Course description
Nutrition, Exercise and Sports
Are you involved in sports or regular exercise and do you want to have a better understanding of the role of nutrition on performance and health? Do you want to learn whether certain nutritional strategies could be relevant for your own athletic performance and/or muscle growth? Are you a dietitian, personal trainer, physiotherapist or a health/sport coach and do you want to be able to provide proper nutritional advice for your clients? Or, are you none of the above but interested in nutrition, exercise and sports and do you want to make your own informed decisions about your daily food intake?
Then this online course Nutrition, Exercise and Sports is for you! Nutrition is crucial to live an active and healthy life, to support training, and to optimize performance. In this online course, researchers and teachers from Wageningen University & Research will familiarize you with the nutritional aspects of exercise and sports. What are the basic concepts in exercise physiology and sport nutrition science? How is exercise being fueled for the different types of sports like; power sports, sprinting and endurance exercise? And how does protein support skeletal muscle mass and performance? In this online course you will learn to estimate energy needs and understand thermoregulation and fluid balance. You will learn about the role of micronutrients and supplements in exercise performance. Moreover, you will be introduced to some health issues related to doing exercise.
Upcoming start dates
Suitability - Who should attend?
Prerequisites
Basis knowledge about nutrition.
If you have no basic knowledge about nutrition, we would recommend you to join the MOOC Nutrition and Health: Micronutrients and Malnutrition first. The MOOC Nutrition and Health: Macronutrients and Overnutrition could alsoserve as a valuable preparation.
Outcome / Qualification etc.
What you'll learn
- The key concepts of exercise physiology and sports nutrition science
- Important nutritional aspects of exercise including energy, carbohydrates & fats, protein metabolism and fluid balance
- Why certain nutritional strategies can enhance exercise and sports performance
- The role of micronutrients and supplements in exercise and sports
- The relationship between Exercise, Nutrition and Health, also during ageing
- Develop a critical mind-set in the field of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports
Training Course Content
Week 1 | Introduction to Sport Nutrition (Science)
Key topics:
An introduction into Sports, Exercise and Nutrition, including types of Sports, Sport Nutrition Pyramid. An introduction into Sport Nutrition Science - including empirical cycle, study designs, critical issues and performance measurements.
Week 2 | Skeletal Muscle, Exercise and Sports
Key topics:
An introduction into Skeletal muscle anatomy & physiology, including contraction and energy transfer. Exercise capacity: Power & Endurance. Cardiopulmonal system during Exercise
Week 3 | Energy and Fluid balance
Key topics:
Energy requirement, energy availability. Thermoregulation, Fluid balance, (de)hydration & rehydration strategies
Week 4 | Macronutrients
Key topics:
Carbohydrates & fats as energy source, nutritional strategies. Skeletal muscle protein metabolism and dietary protein intake.
Week 5 | Micronutrients and ergogenic supplements
Key topics:
Function of micronutrients and recommendations: Iron, Magnesium, calcium and Vitamins D and B. Ergogenic supplements and sports performance
Week 6 | Exercise and Nutrition during ageing
Key topics:
Skeletal muscle and ageing, Protein & Exercise in older adults, Intervention strategies
Course delivery details
This course is offered through Wageningen University & Research, a partner institute of EdX.
4-8 hours per week
Expenses
- Verified Track -$169
- Audit Track - Free