University of Jordan

Faculty of Graduate Studies

Department of Nutrition and Food Technology

Course Title / Energy in Nutrition / Course Code / (0633767)
Lecturer / Dr. Mousa Numan Ahmad / E. mail:
Credits / Three / Prerequisite(s) / Postgraduate level
Duration of Course / Sixteen weeks, three hours per week
Course Description:
An advanced level study of the metabolic and regulatory aspects of energetics in the body and the techniques of measurements of these aspects. It also involves the study of white and brown adipose tissue cellularity and metabolic activity and heat releasing mechanisms in the body; as well as the study of energetic events occurring during fasting, starvation, over-feeding and exercise.
Objectives:
At the end of this course, students are expected to:
(1) Understand the aspects of thermodynamics and nutritional bioenergetics in particular.
(2) Realize substrate biotransformation in metabolism and its nutritional/physiologic regulation.
(3) Understand the concepts of energetic differences in substrate oxidation and metabolic efficiency of body fuel storage and their nutritional application.
(4) Understand the aspects of whole body energetics, energy balance and appetite and their nutritional and physiological regulation and methods of assessment/ measurements.
(5) Know the energetic events that occur during starve-fed cycles and exercise and their nutritional and metabolic regulation.
(6) Appreciate the white and brown adipose tissue cellularity and energetic activity.
(7) Identify and define the heat-releasing mechanisms in the body.
(8) Relate the concepts of nutritional bioenergetics to clinical conditions of energy imbalance.
(9) Develop skills required to construct diets for monitoring body weight and to provide consultation.
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Intended Learning Outcomes:
Subject specific skills:
At the end of this course, students will be able to:
(1) Realize the concepts of nutritional bioenergetics and substrate biotransformation.
(2) Know the concept of metabolic efficiency of body fuel storage and its nutritional application.
(3) Understand the components of whole body energy metabolism and their regulation and methods
of assessment.
(4) Understand the energetic events that occur during starve-fed cycles and exercise and their nutritional
and metabolic regulation.
(5) Know the white and brown adipose tissue cellularity and energetic activity.
(6) Appreciate the heat-releasing mechanisms in the body.
(7) Relate the concepts of nutritional bioenergetics to clinical conditions of energy imbalance.
(8) Construct/ formulate diets for monitoring and managing body weight.
(9) Counsel individuals and groups regarding body weight management.
Core Academic Skills:
At the end of this course, students are expected to:
(1) Relate the concepts of nutritional bioenergetics to clinical conditions of energy imbalance.
(2) Gain knowledge about the nutrition and metabolism of the obese case.
(3) Gain knowledge and skills on the nutritional assessment of the body energetic status at both the cell and whole body levels.
(4) Gain knowledge and skills on diet formulation and counseling regarding body weight management.
(5) Gain knowledge and skills about scientific research methods of data collection, manipulation,
processing and analysis related to nutritional bioenergetics.
Personal and Key Skills:
At the end of this course, students are expected to know how to:
(1) Measure and/or calculate energy intakes in terms of calories or ATP equivalents.
(2) Measure and/or calculate energy expenditure in terms of calories or ATP equivalents.
(3) Calculate the metabolic efficiency of body fuel storage in terms of calories or ATP equivalents.
(4) Assess the body energetic status at both the cell and whole body levels.
(5) Relate the concepts of nutritional bioenergetics to clinical conditions of energy imbalance.
(6) Identify, define and diagnose the obese case.
(7) Construct/ formulate diets for body weight management.
(8) Counsel individuals and groups regarding body weight management.
(9) Locate and interpret current research literature related to nutritional bioenergetics.
(10) Critically evaluate information on nutritional bioenergetics such as evaluating sources of facts, claims, bias, conflict and assumption.
Learning/ Teaching Methods:
Lectures, group discussions and presentations for previously assigned topics (team work), seminars and
term papers of assigned topics by individual students (individual skills and self expression development).
Teaching tools include: Slides, transparencies, power point, handouts, demonstrations and case
study analysis.
Assignments:
Each student is assigned a topic in which he/she explores the literature through use of the library or
the internet, and then writes a report that is presented and discussed in the class in a form of a seminar.
Assessment:

