Class: LM-61 - Nutrition

Duration: 2 years

Branch: Legnaro

Language: English

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Il corso in breve

Characteristics and objectives
The degree programme in Food and Health, which is based on the 'from food harvest to global health' paradigm (European Commission, 2020), provides advanced training in the field of food and health, from an environmental sustainability perspective. More specifically, the programme intends to train professionals to address the complexities and issues concerning the relations between food, nutrition and health, within an international context.
The educational project includes a training programme that evolves from the analysis of the environmental footprint of harvest and post-harvest of food products and continues with economic and analysis aspects of the agri-food market, the issues concerning food safety, the aspects related to human nutrition, the mechanisms of metabolic regulation and the interaction between organism and food, dealing with physiology and food-related diseases too.
The degree programme, which has a strong multidisciplinary approach, aims at interconnecting the specific disciplines offered within this field, while providing different, yet complementary and integrated, knowledge, following a sequential path. To meet these objectives it is necessary to adopt an integrated, systematic and multi-disciplinary teaching approach, one with an international perspective and therefore taught in English.
In addition to providing sound theoretical knowledge, the programme also includes intensive laboratory activities and field work, taking advantage of a dynamic and interactive environment, one fully embedded in the network of bodies and institutions, both national and international, involved in understanding the relationship between food and human health and the safeguarding of human health in general. The fact that there is a well established network of partnerships allows students to spend periods of time in companies and institutions (e.g. WHO, IFAD, Barilla Center for Food and Nutrition, Parmigiano Reggiano, Cereal Docks) or study abroad (e.g. at the University of Sydney, with whom a joint teaching course - Industry Community Project - is in place and a double-degree programme will soon be offered). The educational approach, based on problem-solving, aims at verifying knowledge acquired through practical and operational activities.

Occupational opportunities
The programme intends to train a new professional who can understand the problems in the field of agri-food, nutrition and human health, thus assuming the trait-d'union role between the various fields. This programme trains professional, highly-qualified experts with interdisciplinary knowledge in agri-food, biology and medicine aimed at defining better and healthier human food and nutrition habits.
The professional profile of Food and Health graduates may undertake roles of responsibility both in the public-institutional sector and the private sector. Employment opportunities may vary, including: production, processing and trading of agri-food products and goods, food industry, public and private catering, health sector in the nutrition and dietary field, public health and prevention, public and private research.
Graduates of the programme may be employed by agri-food industries, catering companies and pharmaceutical and large-scale industries. The graduate's competencies within these areas of operation may concern the planning, analysis, assessment and promotion of food products and their nutritional impact; management of food labelling and nutritional and health information; development of certification systems; analysis of consumers' preferences and choices with regard to diets and food habits;
They may provide public and private counselling activities, training, education and dissemination activities on food quality, sustainability and safety to encourage the adoption of correct food habits and prevent and/or treat diseases.
Within the public and private health sector they may be involved in the planning and management of health plans for developing and maintaining wellbeing and health, and nutritional assessment and surveillance programmes.
Graduates may be employed by public and/or private research organizations to plan, manage and develop agri-food, medical and nutritional research activities. They may also be professionally engaged in local, regional, government and non-government institutional bodies, within agri-food programmes for the development and maintenance of wellbeing and health, and the prevention of food-related diseases.

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President of the Course of Study: MARA THIENE

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