Biological Medicine: Dietary Nutrition and the Prevention of Chronic Diseases

Course 2: Biological Medicine: Dietary Nutrition and the Prevention of Chronic Diseases

I. Course Description

According to the Lancet report, in the past three decades, the disease spectrum and causes of death have changed a lot in most countries in the world. The mortality rate of chronic non-communicable diseases has increased significantly, and the main diseases affecting peoples health have changed from infectious diseases to non-communicable chronic diseases. In addition to population aging factors, poor lifestyle is an important factor leading to the continuous increase of non-communicable chronic diseases, among which dietary nutritional factors are particularly important. Reasonable nutrition can improve health, and improper nutrition or malnutrition can cause diseases, diseases caused by improper nutrition can be divided into two categories: one is a group of non-communicable chronic diseases caused by excessive nutrition; one is a group of nutritional deficiency diseases caused by insufficient nutrition. With the development of economic and nutritional science, the disease of nutrition deficiency was conquered scientifically in the first quarter of the 20th century; the focus on chronic diseases caused by excess nutrition.

This course leads students to learn the basic knowledge and principles of nutrition, explore the relationship between dietary structure, dietary sources and chronic diseases, learn how to use food to prevent and treat chronic diseases (food is medicine), and master how to carry out project research on nutrition. The course covers the nutritional composition of carbohydrates, lipids and proteins, energy management, and how food sources of nutrients affect the risk factors for major chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer.

II. Professor Introduction

Mary Flynn – Tentenured professor at Brown University

Professor Mary Flynn is a successful professional in the field of nutrition, with an extensive educational background and rich academic and clinical experience. She received her PhD in nutrition from the University of Rhode Island in 1994. Professor Flynn has been an associate professor of medicine at Brown University since 2012.

In addition, she has been a part-time Associate Professor of Ryan Neuroscience Studies at the University of Rhode Island since 2017. Acored for his excellence in teaching and public service, he received the 2005 Deans Excellence in Teaching, the 2007 Bank of America Local Hero Award (for volunteer work in the pantry), and the 2010 Public Service Award in 2010.

III. Syllabus

1. Overview of Nutrition and nutrition research
2. Carbohydrates; diabetes mellitus and carbohydrates
3. Lipid; lipoproteins, lipids and coronary heart disease
4. Protein; the effects of low-protein and high-protein dietary intake
5. Energy management; diet and body weight; the health effects of obesity
6. Diet and chronic diseases; risk factors
7. Micronutrients; essential vitamins and minerals
8. Nutritional supplements and their effects
9. Nutrient absorption and metabolism at the cellular level I
10. Nutrient uptake and metabolism at the cellular level II