HYGIENE AND NUTRITIONAL EPIDEMIOLOGY

The course aims to provide students, through hands-on teaching methods, with concepts and tools specific to nutritional surveillance according to European and/or national project standards, and to prepare students for the critical evaluation of surveillance survey results, for identifying and assessing the data sources on which public health recommendations and interventions for the primary and secondary prevention of nutrition-related diseases are based.

The course also aims to build on basic knowledge of food safety, exploring in depth the strategies and methods used to achieve the best protection against risks from chemical, physical and biological contamination. The main methods used to protect consumer health "from farm to fork" at European and national level will be presented.

Knowledge and understanding (DD1)

By the end of the course, students will be able to identify the risks associated with contamination of the food chain and to interpret the results of studies reported in the literature for a population risk assessment. In addition, students will be able to critically interpret scientific articles on nutritional prevention and surveillance topics, analysing study-design methodology and the main dietary assessment tools.

Applying knowledge and understanding (DD2)

By the end of the course, students must demonstrate mastery of the topics covered, be able to apply the main methods used to protect consumer health, and be able to evaluate and interpret experimental and literature data, with particular reference to the scientific evidence analysing the complex diet-health relationship.

Making judgements (DD3)

By the end of the course, students must show that they are able to apply appropriate solutions for the prevention of chemical-physical and biological food-contamination risk, as well as for the primary prevention of the main chronic-degenerative diseases.

Communication skills (DD4)

By the end of the course, students must demonstrate adequate communication skills, both written and oral, mastery of technical-scientific language, knowledge of food safety regulations, and the ability to analyse and summarise a scientific publication.

Learning skills (DD5)

By the end of the course, students must have developed independent learning skills enabling them to update their professional knowledge and competencies.

The course includes classroom lectures (4 CFU, 28 hours) in which continuous interaction with students is encouraged, and other activities (2 CFU, 28 hours) consisting of classroom and laboratory exercises and participation in seminars, aimed at developing the ability to apply the knowledge acquired during the course.

If the course is delivered in blended or remote mode, appropriate adjustments may be made to the above, in order to ensure consistency with the syllabus.

There are no formal binding prerequisites. A basic knowledge of biology is considered useful.

Attendance is not mandatory but is strongly recommended, as active participation in lectures supports the achievement of the learning objectives and facilitates learning of the course content (https://www.di3a.unict.it/corsi/lm-70/regolamenti).

General concepts of Epidemiology. Definition and objectives of epidemiology. The epidemiological approach. Causal inference in epidemiology. Confounding factors, effect mediators and effect modifiers.

Epidemiology and nutritional surveillance. Main definitions and objectives. Indicators. Dietary assessment tools.

Epidemiological studies. Observational and experimental epidemiological study models. Measures of association between exposure and effect. Study design in nutritional epidemiological research. Definition of biomarkers and their use in nutritional epidemiology. Nutrigenetics and nutrigenomics.

Diet and health. From epidemiology to the prevention of nutrition-related diseases: methods and results. The role of the Mediterranean Diet.

Diet and cancer. Main evidence and recommendations.

Diet and reproductive health. Main evidence and recommendations.

Food hygiene and food safety. Introduction to the general principles of food hygiene and food safety.

One Health and food safety. Fundamentals of the One Health approach; foodborne zoonoses; mechanisms and spread of antimicrobial resistance; role of integrated surveillance across human, animal and environmental health.

SDGs and food. Analysis of the link between food and the Sustainable Development Goals: SDG 2 (zero hunger), SDG 3 (health), SDG 4 (education), SDG 10 (reduced inequalities), SDG 12 (responsible consumption and production), SDG 13 (climate), SDG 14 (life below water), SDG 15 (life on land). Practical exercise: audit of a school canteen to assess its impact on the SDGs and propose improvements.

Sustainable diets. Definition and features of a sustainable diet; plant-based diets; environmental and social impact of food choices; short food chains and seasonality.

Artificial Intelligence and Big Data in food safety. Principles of AI use in public health; sources of environmental, clinical and consumption data; interpretation of predictive models applied to food risk.

