This module will critically appraise concepts and approaches of population health and nutrition to include health promotion, food and nutrition policy, health literacy and advocacy. Priority areas for public health and health promotion such as healthy eating and active living, healthy childhood programme and positive ageing programme with focus on but not limited to obesity, food security and food supply will be explored. Current frameworks and programmes to address nutrition issues will be discussed and critiqued. The foundations of public health policy will be evaluated and students will have the opportunity to develop skills in nutrition promotion strategies with project proposal development and planning, needs assessment of at risk community groups, project or strategy implementation report and resource writing and evaluation. This module will provide students with a knowledge foundation in preparation for their practice placement in primary care, community and public health settings.

Health promotion, education, literacy and advocacy theories; social determinants of health; behaviour change theory; programme management cycle (needs assessment, programme planning, implementation, evaluation and dissemination); effective nutrition education programmes and initiatives nationally and internationally; group counselling skills; community and public health settings for the delivery of nutrition programmes; communication strategies in the public health setting - dissemination of policies and nutrition related messages. This module will be run in Year 2 Semester 1 for the first 6weeks (week 1 to week 6) and will incorporate 30 hours of lectures, tutorials/workshops, online directed material and small group activities over the semester time.

1. Demonstrate knowledge of and critically analyse current public health nutrition priorities, strategies and initiatives at a national and international level and the policy frameworks supporting them. 2. Understand how social, environmental, economic and political influences may change the priority of public health nutrition initiatives or strategies. 3. Identify nutrition issues at the public health or primary health level and design nutrition interventions or strategies to prevent or treat same. 4. Apply knowledge of the determinants of public health for a nutrition intervention around a nutrition issue or priority for an at risk population group.

Be committed to best practice and life long learning

N/A

Lectures, Practicals and Workshops, Online materials