Nutritional Status & Health Issues Assignment

Learning outcomes - Apply an in-depth knowledge and critical awareness of nutritional status measurement and assessment techniques.

Instruction to students: Students will write a 1500 word critical evaluation piece on one of following body composition assessment methods:

1. Bioelectrical impedance (BIA)

OR

2. BodPod

And critically compare the chosen method with routine anthropometric measures of height, weight [BMI], waist circumference, waist-to-hipratio.

Assessment Objective/Rationale:

The purpose of this assessment is for students to familiarise themselves with body composition methods and to understand the strengths and limitations of these. In addition, students should be able to recognise the use and value of the assessment method in clinical and research settings.                                                                                                                            

Furthermore, this assessment will help to prepare students for the second assignment providing constructive feedback on areas to improve.

Assessment Task:

Students will write a 1500 word critical evaluation piece with support of previous research and discuss and compare the strength and limitations of the selected method. Relevant and up to date journal references are required to be included.

The assessment should include a clear description of one of the methods, evaluation of purpose and uses, descriptions of use in different population groups and its use in different settings.

The following is a suggested structure for the assessment.

- Introduction: include a very brief introduction of the contents of the assessment and introduce the assessment methods (i.e. chosen method & routine anthropometric measures).

- Evaluate: describe, in detail, the chosen assessment method (i.e. BIA or BodPod), including description of its uses, purpose, validity and reliability. This section should also include a comparison and discussion of the strengths and limitations of the methods (i.e. BIA or BodPod) with routine anthropometric measures

- Conclusion: include a brief conclusion of the ideas presented in the critical evaluation.