NUTRITION IN DIABETES AND CLINICAL DISEASES - 2025/6

Module Overview

This module is designed to be clinically orientated with a practical focus. It will lead to an understanding of the aetiology, consequences and treatment nutritional approaches for patients with diabetes and clinical diseases such as eating disorders and renal disease. The module will also cover the assessment and management of patients with malnutrition, including various aspects of nutritional support.

Module provider

School of Biosciences

Module Leader

WHYTE Martin (Biosciences)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 7

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

Module Availability

Semester 1

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

N/A

Module content

Indicative content includes some or all of the following topics Diabetes ¿ Classification, main features, increasing prevalence, theories in relation to refined carbohydrates ¿ Mechanisms of blood sugar control and insulin action: carbohydrate and fat metabolism ¿ Aetiology: Type I, insulin secretion, b-cell dysfunction; Type II, defective insulin secretion insulin, effect of fetal nutrition, link with obesity; factors affecting insulin sensitivity - genetic, nutritional, environmental, pharmacological ¿ Clinical consequences of hyperglycaemia ¿ Dietary management of type 2 diabetes: balancing the diet; dietary management with insulin therapy; non-starch polysaccharides; eating patterns; physical activity; weight reduction and very low-calorie diets; nutritional supplementation to enhance glucose control and minimise tissue damage, potential liabilities of nutritional supplementation ¿ Treatment of type 2 diabetes with pharmacological agents: drug-nutrient interactions ¿ Discussion and consideration of stigmatising language in diabetes Clinical diseases ¿ Eating disorders (e.g. Anorexia nervosa and bulimia): incidence, metabolic and pathological consequences, nutritional and psychological factors in aetiology, treatment. Consideration of the co-morbidity with type 1 diabetes. ¿ Renal and liver disease: incidence, aeitology, pathological consequences, nutritional management. ¿ Cancer: incidence, prevalence, mortality, dietary risk factors ¿ Nutritional management of malnutrition: nutrition support (including enteral and parenteral nutrition), nutrition assessment and malnutrition screening (including refeeding syndrome risk), nutritional requirements, micronutrients and nutrition support; general principles of nutritional support (including oral, enteral nutrition, parenteral nutrition) and ethical considerations

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

None

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate: ¿ their knowledge ¿ the application of knowledge in practical settings ¿ critical thinking ¿ use of the evidence base through use of appropriate literature The summative assessment for this module consists of ¿ Coursework: a range of subject areas will be assessed, demonstrating learning outcomes across the module. The coursework questions cover a variety of approaches to test skills and knowledge and to allow students to develop areas including essay writing, data analysis, written communication skills, and practical application of knowledge Addresses learning outcomes 1-7 Formative assessment: ¿ There are opportunities throughout the module for formative feedback, including during the module dinner Feedback ¿ The module organiser will be available for further discussion as necessary ¿ A Discussion Board will be available in SurreyLearn during and after the module. ¿ Students will receive written feedback on their summative assessments

Module aims

• To review the role of nutritional factors in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance and diabetes
• To evaluate critically the role of medical and surgical therapy for the treatment of diabetes
• To be aware of the approaches to managing eating disorders in those with and without diabetes
• To consider the role of nutrition in clinical diseases (e.g. renal and liver disease)
• To give participants an understanding of the way malnutrition and disease influence body composition, metabolism and function, and nutritional demands
• To review critically, the methods of nutritional assessment and nutrition support

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to: ¿ be aligned with the grade descriptor for qualification at level 7 in the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications (FHEQ) produced by the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) ¿ use group work to continue to build students¿ confidence in the critical evaluation of the scientific literature. Develop skills in presentation which will be useful in BMSM013. ¿ allow students to develop bonds with their peers and staff in order to foster a good team spirit which will be beneficial for this and future modules. ¿ engage students with different professional backgrounds to maximise their learning by drawing on their own expertise and experiences to contribute to class discussions. The learning and teaching methods include: ¿ Lectures ¿ Class discussions based on lectures, ¿ critical evaluation of topical journal articles (group work), ¿ case studies and ¿ a bespoke evening meal, designed to consolidate learning during the module.

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: BMSM042

Other information

Can be taken as a stand¿alone module. Addressing components of the 5 pillars: Digital Capabilities: Students on the programme have a wide range of digital capabilities, due to the varying nature of their professions and prior experience. Group work whereby students prepare presentations in a short space of time develops the skills and confidence required for the effective dissemination of science. As in other modules, students are encouraged to work together in groups, utilising collaborative tools (Whatsapp, Teams, Zoom) to communicate. These are key skills that are increasingly important to the modern nutritionist, working in a variety of settings and teams. Sustainability: guidelines for recommending particular foods and sources of nutrition support can create issues for sustainability of natural resources, this is given consideration during the module. Resourcefulness and resilience: students on the module will be at various stages in their journey; it could be their second taught module out of nine, or it could be their ninth. Students at the earlier stages discuss strategies with those in the later stages, to plan workloads which must often be fitted into a busy working life. This is encouraged during coffee and meal breaks. Meals are taken at round tables to encourage discussion and the ¿coffee queue¿ encourages introductions and small steps to developing a network of support in the module and overall programme. Employability: This module has a strong tilt towards the practicalities of managing diabetes and clinical diseases. This will be especially useful and advantageous for future employability in this sector.

Programmes this module appears in

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 2025/6 academic year.