Syllabus
Master of Science in Applied Nutrition
APN 750 – Clinical Management of Overweight & Obesity – Spring 2020
Credits - 3
Description
The management and treatment of overweight and obesity are examined. Treatment approaches including medical, behavioral, and lifestyle management interventions are explored. Current practices will be critically reviewed and appropriate research methodology for proposing clinical or behavioral research will be examined. Clinical management of overweight and obesity across the population will be emphasized. Topics include specific treatment strategies in managing overweight, obesity, and related disease processes, implementing best-practices in clinical and counseling environments and appropriate and effective counseling modalities.
Materials
Learning Objectives and Outcomes
Program Objectives
- Develop and utilize nutrition concepts and best-practices for nutrition and health promotion initiatives.
- Apply core research principles to measure the nutrition status and environment of individuals and communities.
- Develop communications and collaboration strategies with representatives from government, non-profit, community, and business entities regarding nutrition initiatives.
- Interpret and modify explanations of complex nutrition concepts for various audiences.
- Research, develop and disseminate evidence-based and theory driven educational materials and work-products at an audience appropriate level for topics related to nutrition and health promotion.
Focus Level Objectives
- Define overweight and obesity in children and adults and explain key concepts relating to overweight and obesity to a variety of audiences.
- Describe the prevalence and trends in child/adult obesity.
- Develop materials to combat the impacts of overweight and obesity.
- Analyze and communicate the medical, psychosocial, and economic costs associated with obesity in children and adults to a variety of audiences.
- Compare obesity prevention and treatment approaches to evaluate their efficacy at the individual and community levels.
- Propose and communicate new approaches to combat the incidence of overweight and obesity for a variety of audiences based on analysis of existing policy and regulations.
Course Outcomes
- Describe the current prevalence of overweight and obesity among adults and children in the United States.
- Understand basic endocrinology and biological factors regulating energy intake and body weight.
- Recognize the multifactorial nature of the contributors to obesity and the challenges of treatment.
- Recognize current research evaluating the efficacy of leading popular diets and dietary approaches for weight management.
- Distinguish between the amount and type of physical activity recommended for general health benefits and for weight management.
- Apply evidence-based guidelines in assessing and managing overweight and obesity.
- Recognize emerging trends in the treatment of overweight and obesity.
- Distinguish between competent and disordered eating.
- Identify behavioral predictors of successful weight maintenance.
- Facilitate communication with clients utilizing techniques of motivational interviewing.
- Conduct a systematic review and determine a graded conclusion, using a process outlined by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Evidence Analysis Library.
Course Framing Questions
- Why is the prevention of obesity in children and adults such a critical issue?
- What are current evidence-based recommendations and strategies for the prevention, assessment, and treatment of adult and pediatric obesity?
Assignments
Lectures:
This course is lecture-based; please see each week’s module for required, supplemental and optional viewing as applicable.
Discussion Boards:
You will be required to participate in discussions. Initial posts are due on Sunday, and responses to the initial postings of at least two classmates are due by Tuesday. If the initial post and response posts are not submitted within the discussion week you will be given a zero. Posts submitted after the discussion week will not be graded.
Your success in the course relies on robust discussion, critical thinking, and peer-response. Weekly posts responding to prompts posed are meant to facilitate a deeper understanding of the broader themes of the course as well as enrich the readings, handouts, and lectures.
Quizzes and Final Reflection Exam
There are several quizzes in this course testing you on your understanding of concepts and terminology. In the last week of the course, you’ll take a Final Reflection Exam that will have you looking back over the semester and what you’ve learned.
Annotated Bibliography and Presentation
You will be placed into a group in which you will put together an annotated bibliography and a Powerpoint slideshow on a particular diet of your choice to research. You will then share the annotated bibliography and slideshow with the rest of the class and lead a week-long discussion.
Dietary / Physical Activity Record / Summary
Keep, and analyze your data from, a food and physical activity diary/log for one week.
EA Portfolio
Your key assessment for this course: You will follow the evidence analysis process to formulate a portfolio of research related to a specific dietary intervention for weight management.
EA Presentation
You will create a presentation on the EA portfolio and submit it to both your instructor and your peers.
Writing Statement
As professionals in the field, you will consistently be expected to clearly and concisely articulate advanced concepts for diverse audiences at a variety of educational levels.
Graduate students are expected to produce their best quality work, including screening their work prior to submission for clarity, grammatical, spelling, formatting and mechanical issues.
