Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism; Fundamental Aspects
Volledige vakbeschrijving
This course aims to provide a solid fundament to understand the mechanisms underlying the metabolic aberrations that are commonly observed in many of the current no-communicable disorders. A proper understanding of these mechanisms is essential to design, optimize, apply and examine interventions that aim to alleviate the metabolic aberrations and to slow down disease progression. To this end this course will encompass studying the major systems involved in human (nutritional) physiology and metabolism. This ranges from the process of nutrient uptake across the gastrointestinal tract to cell and organ specific routes for conversion of macromolecules into their oxidizable derivatives.
The pivotal role of intermediary metabolism and (subcellular) energy sensing and of metabolites and small circulatory hormone like peptides (e.g., adipocytokines) will be studied. This course will, therefore, further deal with the important notion of inter-organ cross-talk and designates how to convey this knowledge to the development of whole body metabolic control. It will provide a basis for targeted treatment of aberrations in (energy) homeostasis, substrate metabolism, inter-organ cross talk as related to macronutrients (fat, carbohydrates, and protein) and specific nutritional components. Special attention will be given to the metabolic routes that are altered in acute and chronic metabolic disorders and the putative role of the biological clock herein. More specifically, these disorders are discussed in relation to the role of nutrition in preventing and treating these disorders.
Nutrients play a role in the regulation of gene transcription, translation, and signal transduction. This, of course, affects cellular pathways. If these pathways become disturbed, it may ultimately result in disease, which may require special dietary interventions. In this course, the molecular basis and cellular mechanisms by which nutrients affect metabolic control is studied at the cellular level.
Doelstellingen van dit vak
- Describe the function and interaction of the listed organs in nutritional physiology and physical activity: Liver, stomach and gut, adipose tissue, brain and muscle.
- Explain and predict the uptake, storage, degradation, and the intermediary metabolism of nutrients and substrates on organ, cellular and subcellular level.
- Characterize the transport, uptake and metabolism of macro- and micronutrients.
- Explain competition and selection of nutrients and substrate flux in pre- and post -prandial states.
- Explain competition and selection of nutrients, and substrate flux during rest and exhaustive exercise in a trained and untrained state.
- Apply the concepts above to healthy and chronic disease scenarios.
- Characterize metabolic aberrations in chronic disease and come-up personalized interventions for intervention.
- Argue the translational aspects of nutritional and physical activity related model systems.
- Argue the scientific basis for policy making on human nutrition, physical activity, and dietary guidelines.
- Critically evaluate recent manuscripts discussing aspects of health related to nutritional status and physical activity.