Food for Thought

Course

URL study guide

https://studiegids.vu.nl/en/courses/2024-2025/AB_1036

Course Objective

After this course, students will be able to:Recall and describe the role of the wider environment on food choices, including socioeconomic, cultural, policy, food environment and sustainability factors;Critically reflect upon strategies aiming to foster more healthy and sustainable food choices (in the Netherlands);Conduct a research project commissioned by a (non-)academic stakeholder from the community in order to promote more healthy and sustainable food choices;Critically reflect upon stakeholders’ and your own(research)practices, assumptions, and values;Effectively communicate academic results to a (non-)academic audience / your target group.

Course Content

Making healthy choices is complex since food choices are the result of a wide variety of factors ranging biological factors and personal behaviors to aspects of the physical, economic, sociocultural and political environments. More recently, it has been argued that the wider environment we live in may be the driving force behind many of our food choices. . In other words, making healthier food choice possible cannot be done without understanding the role of the wider environment on food choices, including socioeconomic, cultural, policy, food environment and sustainability factors. During this course, you will learn how each of these factors play a role in food choice, and explore possible strategies aiming to foster more healthy and sustainable food choices. The course will pay particular attention towards questions of inclusion, considering that unhealthy food choices are particularly prevalent among people with a lower socioeconomic position or other culture backgrounds. You will bring the knowledge you acquire during the course into practice by conducting a research project commissioned by a relevant (non-)academic stakeholder.

Teaching Methods

Food for thought is a half-time course, this means that ~20 hours a week are necessary to pursuit the goals of this course. On average each week consists of: ~2 hours work group meetings, ~4 hours lectures, ~14 hours self-study (including group assessments).

Method of Assessment

This course will be graded as follows: a. An individual examination consisting of multiple choice and open questions on all lectures AND literature (50% of final grade); b. The other 50% of the final grading is based on the assessment of the research project
- and consists of several subgrades:
- Group assignment: 50%, consisting of:
- Research plan: pass/fail
- Poster + pitch: 50%
- Individual:
- Peer feedback and active participation during workshops: pass/fail
- Grading individual contribution will be used to decide upon final grading group assignment In order to pass this course: 1) all grades have to be sufficient (≥ 5.5/pass); 2) you have to hand in your work before the deadline; 3) you attended all workshops, the poster presentation session and the discussion lecture ‘Film’; 4) you significantly contributed to the research project. In case of one or more insufficient grades, a resit of the exam and/or assessments will be arranged and scheduled according to regular VU resit dates.

Literature

Available on canvas

Target Audience

Students in Health Sciences, Health and Life Sciences and Biomedical Sciences from the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam can apply for the minor Five Big Issues in Health. Students who are registered for this minor can participate in the course Food for Thought. Students who are not participating in the minor Five Big Issues in Health may apply for this course, however they can only enroll in case the minor maximum of 60 students is not reached (students who follow the entire minor will be selected first).

Additional Information

Guest lectures will be invited to share their expertise with the students. Students need a sufficient level of the English language because the lectures and workshops will be taught in English. This course is part of the minor Five Big Issues in Health and works with a maximum number of 60 students. Students who follow the entire minor will be selected first.

Entry Requirements

Basic understanding of epidemiological research methods and statistics.A sufficient level of the English language.

Recommended background knowledge

Students need a sufficient level of the English language because the lectures are taught in English.
Academic year1/09/2431/08/25
Course level6.00 EC

Language of Tuition

  • English

Study type

  • Bachelor