While there is often a portion of each assignment’s rubric dedicated specifically to grammar, spelling, mechanics, and formatting, it is critical to understand that failure to submit work that has been adequately proofed may result in a reduction of points in other areas of the rubric. These may include, but are not limited to metrics rating professionalism or content knowledge and synthesis; work submitted in graduate courses should provide evidence of strategic reading, writing, and academic speaking skills essential for success in the discipline.
Grading Policy
Your grade in this course will be determined by the following criteria:
Grade Breakdown
| Syllabus and Final Project Contract | 1 |
| Quizzes (4 points x 6 times) | 24 |
| Discussions (2 points x 8 times) | 16 |
| Dietary/Physical Activity Record/Summary | 5 |
| Annotated Bibliography and Presentation | 9 |
| EA Portfolio | 20 |
| EA Presentation | 10 |
| Final Reflection Exam | 10 |
| ePortfolio | 5 |
| Total | 100 |
Grade Scale
| Grade | Points Grade | Point Average (GPA) |
| A | 94 – 100% | 4.00 |
| A- | 90 – 93% | 3.75 |
| B+ | 87 – 89% | 3.50 |
| B | 84 – 86% | 3.00 |
| B- | 80 – 83% | 2.75 |
| C+ | 77 – 79% | 2.50 |
| C | 74 – 76% | 2.00 |
| C- | 70 – 73% | 1.75 |
| D | 64 – 69% | 1.00 |
| F | 00 – 63% | 0.00 |
Schedule
Course Dates
Module 1: 1/8 – 1/21 (Weeks 1 and 2)
Module 2: 1/22 – 2/4 (Weeks 3 and 4)
Module 3*: 2/5 – 2/25 (Weeks 5, 6, and 7)
Module 4: 2/26 – 3/10 (Weeks 8 and 9)
Module 5: 3/11 – 3/24 (Weeks 10 and 11)
Module 6: 3/25 – 4/7 (Weeks 12 and 13)
Module 7: 4/8 – 4/21 (Weeks 14 and 15)
Module 8: 4/22 – 4/26 (Week 16)
Module 1 – Weeks 1 through 2
Assignments
- Final Project Step 1 – Select a Topic for Evidence Review
- Module 1 Quiz
Discussions
- Introduction
- The Weight of the Nation
Module 2 – Weeks 3 through 4
Assignments
- Final Project Step 2 – Research Question
- Final Project Step 3 – Problem Statement
- Final Project Step 4 – Review Methodology
- Module 2 Quiz
Discussions
- SMART Objective
Module 3 – Weeks 5 through 7
Assignments
- Final Project Step 5 – Systemic Search of Peer-Reviewed Literature
- Module 3 Quiz
Discussions
- Group Annotated Bibliography and Powerpoint Presentation
- Weight-Focus to Health-Focus Paradigm
Module 4 – Weeks 8 through 9
Assignments
- Final Project Step 6 – Critically Analyze and Abstract Data from Each Included Article
- Dietary/Physical Activity Record/Summary
- Module 4 Quiz
Discussions
- Benefits of Regular Physical Activity
Module 5 – Weeks 10 through 11
Assignments
- Final Project Step 7 – Study Overview Table
- Final Project Step 8 – Summary and Conclusions
- Module 5 Quiz
Discussions
- Dietary Supplements
Module 6 – Weeks 12 through 13
Assignments
- Final Project Step 9 – EA Project Portfolio Submission
Discussions
- Opportunities for Preventing and/or Reversing Child and Adolescent Obesity
Module 7 – Weeks 14 through 15
Assignments
- Final Project Step 10 – EA Final Project Powerpoint Presentations
- Module 7 Quiz
Discussions
- Perspectives on what matters more for weight loss
Module 8 – Week 16
Assignments
- Final Reflection Exam
- ePortfolio
Discussions
- Share Powerpoint Presentations with Peers
Student Resources
Online Student Support
Your Student Support Specialist is a resource for you. Please don't hesitate to contact them for assistance, including, but not limited to course planning, current problems or issues in a course, technology concerns, or personal emergencies.
Questions? Visit the Student Support Applied Nutrition page
UNE Libraries:
- Library Access for all students: Your library login ID and password are the same as the ones you use to log into Blackboard/Brightspace.
- Applied Nutrition Database
- Library Tutorial: Find an article
- Library Questions: Ask a librarian or phone library staff at (207) 602-2361 or (207) 221-4330.
