LWT 245 - Introduction to Plant Based Nutrition-Lifestyle, Health, and Disease

Credits: 3
Instructional Contact Hours: 3

Applies knowledge of scientific evidence of food choices and the implications it has on health and disease. Evaluates historical diets and trending diets against a plant-based/vegan diet.

Prerequisite(s): LW 222 or LWT 210 can be taken previously or concurrently
Corequisite(s): NONE
Lecture Hours: 45 Lab Hours: 0
Meets MTA Requirement: None
Pass/NoCredit: Yes

Outcomes and Objectives

Demonstrate an understanding of diet's impact on metabolic chronic diseases.
1. Define and describe Type I and Type II Diabetes, Coronary Artery Disease (CAD), and Cancer.
2. List controllable and uncontrollable risk factors for our chronic diseases.
3. Explain how and why a well-constructed Plant-based Whole Food/Vegan diet has shown to prevent and even reverse chronic disease.
4. Explain what blood cholesterol, blood pressure, BMI, and fasting blood glucose numbers mean.
Demonstrate an understanding of various diets.
1. Define and Describe the following diets; Paleo, DASH, Ketogenic, Atkins, Mediterranean, Weight Watchers, Intermittent fasting, Gluten-free, Vegan, Vegetarian, Plant-based Whole Food.
2. Define what a diet is.
3. Calculate macronutrients of a variety of different diets and explain the advantage and disadvantages and health risks that may be associated with each.
4. Compare and contrast different diets, their health risk of disease and nutrient concerns for each.
5. Describe the popular eating trends of the U.S. diet.
6. List and describe the impact to the body when there is an overconsumption of specific nutrients or under-consumption of nutrients.
Demonstrate an understanding of how a whole foods plant-based/vegan diet can meet nutritional needs.
1. List excellent plant sources of Calcium, iron, zinc, Vitamin D, omega 3, folate, and omega 6, protein, healthy fats and carbohydrates.
2. Create a plant-based meal to meet nutritional needs that promote good health.
3. Explain how nutrition can be responsible for the development, maintenance and restoration of health.
4. Describe how a Plant-based Whole Food/Vegan diet can be unhealthy.
5. List nutrients that a vegan may need to supplement.
Summarize scientific research about a plant-based whole food or vegan lifestyle on health.
1. Read and report on the research that came from the China Study.
2. Define and describe the different types of research studies and understand which types are reliable.