Physical Activity, Nutrition & Health

Course Description

Inadequate physical activity and a sedentary lifestyle are thought to be important causes of many of the major diseases of developed societies, including coronary artery disease, stroke, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, osteoporosis, and arthritis. There has been an explosion of information over the past two decades on the health benefits of exercise. In addition, exercise and nutrition are closely linked, with each modifying the effects of the other. Athletes, for example, may have markedly increased needs for some nutrients, but not others. Exercise has potent effects on the metabolism of protein, energy, fat, and some micronutrients. In addition, exercise is an important form of oxidative stress, and the ability of nutrients to alter the effect of exercise is not well understood. Exercise and nutrition together offer an extremely powerful intervention for a variety of problems, including the frailty of aging, the wasting of AIDS, and the obesity that underlies most cases of diabetes and atherosclerosis. This course is designed to give students an understanding of the fundamental interactions between exercise and nutrition, and to offer students an opportunity to examine the application of nutrition to exercise and vice versa. Each lecture will also discuss how these factors are important in disease prevention, and where applicable, treatment. Undergraduate biology or physiology is recommended. Prerequisites: NUTR 202 or NUTR 245 and NUTR 0246 or equivalent is required and undergraduate-level physiology is recommended, unless exemption approved by instructor, and graduate standing or instructor consent.

Basic Enrollment Requirements: Unofficial Transcript - Bachelor's + 3.0 GPA. You will be contacted after registration for required evidence of immunization. 

Instructor Approval: During registration, you will be asked to explain how you meet the pre-requisites for this course and to describe any relevant experience. The instructor will use this information to confirm your enrollment or will otherwise be in touch with you. 

Refund Policy: The refund policy for Courses at Tufts offerings is dependent on the course length. Please refer to the section details to confirm any exceptions to the standard refund policy. The refund policies are viewable here: https://universitycollege.tufts.edu/policies#Refunds 

Remission Eligible: Yes; all university policies apply.