FDNS(EPID) 7040: Nutritional Epidemiology

FDNS (EPID) 7040: Nutritional Epidemiology
Spring 2007
Instructor: Alex Kojo Anderson, PhD, MPH
Office: 261 Dawson Hall
Email: anderson@fcs.uga.edu
Phone: 706-542-7614
Office hours: Mondays 10:00-12:00 Noon; Wednesdays & Fridays 10:00-11:00 AM
Course Materials:
Textbook:
The required texts for this course are:
1. Walter Willet. Nutritional Epidemiology, Second Edition. Oxford University
Press, 1998.
2. James F. Jekel, Joan G. Elmore and David L Katz. Epidemiology Biostatistics and
Preventive Medicine, Second Edition. WB Saunders Co. 2001
Available in the University Bookstore
Selected and required articles/readings may be assigned in class or accessed via the
internet.
Course Description:
The course is designed for students at either the Master’s or Ph.D. level, who are
interested in conducting or better interpreting research studies relating diet and nutrition
to health and disease. Over the years there is an increasing awareness that various aspects
of diet and nutrition may be important contributing factors in chronic disease.
The purpose of this course is to introduce student to the basic concepts of nutritional
epidemiology such as measuring disease frequency, prevalence, incidence, and
proportions. The use of screening during human disease outbreak and food poisoning
investigations will be covered. The course will also examine epidemiologic methodology
in relation to nutritional measures, and to review the current state of knowledge regarding
diet and other nutritional indicators as etiologic factors in disease. This course is designed
to enable students to better conduct nutritional epidemiologic research and/or to better
interpret the scientific literature (critique the scientific literature) in which diet or other
nutritional indicators are factors under study. Using assigned or selected readings from
the current literature, students will have an opportunity to review and critique articles
relating to the week’s topic.
The overall design of the course is to provide an overview of nutritional epidemiology
content and concepts and enable investigators outside of nutrition to develop an
understanding of nutrition/dietary measurements and analysis, incorporate appropriate
nutritional measures in their studies, and better communicate and collaborate with
nutritional researchers.

Course Goals and Objectives:
The objective of the course is to provide the student with familiarity with the design,
conduct, analyses, and interpretation of epidemiologic studies related to nutrition. At the
end of this course students will be able to:
a) Use basic terms and concept of epidemiology such frequency, prevalence,
incidence, proportions, and measures of effect and association (odds ratio,
relative risk etc).
b) Select the appropriate screening tool for screening nutrition emergencies and
human health outbreak investigations including exposure and outcome
measurements (diet and disease).
c) Select the most appropriate epidemiologic study design and study population
for research evaluating the relationship between nutrition and health.
d) Identify the strengths and limitations of each study design currently available
for various nutrition-related research questions, and understand the
implications of the limitations of each method on study results in relation to
specific nutrition research questions.
e) Describe the data analysis and interpretation issues of special importance in
nutritional epidemiology studies
Intended Audience
This course is intended for graduate students with an interest in gaining an understanding
of how epidemiologic studies of diet and chronic disease are conducted. Thus, it may be
most appealing to students who foresee themselves involved in epidemiologic research as
focus a focus of activity such as community, international and public health nutrition
research. Although students are not required to have a strong nutrition background, it
would be helpful to have a strong interest in these areas.
Method of Instruction
The primary method of instruction is through lectures and discussions including student
presentations on selected areas of interest. Active participation in the classroom
discussion is important and encouraged.
Assessments and Grading:
There will be a total of 3 written examinations for credit, 2 interim exams and one final
exam. The 2 written interim examinations will be completed during scheduled class
times. The interim exams will not be cumulative. The final exam will be cumulative.
There will also be 3 take-home assignments for credit (including one critique). Students
will also be required to take the CDC online investigation training on “Botulism in
Argentina.” This case study investigation can be found at the following website:
http://www2a.cdc.gov/phtnonline/ Please go to the website and locate the Botulism in
Argentina case study. Follow the instructions and directions to download the case study.
The case study has to be done online, which means you should have internet access to
complete this case study. During the registration to take the case study please remember
to register for CME credits this will enable you to print a certificate to be submitted to me

