NUTRITIONAL ASPECTS OF PREGNANCY, INFANCY & CHILDHOOD - 2020/1

Module code: BMSM006

Module Overview

A module summarising the state of the art and 'hot topics' in the field of nutritional management of pregnancy, infancy and childhood.

Module provider

School of Biosciences and Medicine

Module Leader

HART Kath (Biosc & Med)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 7

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Overall student workload

Independent Learning Hours: 125

Lecture Hours: 25

Module Availability

Semester 2

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

NA

Module content

Indicative content includes:

Some or all of the following topics

• Pre-conceptual nutrition and nutritional infertility
• Physiology and metabolic demands of pregnancy and lactation: body composition, weight gain, energy costs of pregnancy and lactation, managing maternal obesity
• Nutritional needs of pregnancy and lactation: essential fatty acids - effects of deficiency on development of brain and vision etc.; folic acid and neural tube defects; fat-soluble and water-soluble vitamins; calcium needs in relation to fetal growth and lactation; iron - effects of deficiency on mental and motor development etc., trace element nutrition; nutritional causes of low birth weight and reduced linear growth
• Nutritional aspects of pre-eclampsia
• Feeding the infant: nutrient requirements; human and substitute milks; weaning and weaning foods
• Childhood: nutritional needs for normal growth and development; assessment; the healthy diet; development of healthy eating habits, nutrition and school, obesity in children management of fussy eatinG

Assessment pattern

Assessment type Unit of assessment Weighting
Coursework Coursework assignments collectively comprising a maximum of 5000 words, which may include a compulsory element. 100

Alternative Assessment

NA

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide  students with the opportunity to demonstrate their subject knowledge and understanding (see above) and the development of their cognitive and transferable skills (see above) through the assimilation and appraisal of the literature to address the coursework questions.

Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:

• Coursework: a range of subject areas are assessed, demonstrating learning outcomes across the range for the module
• Students are required to submit electronically on a set deadline two months following the module.

Formative assessment and feedback


Students will receive feedback electronically in SurreyLearn and Module Organisers will be available for
further discussion if necessary.

Module aims

  • To examine the role of nutrition in optimal conception and pregnancy outcomes.
  • To investigate how the nutritional requirements of infants may be met by milk feeding (human & formula) and differing approaches to complementary feeding.
  • To explore the factors affecting children's food choices and eating behaviours and strategies for promoting healthy food choices across a variety of settings, including in schools.
  • To examine the role of nutrition in supporting optimal growth and development across childhood and into adult life, including the identification and management of ¿at risk' nutrients and ¿at risk¿ groups or individuals.

Learning outcomes

Attributes Developed
1 Describe the role of optimal nutritional status in successful conception, pregnancy and lactation including the roles for specific micronutrients and trace elements K
2 Discuss the recommended nutritional requirements of the full-term infant and how these may be met by human milk and currently available artificial milk formulae K
3 Relate the factors involved in the development of eating patterns and shaping of food choices to nutritionally ‘at risk' groups within the infant and child populations K
4 Critically evaluate the role of nutrition in fertility C
5 Critically examine theories of infant feeding and food preference development C
6 Evaluate available strategies for the prevention and treatment of maternal and childhood obesity C
7 Appraisal of strategies for promoting positive eating behaviours in the home and school settings T
8 Evaluate the impact of appropriate nutritional counselling strategies for pregnant, infant and child populations in own professional practice T

Attributes Developed

C - Cognitive/analytical

K - Subject knowledge

T - Transferable skills

P - Professional/Practical skills

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to be aligned with the descriptor for qualification at level 7 in the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications (FHEQ) produced by the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA)


The learning and teaching methods include:

• Pre-reading and critical appraisal of scientific publications and websites
• Lectures & seminars
• In class small group work
• In class discussions and debate

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: BMSM006

Other information

This module is only available to students on the Nutritional Medicine programme.

Programmes this module appears in

Programme Semester Classification Qualifying conditions
Nutritional Medicine MSc 2 Optional A weighted aggregate mark of 50% is required to pass the module

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2020/1 academic year.