Develop an understanding of modern day
causes of obesity and recognise its significance to health!

                         

Obesity is one of the leading preventable causes of death worldwide, and the high and increasing rates of obesity among children and adults are viewed by authorities as one of the most serious public health problems of the 21^st century.

Degenerative diseases are directly and indirectly linked with obesity, as well as mental and emotional health problems. In most westernised cultures, obesity is negatively stigmatised and people who are obese may suffer from harmful social exclusion, discrimination and victimisation. Sadly, social, medical and personal problems, which are all issues relating or leading to obesity in many people, are often ignored.

Weight is affected by a number of factors, such as exercise, nutrition and psychology. This course lays a foundation for understanding weight control, particularly with respect to eating habits. For students who work in the fields of health or fitness, this course will  improve their understanding and capacity to help clients, while others wish to understand and reduce their own weight.

This is a course for: 

• life coaches and fitness leaders
• those working in nutrition or health support, needing to develop this knowledge
• individuals seeking to better manage their own weight or that of their family

AIMS OF THIS COURSE

At the completion of this course you should be able to explain all aspects of how nutrition affects weight loss. It is an ideal course for people working with children in the childcare industry. It is also a good course for mothers wanting to understand their children’s nutritional needs and learn to cope with them or for self-enhancement.

COURSE STRUCTURE

There are nine (9) lessons in this course, as follows:

LESSON 1: UNDERSTANDING OBESITY

What is obesity, types of obesity, hyperplasia or hypertrophy of fats cells, dietary trends and the incidence of obesity, physiological, environmental and behavioural factors that determine food intake, causes of obesity (genetics, lifestyle, exercise, eating habits, water intake, changing metabolism through ageing, medical conditions and diseases, psychology), health risks of obesity, understanding weight, body composition, evaluation techniques, Body Mass Index (BMI).

LESSON 2: NUTRITION BASICS

Why we need food, Nutrient Reference Value (NRV), digestion and absorption, how we process food, roles of major digestive organs, food composition (carbohydrates, proteins, fats, etc.), fibre, fluids, the Glycaemic Index (GI), calculating energy requirements, basal metabolic rate, Recommended Daily Intake (RDI), the recommended intake of nutrients, new food pyramid, normal eating patterns, childhood obesity.

LESSON 3: DIETS – FADS, FICTION AND FACT

Popular approaches to weight loss and control, vegetarian diets, starvation, low-calorie and liquid diets, commercial low-calorie meal substitutes, blood-type diet, food combining, detox diets, low-carbohydrate diets, low-Glycaemic Index (GI) diet, sweeteners, low-fat diets, fat substitutes, fat-burning diets, supplements, guidelines for childhood weight loss.

LESSON 4: PREVENTING OBESITY

Introduction, metabolism, keeping the metabolic rate stable, making the best food choices, nutritional education, teaching healthy eating habits to children, health initiatives targeting obesity, public health information and legislative controls.

LESSON 5: TREATING OBESITY

Methods that work, assessment of clients, modifying behaviour, prescribing diets, life coaching and personal training, weight-loss hypnosis, self-help groups, health clubs, health farms and holiday retreats, a holistic approach, supplements.

LESSON 6: MODIFYING EATING BEHAVIOUR

Key stages in behaviour changes, cultural food patterns, how to make lifelong changes, assess current diet (patterns and nutritional value), plan for change, seek motivation and support from others, improving health through food, diseases linked to obesity, changing unhealthy habits.

LESSON 7: RESTRICTING CALORIE INTAKE

Understanding energy and metabolism, age and metabolism, activity and metabolism, calorie-restricted diets.

LESSON 8: MEDICAL CONDITIONS: HORMONES, DRUGS, EATING DISORDERS

Nutrition during disease, childhood diabetes, link between medication and diet, drugs and hormones prescribed for weight management, diet pills, thyroid hormone, somatropin (growth hormone), weight-loss surgery, liposuction, abdominoplasty (tummy tuck), anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa.

LESSON 9: PLANNING A DIET

A major problem-based learning project.

COURSE DURATION: Approx 100 hours

This course is also available by CD-ROM – click here for more details.

EXPERT TUITION

Even though you are studying at a time and place convenient for you, you still benefit from expert guidance and tuition. Your tutor for this course is experienced in this field and will provide valuable feedback on each assignment you submit.

COURSE WRITTEN BY EXPERTS

All courses offered on the Lifestyle Learning Direct website have been written by industry experts and are regularly updated to ensure the information is accurate and relevant.

EASY-TO-UNDERSTAND LESSONS

Don’t worry if you have never studied before; all your lessons are set out in easy-to-understand language, taking you step by step through your course. If you need additional assistance, simply contact Student Services and help will never be far away.

STUDYING ONLINE IS SIMPLE

With online training you have the advantage of being able to study anywhere that you have access to a computer and the Internet. All your lessons are available on our website for you to view as you need them, or you can save them to your computer and print them so you can take them with you wherever you go.

At the end of each lesson is an online quiz so you can test your knowledge straight away. Once you are comfortable that you understand everything contained in the lesson, simply complete your assignment and upload it to the website for your tutor to mark. Once your tutor has marked your assignment you will receive an email notifying you it is ready for collection.