Programme: Nutrition and Disease

Why follow this programme?

Worldwide people are living increasingly longer. According to the World Health Organization, the average life expectancy worldwide is 71.4 years, based on data of 2015. For high-income countries, this is even higher at 80-87 years.

The number of people suffering from cancer, heart disease and diabetes is increasing. In this online programme, you will learn about the influence of nutrition on these diseases. We will discuss how our diet determines our health and how the need for healthy nutrition is greater than ever. You will learn what a healthy diet includes and how it affects overall health and disease. Through a multidisciplinary approach, you will also gain insights that allow you to determine the value of scientific research on nutrition and disease and how to make conscious choices.

Is this programme for you?

This programme is especially valuable for professionals from various fields related to nutrition, cancer, cardiovascular disease and/or diabetes (e.g. nutritionists, epidemiologists, health promoters, medicine students, physicians, health policy makers, nutrition educators, biologists, food scientists). The online courses are intended for those who need a refresher in the topic or are considering pursuing research in the field. You will acquire solid academic knowledge that will allow for better communication with patients, the public and other professionals. This programme is not intended for patients seeking treatment guidance.

What you'll learn

• Role of diet, nutrition and lifestyle in the prevention and progression of cancer, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes mellitus.
• Develop a critical mind-set in the research fields of nutrition and disease
• Determine what information has a solid scientific basis and what is misinformation
• Better weigh and interpret the information overload about nutrition and disease
• Understand recommendations for a healthy lifestyle based on the latest scientific evidence

Job prospects

• Career prospects for people with similar training include advanced career opportunities for health professionals, nutritionists, and epidemiologists in the fields of nutrition, health and disease.
• The demand for people with skills in nutrition is rising (15% job growth for next 10 years in the United States for nutritionist. (source: Bureau of Labor Statistics)
• Median pay for nutritionist in the United States in 2017 was $59,410 per year. (source: Bureau of Labor Statistics)
• More nutritionists will be needed to advise people who want to improve their health. (source: Occupational Outlook handbook)
• Employment of health educators is projected to grow 16% from 2016 to 2026. This is due to efforts to improve health outcomes and to reduce healthcare costs by teaching people about healthy behavior. (source: Occupational Outlook handbook)

Content of the Programme

This online programme consists of two MOOCs who can be taken in any desired order. Your time investment will be about 6-8 hours per week per online course, and the average length is 5 weeks per MOOC. Of course, you can study in your own time, at your own pace, so you can adjust the duration.

The MOOC 'Nutrition, Heart disease and diabetes' is currently unavailable due to being updated. A new start date will be available soon for you to enrol in!