2 Hour Examinations (First and Second) 40 %

Course Project and Student Participation 20 %

Final Examination 40 %

Total 100 %
Syllabus Plan
Week / Topic / Hours / Comments
1
2
3-4
4-5
5-7
8
9
10-11
11-12
13-14
14-16 / A. Introduction to Nutritional Bioenergetics:
1. Course description and objectives.
2. Important concepts/ terms in nutritional bioenergetics.
3. Recent advances in energy in human nutrition.
B. Energy in Foods: Partition in the Body:
1. In vitro and in vivo aspects of food energy.
2. Dietary-induced thermogenesis.
C. Energy in Nutrition: Fundamental Principles:
1. Bioenergetics and oxidative metabolism.
2. Energy-releasing and energy-utilizing systems.
3. Thermodynamics in metabolism.
4. Thermodynamics and the metabolic role of ATP.
5. Bond energy concept and high-energy compounds.
6. Levels of cellular phosphorylation.
D. Metabolic Regulation and Control Mechanisms:
1. Kinetics and metabolism.
2. Flux-generating enzymes and key regulators. 3. Thermodynamic approach of metabolic regulation.
E. Substrate and Cellular Energy Metabolism.
1. Aspects of cellular biochemistry: A bioenergetics approach.
2. Fuel/substrate biotransformation in metabolism.
FIRST HOUR EXAMINATION
3. Catabolism of major fuels: An overview.
4. Oxidative phosphorylation: Chemiosmotic theory.
5. Anaerobic metabolism: Cori cycle.
6. Anabolism of the major fuels: A bioenergetics approach.
7. Energetic differences in substrate oxidation/cellular efficiency of storage.
8. Integration of fuel metabolism: Uniqueness of individual organ and tissue. F. Overall ATP Production in the Body:
1. ATP turnover in the body.
2. Effects of diet quality and quantity.
G. Whole Body Energy Metabolism: Metabolic Interrelations:
1. Starve-fed cycles.
2. Effects of various nutritional, hormonal and physical states.
3. Regulation and control mechanisms.
H. Whole Body Energy Balance: Concepts and Measurements:
1. The energy balance equation.
2. Thermodynamics and energy balance in man.
3. Direct and indirect calorimetry.
4. Non-calorimetric techniques.
5. Body composition and energy stores.
I. Whole Body Energy Balance: Regulatory Mechanisms:
1. Regulation and control systems of appetite.
2. Theories of appetite control.
3. Components of energy expenditure.
4. Thermogenesis and energy balance.
SECOND HOUR EXAMINATION
5. Cellular mechanisms of thermogenesis.
6. Effects of nutritional/ physical status on energy balance.
7. Control mechanisms of thermogenesis.
8. Effect of dieting on body composition and energy stores.
J. White and Brown Adipose Tissues: Bioenergetics Concepts:
1. Structure, body distribution and metabolism.
2. Cellularity and metabolic activity.
3. Thermogenic mechanisms.
4. Distinctive features of white and brown adipose tissues.
5. Nutritional and hormonal influences..
K. Energy in Nutrition: Selected Clinical Correlations:
1. Obesity and overweight.
2. Thyroid dysfunction.
3. Burns and injuries.
4. Fever and Hyperthermia.
5. Disorders of white and brown adipose tissues.
FINAL EXAMINATION / 3
3
4
3
8
3
3
4
5
5
5
References:
1. Brody TM. Nutritional Biochemistry. New York: Academic Press. 2002.
2. Blaxter K. Energy Metabolism in Animal and Man. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1989.
3. Devlin T.M. Textbook of Biochemistry with Clinical Correlations. New York: John Wiley, 2002.
4. Stryer L. Biochemistry. New York: W.H. Freeman, 1995.
5. Shils M.C., Olson T.A. and Shike M. Modern Nutrition in Health and Disease. Philadelphia: lea & Febiger, 1999.
6. WHO. Obesity. Preventing and Managing the Global Epidemic. Geneva: WHO, 1998.
7. British Nutrition Foundation. Obesity. London: Blackwell Science, 1999.
8. Garrow JS. James W.P.T and Ralph A. Human Nutrition and Dietetics. London: Churchill Livingstone, 2000.
9. Lee RD and Nieman DC. Nutritional Assessment. Saint Louis: CV.Mosby, 2003.
10. Mahan LK., Escott-stump S. Krause’s Food, Nutrition and Diet Therapy. Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders Co., 2004.
11. Whitney E., Cataldo C. and Rolfs C. Understanding Normal and Clinical Nutrition. San Francisco: West Publishing Co., 2002.
12. Driskell JA. and Wolinsky I. Energy-Yielding Macronutrients and Energy Metabolism in Sport Nutrition. London: CRC, 1999.
13. McArdle WD., Katch FL. and Katch VL. Exercise Physiology: Energy, Nutrition and Human Performance. NY: Lippincott-Williams and Wilkins, 2001.
14. James WPT. and Schofield EC. Human Energy Requirements. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1990.
15. Food and Nutrition Board. Dietary Reference Intakes: Recommended Intakes for Individuals. USA: National Academy of Sciences, 2002.
16. Bender DA. Introduction to Nutrition and Metabolism. London: Taylor and Francis, 2002.
17. Selected Internet Sites :
1. 2.
3. 4.
5. 6.
7. 8.
9. 10.
11. 12.
13. 14.
15. 16.
17. 18.
19. 20. and nutrition
21. 22.
23. 24.

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