FB2FC1-Food Choice and Regulation

Module Provider: Food and Nutritional Sciences
Number of credits: 10 [5 ECTS credits]
Level:5
Terms in which taught: Spring term module
Pre-requisites:
Non-modular pre-requisites:
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded: FBMNCR Food Choice and Regulation
Current from: 2022/3

Module Convenor: Prof Lisa Methven
Email: L.Methven@reading.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:

• To provide an understanding of the socio-economic factors (social class, age, gender, family, ethnicity, culture, religion, income) that influence food choice in individuals and populations.


• To gain an insight into the political and societal factors that influence food availability and impact on food choice and behaviour.


• To gain an understanding of the role of nature and nurture in the development of eating behaviours.


• To provide students with an understanding of the content, origins and purpose of food regulation with a particular emphasis on controls relating to health and nutrition.

Aims:

• To provide an understanding of the socio-economic factors (social class, age, gender, family, ethnicity, culture, religion, income) that influence food choice in individuals and populations.


• To gain an insight into the political and societal factors that influence food availability and impact on food choice and behaviour.


• To gain an understanding of the role of nature and nurture in the development of eating behaviours.


• To provide students with an understanding of the content, origins and purpose of food regulation with a particular emphasis on controls relating to health and nutrition.

Assessable learning outcomes:

On completion of the module, students should be able to:

• Describe the main factors that influence food choice.


• Outline the degree and impact of factors such as age, gender, disease states, family, religion, cultural traditions and economics that influence food behaviour.


• Describe the specific issues that impact on food choice and availability in institutions such as hospitals, schools and old peoples homes and in areas of deprivation (food deserts).


• Outline the effect of government and community campaigns and commercial advertising strategies on individual food choice.


• Describe the main elements of UK, EU and international food regulation.


• Use the Internet to access the main legal requirements for food.


• With particular reference to health and nutrition, identify and explain current and future legal requirements.

Additional outcomes:

Outline content:
This module is designed to provide an understanding of the factors that influence food choice and behaviour in individuals, groups and populations. These include factors such as age, gender, disease states, family, religion, cultural traditions and economic influences. In addition, the specific issues associated with situations in which food choice is limited or controlled such as in hospitals and schools will be explored. The influence of commercial advertising and of healthy eating and other campaigns will be explored.
The role of governments in enabling consumers to have choice, whilst ensuring a safe food supply, is considered with particular reference to the regulatory framework within the UK, the EU and major international bodies (e.g. the Codex Alimentarius Commission). The main elements of legislation will be considered with examples taken from nutrition labelling, health claims, food supplements, food fortification and foods for particular nutritional uses ('PARNUTS').

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:
This course comprises lectures in the areas and food choice and regulation; the coursework assignment is on food legislation and constitutes 30% of the module mark.