional and global contexts
- Contemporary public health nutrition challenges in Africa
Determinants of Nutrition and Public Health
- Social determinants of health and nutrition
- Economic influences on food access and dietary patterns
- Cultural influences on food choice and health behaviour
- Environmental influences on nutrition and wellbeing
- Political and structural determinants of public health
- Inequality, poverty and vulnerability in nutrition outcomes
Malnutrition in All Its Forms
- Undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, overweight and obesity
- Causes and consequences of stunting, wasting and underweight
- Burden of vitamin and mineral deficiencies
- Changing dietary patterns and nutrition transition
- Diet related non-communicable diseases
- Interrelationship between different forms of malnutrition
Maternal, Infant and Child Nutrition
- Importance of nutrition across the life course
- Maternal nutrition and pregnancy outcomes
- Infant and young child feeding practices
- Breastfeeding and complementary feeding
- Child growth, development and nutritional risk
- Public health approaches to maternal and child nutrition in Africa
Adolescent, Adult and Older Age Nutrition
- Nutrition needs during adolescence
- Nutrition related issues in adulthood
- Ageing, nutritional vulnerability and health
- Gender dimensions of nutrition and health
- Life course approach to nutrition and disease prevention
Food Security and Nutrition
- Relationship between food security and nutritional wellbeing
- Dimensions of food security
- Household food insecurity and nutritional status
- Food availability, access, utilisation and stability
- Impact of rising food prices, conflict and displacement on nutrition
- Food insecurity challenges in African settings
Nutrition Transition and Urbanisation
- Changing food environments
- Urbanisation and dietary change
- Increasing consumption of processed foods
- Sedentary lifestyles and health consequences
- Emerging public health nutrition issues in African cities
- Implications of globalisation for diet and health
Communicable Diseases and Nutrition
- Relationship between infection and nutrition
- Effect of disease on nutritional status
- Role of nutrition in immunity and recovery
- Nutrition challenges associated with communicable diseases
- Public health significance of communicable disease and malnutrition interactions
Nutrition and HIV/AIDS
- Relationship between HIV/AIDS and nutritional status
- Nutritional consequences of HIV infection
- Impact of HIV/AIDS on appetite, nutrient intake, absorption and metabolism
- Food insecurity and vulnerability among people living with HIV/AIDS
- Nutrition support for people living with HIV/AIDS
- Role of nutrition in care, support and quality of life
- HIV/AIDS in social, household and community contexts
- Stigma, inequality and access to food, care and treatment
- Public health responses to HIV/AIDS in African contexts
Tuberculosis, Malaria and Other Infectious Diseases in Relation to Nutrition
- Interaction between tuberculosis and malnutrition
- Nutrition and malaria in affected populations
- Co-infection, illness burden and nutritional vulnerability
- Public health significance in African settings
- Integrated responses to disease and nutrition challenges
Non-communicable Diseases and Public Health Nutrition
- Diet related causes of non-communicable diseases
- Obesity, diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular disease
- Relationship between nutrition transition and chronic disease
- Prevention through dietary improvement and public health action
- Challenges of non-communicable disease in low and middle income contexts
Micronutrient Deficiencies and Public Health
- Public health significance of iron, vitamin A, iodine and zinc deficiencies
- Causes and consequences of micronutrient deficiencies
- High risk groups and vulnerable populations
- Prevention and control strategies
- Supplementation, fortification and dietary diversification
- Relevance in African nutrition programmes
Water, Sanitation, Hygiene and Nutrition
- Relationship between water, sanitation, hygiene and nutritional status
- Infection, diarrhoeal disease and malnutrition
- Environmental health and nutrition outcomes
- Community based public health measures
- Significance of WASH in African public health contexts
Climate Change, Agriculture and Nutrition
- Impact of climate change on food production and food systems
- Effects on dietary diversity and food security
- Environmental shocks and nutritional risk
- Sustainable agriculture and nutrition sensitive approaches
- Climate vulnerability in African communities
- Public health implications of environmental change
Public Health Policy and Nutrition Interventions
- Role of policy in addressing nutrition challenges
- Nutrition sensitive and nutrition specific interventions
- Community based nutrition programmes
- School feeding, supplementation and food fortification initiatives
- Role of governments, international organisations and civil society
- Challenges of policy implementation in African contexts
Health Promotion and Behaviour Change
- Public health education and nutrition awareness
- Behaviour change communication in nutrition
- Community engagement and participation
- Culturally appropriate approaches to health promotion
- Promoting healthier diets and lifestyles
- Challenges in changing behaviour in diverse settings
Monitoring, Surveillance and Nutritional Data
- Use of nutritional indicators in public health
- Nutrition surveillance and early warning systems
- Monitoring trends in malnutrition and disease
- Use of evidence in planning and evaluation
- Importance of data in addressing nutrition challenges
Equity, Ethics and Vulnerable Populations
- Nutrition and health inequalities
- Ethical issues in public health nutrition
- Rights based approaches to food and nutrition
- Needs of vulnerable and marginalised groups
- Gender, disability, displacement and social exclusion
- Justice and equity in public health responses
Contemporary Public Health Nutrition Responses in Africa
- Regional and local nutrition challenges in Africa
- Public health nutrition priorities in African countries
- Role of community, national and international action
- Integrated approaches to nutrition, disease prevention and wellbeing
- Examples of current and emerging responses to nutrition related public health challenges
Application of Contemporary Nutrition and Public Health Knowledge
- Critical understanding of contemporary nutrition challenges
- Application of public health principles to nutrition issues
- Use of evidence to inform interventions and policy
- Role of nutrition professionals in addressing public health challenges
- Contribution of public health nutrition to sustainable development and improved wellbeing
Example Candidate Response Booklet
Example Candidate Response (ECR) Booklets are a source of crucial information for Centres and Candidates as they use real candidate responses. We ask Senior Examiners to comment on five or more responses in terms of why the mark was awarded with commentary about how to improve the answer (if necessary).
