BASICS OF NUTRITION EPIDEMIOLOGY AND ANTHROPOLOGY

Paper Code: 
DHSC 613(A)
Credits: 
4
Contact Hours: 
60.00
Max. Marks: 
100.00
Objective: 

 Course Objectives (COs):

This course will enable the students to –

  1. Gain an insight on basics of epidemiology
  2. Understand the basics of anthropology

 

Course Outcomes (COs):

 

Course outcomes

 

Learning and teaching strategies

Assessment

Strategies

 
 

The students will be able to -

 

CO282:Develop an understanding of the basics of nutritional epidemiology.

CO283:Compare various health indicators for women, children and adolescents, and find their relevance in calculating the prevalence of various diseases.

CO284:Examine various agencies conducting surveys in India and abroad and utilization rates of key indicators of vulnerable age-groups.

CO285:Question the relevance of anthropology and nutrition.

CO286:Assess various factors responsible for making food choices and the role of women in maintaining health.

Approach in teaching:

Interactive Lectures, Discussion, Tutorials, Reading assignments, Demonstration, Team teaching

 

Learning activities for the students:

Self-learning assignments, Case studies and fact sheets preparation, Effective questions, Simulation, Seminar presentation, Giving tasks, Making question banks.

Class test, Semester end examinations, Quiz, Assignments, Presentation, Individual and group projects.

 

 

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 Unitversity
References: 

 

  • Mother Care (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

 

E- RESOURCES

 

JOURNALS

  • Archives of Medicine and Health Sciences
  • Journal of Indian Association of Public Health Dentistry
  • Journal of Health Population and Nutrition
  • Nutrition and Dietary Supplements
Academic Year: