Masters of Science - Nutrition and Behaviour

Good nutrition is fundamental to living a long, full and rewarding life. Nutrition-related ill-health is a major factor that contributes towards preventable disease including obesity and many of the non-communicable diseases on both a national and global scale: diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer. This is the first course of its kind in the UK to explore the role of behaviour in guiding diet and nutrition and the effects of diet and nutrition on shaping behaviour. It will provide a solid foundation in the physiology and biochemistry of nutrition, which is complemented by units focused on the role of nutrition in behaviour and cognition and the management of associated clinical conditions.

The course will improve the practical management skills of nutritionists and provide an important insight into contemporary developments in nutrition and behaviour for a range of healthcare professionals and graduates.

This Master’s encompasses the role of nutrition from preconception to old age and includes topics such as in-utero programming, infant feeding practices, the development of food likes and dislikes in children, food promotion, psychological factors contributing to the development of obesity including appetite and weight control, disordered eating behaviours, prevention of diet-related disease, and the role of diet in normal ageing and age-related conditions.

Students will also undertake a short placement in an environment of their choice; this could be the health care, community or the private sector.