Emerging issues in food safety. Endocrine disruptors, GMOs, algal biotoxins, micro- and nano-plastics. Introduction to environmental epigenetics

One Health e sicurezza alimentare: Concetti fondamentali di One Health; zoonosi di origine alimentare; meccanismi e diffusione dell'antibiotico-resistenza; ruolo della sorveglianza integrata tra salute umana, animale e ambientale.

SDGs e alimentazione. Analisi del legame tra alimentazione e Obiettivi di Sviluppo Sostenibile: SDG 2 (fame zero), SDG 3 (salute), SDG 4 (educazione), SDG 10 (disuguaglianze), SDG 12 (produzione e consumo responsabili), SDG 13 (clima), SDG 14 (ecosistemi marini), SDG 15 (ecosistemi terrestri). Esercitazione: audit di una mensa scolastica per valutarne l'impatto sugli SDG e proporre miglioramenti.

Diete sostenibili. Definizione e caratteristiche di una dieta sostenibile; dieta plant-based; impatti ambientali e sociali delle scelte alimentari; filiere corte e stagionalità.

Intelligenza Artificiale e Big Data nella sicurezza alimentare. Principi di utilizzo dell'IA in sanità pubblica; fonti di dati ambientali, clinici e di consumo; interpretazione di modelli predittivi applicati al rischio alimentare.

Problematiche emergenti in sicurezza alimentare. Interferenti endocrini, OGM, biotossine algali, micro e nano-plastiche. Cenni di epigenetica ambientale.

1.     Barbuti S., Fara G.M., Giammanco G. – Igiene, Medicina di Comunità e Sanità Pubblica. II Edition, EDISES (Italian-language textbook).

2.     Lash T., VanderWeele T., Haneuse S., Rothman K. – Modern Epidemiology, Fourth Edition. Wolters Kluwer.

Oral examination.

The highest grade will be awarded to students who demonstrate mastery of the topics, the ability to relate the knowledge acquired, presentation skills, and command of the discipline's technical vocabulary.

The grade is expressed out of thirty according to the following scheme:

Not sufficient: Knowledge and understanding of the topic: significant gaps and inaccuracies. Analysis and synthesis skills: irrelevant, frequent generalisations. Use of references: completely inappropriate.

18-20: Knowledge and understanding of the topic: very modest, evident imperfections. Analysis and synthesis skills: barely sufficient. Use of references: barely appropriate.

21-23: Knowledge and understanding of the topic: slightly more than sufficient. Analysis and synthesis skills: fair, argues logically and coherently. Use of references: uses standard references.

24-26: Knowledge and understanding of the topic: good. Analysis and synthesis skills: good analysis and synthesis skills, topics presented coherently. Use of references: uses standard references.

27-29: Knowledge and understanding of the topic: more than good. Analysis and synthesis skills: remarkable analysis and synthesis skills. Use of references: has explored the topics in depth.

30-30 cum laude: Knowledge and understanding of the topic: excellent. Analysis and synthesis skills: remarkable analysis and synthesis skills. Use of references: significant in-depth analysis.

https://www.di3a.unict.it/corsi/lm-70/calendario-esami-profitto

Learning assessment may also be carried out on-line, should the conditions require it.

To ensure equal opportunities and in compliance with current laws, interested students may request a personal interview in order to plan any compensatory and/or dispensatory measures based on educational objectives and specific needs.

Students can also contact the CInAP referring teacher (Centro per l'Inclusione Attiva e Partecipata – Servizi per le Disabilità e/o i DSA) of the Di3A Department, prof.ssa Anna De Angeli (anna.deangelis@unict.it).

What is the One Health approach? What are the principles of a sustainable diet? How is SDG 2 connected to food security? What are the applications of AI in food safety? What does traceability mean and how is it applied? The objectives of nutritional surveillance. Cohort studies: study design and main characteristics. Dietary risk indicators. Cancer prevention. Dietary assessment tools. Biomarkers in nutritional epidemiology. Food hygiene and food safety. Chemical, physical and biological contamination of food. Management of foodborne outbreak episodes. Emerging contaminants.