BASICS OF NUTRITION EPIDEMIOLOGY AND ANTHROPOLOGY

Paper Code: 
DHSC 613 (A)
Credits: 
04
Contact Hours: 
60.00
Max. Marks: 
100.00
Objective: 

This course will enable students to:

  • Gain a insight on basics of epidemiology
  • To understand the basics of anthropology
12.00
Unit I: 
Epidemiology in Nutrition
  • Definition and scope of epidemiology , Health and Nutritional epidemiology
  • Determinants of MCH & indicators commonly used to track maternal/ child health &
  • nutrition
  • Definitions of commonly used epidemiological indicators like Crude death rate, IMR, U5
  • MR, Birth rate, Fertility rate, , Maternal mortality rate/ratio etc..
  • Disease frequency, causes and prevention - population at risk, Incidence and its
  • comparison.
  • Epidemiological Methods and Types
    • Observational, Experimental, and Potential errors.
    • Case fatality, Mortality.
12.00
Unit II: 
Epidemiology of Major public Health and Nutrition Problems in India
  • Status of maternal & child nutrition/health as per latest surveys
  • Prevalence and utilization rates of key indicators/interventions for women, children,
  • adolescence: globally and in India;
  • Studying the progress of key indicators of vulnerable age groups based on disaggregated
  • data rural vs urban, male vs female, SC, ST, OBC and Wealth quintiles. (NNMB, SRS,
  • DLHS,CES, MICS,NFHS I, II and III data) and calculating per annum progress/deterioration.
  • Vital statistics and Causes of IMR, NMR, MMR, Under 5 Mortality rates & its relationship with nutrition.
  • Emergence of evidence based interventions for improving Maternal and Child Health and
  • Nutrition from global and National epidemiological data base.
12.00
Unit III: 
Epidemiology of Major Micronutrient deficiencies
  • Status of micronutrient deficiencies in mothers and children as per latest surveys
  • Prevalence and utilization rates of key indicators/interventions to improve micronutrient
  • deficiencies for women, children, adolescence: globally and in India;
  • Studying the progress of key indicators of vulnerable age groups based on disaggregated
  • data rural vs urban, male vs female, SC, ST, OBC and Wealth quintiles. (NNMB, SRS,DLHS,CES, MICS,NFHS I, II and III data) and calculating per annum progress/deterioration. Vital statistics and Causes of IMR, NMR, MMR, Under 5 Mortality rates & its relationship with nutrition.Emergence of evidence based interventions for improving Maternal and Child Health and Nutrition from global and National epidemiological data base.
12.00
Unit IV: 
Introduction of Anthropology and Its Relevance to Nutrition
  • Definition and Application of the Discipline of Anthropology as applied to:
    • Health and Disease
    • Nutrition and Nutritional status
  • Historical development of Nutritional Anthropology: Evolution from a biomedical to a socio
  • cultural view of nutrition.
  • Emic vs Etic Perspective.
  • Factors Affecting Food choices and household level practices
    • Ecological and Geographical
    • Poverty, economic status
    • Socio cultural; education, ethnic and religious factors.
    • Sensory Qualities of Foods and culture
    • Girl child and women
    • Intra Household Distribution of Food
12.00
Unit V: 
Cultural Interpretation of Malnutrition and Rural Urban differences
  • Community beliefs about cause prevention and treatment of under nutrition and micro
  • nutrient deficiencies (PEM,IDA, VAD, IDD ) in children and women in developed and
  • developing countries.
  • Ethno-physiology: cultural perceptions of body physiology in different stages of the life
  • cycle (child, adolescent, adult) and its impact on home level nutrition and health care.
  • Comparing rural vs urban differences as regards :
    • Time and activity patterns; workload of men and women and its impact on food intake
  • and nutritional status (especially vulnerable groups)
    • Health care seeking behaviors – treatment of illness.
    • Complementary feeding and breast feeding practices; family support.
    • Seasonal variations in malnutrition and morbidity.
Essential Readings: 

Basic Epidemilogy, R Bonita, R Beaglehole, T Kjellström, 2nd Edition , WHO, 2006

http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2006/9241547073_eng.pdf

Moon G, Gould M (2000). Epidemiology: An Introduction. Philadelphia, Open

University Press.

Lillian Langseth (1996). Nutritional Epidemiology: Possibilities and Limitations.

Washington DC, ILSI Press.

Pelto GH, Pelto RJ and Masser E (1989). Research Methods in Nutritional Anthropology,

Tokyo, Japan: The United Nations University

MotherCare (1990). Behavioural Determinants of Maternal Health Care Choices in

Developing Countries, Mother Care, USA.

Koblinsky M (1993). The Health of Women : A Global Perspective. (1993) NCIH,

Washington, DC, USA.

Lawrence, M. (2008).Public Health Nutrition

Lal S. (2009). Textbook of Community Medicine. CBS Publication

 

Academic Year: 
2017-2018
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