Course Details

1. Define the principles of Dietetics, list all the essential food elements, including macronutrients and micronutrients, describe elements’ functions within the human body and define the components of a balanced diet especially for the Mediterranean Diet.
2. Identify nutritional deficiencies and explain the different nutritional needs of different age groups as well as those of vulnerable population groups.
3. Explain how to assess nutritional status of a patient and interpret the results of the assessment methods.
4. Relate common metabolic diseases to nutritional status. Identify the consequences of malnutrition either because of excessive nutrient intakes or undernourishment.
5. Develop skills and knowledge on general principles of diet therapy especially concerning enteral and parenteral feeding.
6. Evaluate results of diet therapy and monitor the efficacy of diet intervention.

·        Keyterms of nutrition: food, nutrients, digestion, absorption,transportation and excretion

·        Themajor nutrients: food sources, definition, their roles in thehuman body and consequences of deficiency

·        Macronutrients:proteins, carbohydrates, fat and water

·        Micronutrients:vitamins and minerals

·        Energycontribution: macronutrients and micronutrientscontribution to the total energy pool and their function as coenzymes or co-catalystsin metabolism’s paths

·        Mediterraneandiet: recommendations, characteristics and itsprotective effect against cancer and metabolic diseases.

·        Nutrition:nutrient requirements and techniques to avoid deficiencies through life circleand obtain optimal growth and/or maintain health, infancy, childhood,adolescence, adulthood, pregnancy, breastfeeding and elderly ages

·        Diet:common metabolic diseases associated with overabundant intake. Prevention anddiet therapy.

·        Diagnosticcriteria: marasmus, kwashiorkor and eating disorders i.e.anorexia nervosa. Etiology and prognosis.

·        Nutritionalassessment: tools and techniques, history, nutrient intakeanalysis, anthropometry, body composition, laboratory data, somatic indicatorsand physical signs of malnutrition.

·        Nutrition support: the delivery of formulated enteral orparenteral nutrients to appropriate patients for the purpose of maintaining orrestoring nutritional status. Algorithms and criteria for enteral route and forformula selection according to patient’s condition

• Antonis Zampelas. Clinical Dietetics and Nutrition. Athens: Paschalides Medical Publisher, 2007
• Mary Courtney Moore. Pocket Guide To Nutritional Care. Athens: Beta Medical Publisher, 2005 (Greek edition)

• Thalia Avraam, Despoina Avraam. Diet in Modern Society. Nicosia, 2009 (Independent editors)
• Sareen S. Gropper, Jack L. Smith, James L. Groff. Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism. Athens: Paschalides Medical Publisher, 2008.
• Antonis Zampelas.Nutrition in life stages. Athens: Paschalides Medical Publisher, 2003

The course is delivered to the students by means of lectures, conducted with the help of computer-based presentations. Lecture notes and presentations are available through the web and other electronic means for students to use in combination with the textbooks.