UNE Student Academic Success Center
The Student Academic Success Center (SASC) offers a range of services to support your academic achievement, including tutoring, writing support, test prep and studying strategies, learning style consultations, and many online resources. To make an appointment for tutoring, writing support, or a learning specialist consultation, go to une.tutortrac.com. To access our online resources, including links, guides, and video tutorials, please visit:
Information Technology Services (ITS)
- ITS Contact: Toll Free Help Desk 24 hours/7 days per week at 1-877-518-4673
Accommodations
Any student who would like to request, or ask any questions regarding, academic adjustments or accommodations must contact the Student Access Center at (207) 221-4438 or pcstudentaccess@une.edu. Student Access Center staff will evaluate the student's documentation and determine eligibility of accommodation(s) through the Student Access Center registration procedure.
Policies
AMA Writing Style Statement
In keeping with the requirements of the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, the American Medical Association (AMA) Manual of Style, 11th edition is the required writing format for this course and is available at both UNE libraries under the title "AMA Manual." Additional support for academic writing and AMA format is provided throughout the coursework as well as at the UNE Portal for Online Students.
Online resources: AMA Style Guide
Turnitin Originality Check and Plagiarism Detection Tool
The College of Professional Studies uses Turnitin to help deter plagiarism and to foster the proper attribution of sources. Turnitin provides comparative reports for submitted assignments that reflect similarities in other written works. This can include, but is not limited to, previously submitted assignments, internet articles, research journals, and academic databases.
Make sure to cite your sources appropriately as well as use your own words in synthesizing information from published literature. Webinars and workshops, included early in your coursework, will help guide best practices in AMA citation and academic writing.
You can learn more about Turnitin in the Turnitin Student quick start guide.
Technology Requirements
Please review the technical requirements for UNE Online Graduate Programs: Technical Requirements
Course Evaluation Policy
Course surveys are one of the most important tools that University of New England uses for evaluating the quality of your education, and for providing meaningful feedback to instructors on their teaching. In order to assure that the feedback is both comprehensive and precise, we need to receive it from each student for each course. Evaluation access is distributed via UNE email at the beginning of the last week of the course.
Attendance Policy
Online students are required to submit a graded assignment/discussion prior to Sunday evening at 11:59 pm ET of the first week of the term. If a student does not submit a posting to the graded assignment/discussion prior to Sunday evening at 11:59 pm ET, the student will be automatically dropped from the course for non-participation. Review the full attendance policy.
Late Policy
Assignments: Late assignments will be accepted up to 3 days late; however, there is a 10% grade reduction (from the total points) for the late submission. After three days the assignment will not be accepted.
Discussion posts: If the initial post is submitted late, but still within the discussion board week, there will be a 10% grade reduction from the total discussion grade (e.g., a 3 point discussion will be reduced by 0.3 points). Any posts submitted after the end of the Discussion Board week will not be graded.
Please make every effort ahead of time to contact your instructor and your student support specialist if you are not able to meet an assignment deadline. Arrangements for extenuating circumstances may be considered by faculty.
Student Handbook Online - Policies and Procedures
The policies contained within this document apply to all students in the College of Graduate and Professional Studies. It is each student's responsibility to know the contents of this handbook.
UNE Course Withdrawal
Please contact your student support specialist if you are considering dropping or withdrawing from a course. The last day to drop for 100% tuition refund is the 2nd day of the course. Financial Aid charges may still apply. Students using Financial Aid should contact the Financial Aid Office prior to withdrawing from a course.
Academic Integrity
The University of New England values academic integrity in all aspects of the educational experience. Academic dishonesty in any form undermines this standard and devalues the original contributions of others. It is the responsibility of all members of the University community to actively uphold the integrity of the academy; failure to act, for any reason, is not acceptable. For information about plagiarism and academic misconduct, please visit UNE Plagiarism Policies.
Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to the following:
- Cheating, copying, or the offering or receiving of unauthorized assistance or information.
- Fabrication or falsification of data, results, or sources for papers or reports.
- Action which destroys or alters the work of another student.
- Multiple submissions of the same paper or report for assignments in more than one course without permission of each instructor.
- Plagiarism, the appropriation of records, research, materials, ideas, or the language of other persons or writers and the submission of them as one's own.
Charges of academic dishonesty will be reviewed by the Program Director. Penalties for students found responsible for violations may depend upon the seriousness and circumstances of the violation, the degree of premeditation involved, and/or the student’s previous record of violations. Appeal of a decision may be made to the Dean whose decision will be final. Student appeals will take place through the grievance process outlined in the student handbook.