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Wageningen University

Nutrition, Heart Disease and Diabetes

Wageningen University via edX

Overview

Learn about the role of nutrition in relation to diseases of the circulatory system and diabetes, which are major causes of death worldwide. You'll learn about the etiology of heart attacks, type 2 diabetes, stroke, other forms of cardiovascular diseases and how often these occur worldwide. You will learn about biological modifiable risk factors, such as blood pressure, blood cholesterol and obesity, and how they impact these diseases in a different way. After completing this course you will also have gained adeeper insight in underlying pathophysiological mechanisms, such as insulin resistance, and the role of (epi)genetic factors.

Dieticians and doctors often get questions from their patients on what they can do to improve their health. In this course,part of the Professional Certificate Program Nutrition and Disease, you will learn about the interaction between nutrients, diets and cardiometabolic disease (heart disease and diabetes).

For whom?

The MOOC Nutrition and Disease: Nutrition, Heart Disease and Diabetes is especially valuable for professionals (in training) from various disciplines related to nutrition and health, e.g. nutritionists, epidemiologists, public health workers, physicians, health care professionals, health policy makers, nutrition educators, biologists, and food scientists.

This course, is part of theNutrition and Disease Professional Certificate Program of Wageningen University & Research. Did you already complete Nutrition and Cancer? That is the other course in this Professional Certificate Program.

Syllabus

Module 1 – Cardiometabolic Disease Risk
In this module you will be introduced to the different types of cardiometabolic diseases, including cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Furthermore both biological and environmental risk factors for these diseases such as age, blood pressure and physical exercise will be presented.

Module 2 – Role of diet – Prevention of Cardiometabolic Disease
The role of macronutrient and food intake in relation to cardiometabolic disease prevention will be presented in this module. You will gain knowledge about the importance and development of dietary guidelines for the prevention of disease.

Module 3 – Pathophysiology of Cardiometabolic Disease
Learn about the pathophysiology and processes that contribute to the development of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Amongst others, insulin resistance, adipose tissue, inflammation, blood lipids and ischemia and reperfusion injury will be discussed.

Module 4 – Molecular Aspects
In this module you will learn about genetic and epigenetic practices in relation to nutrition and cardiometabolic diseases including EWAS, GWAS, diet-gene interactions, DNA methylation and Mendelian Randomisation.

Module 5 – Nutritional Strategies to Reduce Cardiometabolic Diseases
This final module describes some directions for reducing the burden of cardiometabolic diseases. Several dietary patterns, the focus of future scientific research and actions of different stakeholders are discussed.

Taught by

Marianne Geleijnse and Leanne Küpers

Reviews

4.7 rating, based on 430 Class Central reviews

4.7 rating at edX based on 10 ratings

Start your review of Nutrition, Heart Disease and Diabetes

  • welcome

    This course was one of the most wonderful courses I have studied in the recent period, and in all honesty, I benefited a lot from all the information that was presented in the course, and its effect began quickly, as I started to change my lifestyle and advised many patients who visit my pharmacy, and I try to convince them of a lot One of the things in their diet that has an impact on their health, especially heart disease and diabetes.
    I was very happy to join you.

    Thank you so much.
  • I have a bachelor's degree from an American university in a health science field. I learned a great deal in this information dense course that included a nice balance of scientific data and practical application with clear presentation.
  • Profile image for Hans Reetoo
    Hans Reetoo
    I seldom give a 5-star rating to any course because I always believe that the course could have put an extra effort into the content, structure, layout, course assessments, and the learner support platform. The course on Nutrition, Heart Disease, an…
  • Very informative course, with clear explanation on mechanism on cardiovascular diseases and diabetes mellitus. Also very inspiring/ motivating to choose healthier diet & lifestyle
  • Anonymous
    From the title of the course, it appears that this course should be focusing on nutritional therapy for cardiometabolic diseases. However, the course didn't really focus on that and largely focused on the pathophysiology, genetics and epigenetics. I…
  • Anonymous
    My objective for taking this course, as a functional health researcher, was to broaden my knowledge in the area of cardiometabolic diseases, as well as to learn about potential non-pharmacological solutions and cures. The course covers a broad topi…
  • Anonymous
    A lot of the information in the course is excellent and evidence based, especially regarding pathophysiology and discussions of risks. However, I found some of the topics in the last module of the course more subjective. And even they had to admit that some of the dietary recommendations they are making are only sustainable in some populations.
    Overall a worthwhile course that expanded my knowledge of cardiometabolic diseases.

    Please NOTE: I only audited the course and did not participate in the sections only available for "Verified" participants.
  • practical insights .diagnostic and preventiv method s.course content is excellent and elaborate /easy to understand and apply
  • i have alredy started to practice healthy eatin habits and invoving friends and family

    lots of thanks to classcentral

  • Anonymous
    This course was really complete for me, the explications and material for understand the difference topics was good and easy to learn.

    I would have liked more emphasis in nutrition of cardiometabolic diseases, or at least more information about differents types of diet patterns, like ketogenic diet, intermittent fasting, and others, about go deeper into these types of eating patterns.

    however, i really enjoyed this course! Thanks for all.
  • Anonymous
    Hello All. This course has definitely exposed me to the; history, current events and the potential future of nutrition. Especially in relation to non-communicable diseases. Already, nutrition can be a complex and highly polarizing area of study.…
  • Anonymous
    thank you for this course. it's really helpful to motivate me to change my diet and exercise. your MOOC also give me basic understanding regarding the food choice and their impact on my body.
    It's a great MOOC for educating the general public related to nutrition and cardiometabolic health.
  • Anna
    Opting for the verified track ,I have learnt and understood different aspects of nutrition and its link to the diseases.

    The instructors were very clear and concise in delivering information.

    Taking active part in the exercises and assignments,it made the course interesting and informative.
  • Anonymous
    I enjoyed taking this course. I want to have all the info I can get to have the best quality of life I can achieve. I also like it because I can tell other people that may benefit from it. It is primordial to have a list of suggested readings if one would like to pursue more details in the available study reports that were done professionally.
  • Anonymous
    The information and materials are easy to follow and understand.
    A good reminder of lifestyle choices we all should make to play an active role to contribute to a healthier society.
  • Anonymous
    The information given is certainly interesting and goes very much into depth. For myself, I had hoped to find out more about what role vitamins, minerals and other supplements play and whether or not we should integrate them into our diet. Personal…
  • Anonymous
    I signed up this course looking for answers to my questions on how to prevent and deal with heart diseases and diabetes. I did not expect to find straight answers because I have learned that our bodies are complex organs. I particularly like the emphasis on genetics as it does address the fact that the same health guidelines and treatment can't resolve problems for the whole population as some of us have different genes, and also that our lifestyle preference and environment can influence the genetic behavior ("expressions"). Overall, I am glad that I am taking this course for I did learn many useful things that I can apply to take care of my own health.
  • Anonymous
    I very much enjoyed this MOOC! It helped me get a much better understanding of the role and importance of nutrition in disease (prevention).
  • Anonymous
    Very informative and insightful.The course is very helpful for me and my family in terms of dietary needs and health issues.
  • Anonymous
    I gave this course a rating of three stars, not because it is inferior, but because I found the information given greatly more than was expected for my particular needs. The title emphasizes nutrition, heart disease and diabetes, but an enormous amount of emphasis was given to genetics. In my opinion, either that information should have been more streamlined or genetics should have been included in the title of the course. Other than this, I think the information given was excellent.

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