Public Health Nutrition

Public health nutrition is an interdisciplinary field focused on promoting health and reducing disease risk by improving the nutritional status of populations. The goal of this seminar is to introduce the basic principles of public health nutrition with a focus on the United States. Students will gain an understanding of the science behind government-issued dietary recommendations and learn about methods of dietary assessment, determinants of food intake and nutritional status, and individual-level and environmental-level interventions to improve diet. The course will emphasize the ways in which environmental factors and public policy can influence the nutritional status of diverse population groups. Through discussions and debates, students will explore and critically discuss current public health nutrition controversies, such as taxation of less healthful foods, nutrition restrictions on food stamp purchases, federal agricultural policy, and school food policy among other contested topics.