at the end of the case study. Please make sure you print your score at the end of each
session of the case study to be attached to the certificate for submission. Class
participation is an integral part of this course and will be graded. Failure to write any of
the exams or submit any of the homework assignments and project will result in a grade
of “I” at the end of the semester, irrespective of the students overall performance in the
class. Each student is expected to abide by all due dates for submission of homework
assignments and projects. Each day after the due date of submission of homework
assignment will attract a penalty of 5 points.
Total Grade:
Final Exam worth 25% of final grade
2 interim exams @ 15% of final grade per exam = 30% of final grade
2 take home assignments @ 10% of final grade per assignment = 20% of final grade
Critique of the literature worth 10% of final grade
Case Study worth 10% of final grade
Class participation in small group and large class discussion = 5% of final grade.
Grades and Standards
A = (94 – 100)
A - = (90 – 93.9)
B + = (87 – 89.9)
B = (83 – 86.9)
B - = (80 – 82.9)
C + = (77 – 79.9)
C = (73 – 76.9)
C - = (70 – 72.9)
D = (60 – 69.9)
F < 60
Grading Scheme
Class Test 1 = 30 points
Class Test 2 = 30 points
Take Home Assignment # 1 = 20 points
Take Home Assignment # 2 = 20 points
Critique of the Literature = 20 points
Case Study = 20 points
Final Exam = 50 points
Class Participation/Attendance = 10 points

Class Outline/Schedule
Date Topics Reading/Assignments
01/09 Overview
Introduction to the class and general housekeeping
01/11 Nutritional Epidemiology – Definitions and terms used in
Nutritional Epidemiology
Chapter 1: Willet
Chapters 1 & 4: Jekel
01/16 Measures of Association Chapters 2 & 6: Jekel
01/18 Study Design - Cross sectional and ecological studies Chapter 1: Willet
01/23 Discussion of cross sectional ecological studies in
nutritional epidemiology
Chapter 5: Jekel
Assignment #1 due
01/25 Case Control Studies Chapter 5: Jekel
01/30 Discussion of Case Control Studies in nutritional
epidemiology
02/01 Class Test 1
02/06 Cohort Studies Chapter 5: Jekel
02/08 Controlled trials and Behavioral Intervention Studies Chapter 5: Jekel
02/13 Discussion of Cohort and Controlled Trials in nutritional
epidemiology
02/15 Screening Tests and Disease Prevention:
Chapter 7 & 17: Jekel
Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Prevention
Assignment #2 due
02/20 Interpretation of Screening Results:
Chapter 6: Willet
Reliability and Validity
Chapter 10: Jekel
02/22 Confounding
Critiquing of the Scientific Literature
Chapter 4: Jekel
02/27 Class Test 2
03/01 Exposure Assessment: Recalls, Records, FFQs Chapters 4 & 5: Willet
Critique Assignment Due
03/06 BMI and Mortality, Obesity (Dr. Lee)
03/08 Investigation of Foodborne Illness (Botulism in
Argentina)
03/13
03/15
SPRING BREAK – No Classes
03/20 Exposure Assessment III: Biomarkers; physical activity Botulism in Argentina
Assignment Due
03/22 Discussion of Assessment Studies
03/27 Data Analysis & Interpretation Issues Chapter 13: Willet
Chapter 9: Jekel
03/29 Data Analysis & Interpretation Issues Chapters 10-13: Jekel
04/03 Maternal and Child Nutrition/Health
Preventing Infant Mortality
Chapter 18: Willet
04/05 Maternal and Child Nutrition/Health
Preventing Infant Mortality
To be assigned
04/10 Obesity and Health To be assigned
04/12 Obesity and Health To be assigned
04/17 Chronic Disease Epidemiology To be assigned
04/19 Chronic Disease Epidemiology To be assigned
04/24 Special Topics II: Food group analysis: Dietary
supplements & nutraceuticals
To be assigned
04/26
FINALS
Course Review and Evaluation

Attendance Policy
According to UGA policy on class attendance, students are expected to attend classes
regularly. A student who incurs an excess number of absences (more than 3 in this class)
may be withdrawn from a class at the discretion of the instructor.
Students are highly encouraged to attend all class periods. There are many benefits from
attending class. Benefits include in-depth explanation of required readings by the
instructor; opportunity for students to ask questions over assigned topics, readings,
projects/assignments, exams, and other areas of student interest; opportunity to discuss
information not in the required readings; explanation of the answers on exam; and
opportunity for the instructor to get to know students better so that the instructor can
write letters of recommendation for internships, practicum, scholarships, jobs and other
reasons.
In some cases, absences can be excused. Excuses for anticipated absences must be
cleared with the instructor before the absence (send an email to the instructor explaining
the situation). Excused absences include, but are not limited to absence for court
appearances, university business, verified illness, and certain family emergencies.
Written, dated documentation must be presented for each excused absence from an
officer of the court, college official, or physician. Students are hereby reminded that
attendance will be taken during each class.