Information Package / Course Catalogue
| Course Code | : BDB332 |
| Course Type | : Area Elective |
| Couse Group | : First Cycle (Bachelor's Degree) |
| Education Language | : Turkish |
| Work Placement | : N/A |
| Theory | : 2 |
| Prt. | : 0 |
| Credit | : 2 |
| Lab | : 0 |
| ECTS | : 4 |
The primary objective of this course is to equip nutrition and dietetics students with the skills to develop evidence-based meal plans that meet the physiological, metabolic, and clinical needs of individuals at different life stages and with specific health conditions. Students will gain the competence to design individualized, culturally appropriate, and practical menu plans for specific life stages—including pregnancy, infancy, childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and old age—as well as for special conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, kidney diseases, obesity, cancer, food allergies, and vegetarian/vegan diets. The course also covers the organization, standards, and therapeutic diet specifications of hospital and institutional menu planning systems.
This course covers the principles of menu planning for special populations from both theoretical and practical perspectives. First, it addresses fundamental concepts such as menu design constraints, individualization, and the life-cycle approach, as well as topics related to maternal nutrition (pregnancy, lactation, gestational diabetes). It then covers nutrient requirements specific to growth stages from infancy through adolescence, complementary feeding, school nutrition programs, and energy and micronutrient needs during periods of rapid growth. Subsequently, the course addresses special adult populations and chronic conditions, including nutritional risks in the elderly, sports nutrition, obesity management, and medical nutrition therapy (MNT) for diabetes. Finally, it covers cardiovascular and renal diseases, cancer, food allergies, plant-based dietary models, and hospital/institutional menu planning systems. Each week, the course focuses on the physiological characteristics of the relevant population, changes in nutritional requirements, therapeutic diet principles, and practical menu examples.
| 1. | By analyzing the physiological and metabolic characteristics of individuals at different life stages (pregnancy, infancy, childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and old age), one can determine the specific nutritional needs and menu planning constraints for each group. |
| 2. | For chronic conditions and specific situations such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, kidney diseases, obesity, cancer, and food allergies, we can design personalized meal plans by applying the principles of evidence-based medical nutrition therapy (MNT). |
| 3. | Can evaluate existing menu plans and institutional food service programs (schools, hospitals, nursing homes) in accordance with national and international nutrition standards, therapeutic diet specifications, and clinical guidelines, and develop recommendations for improvement. |
| 4. | By integrating cultural dietary habits, socioeconomic factors, individual preferences, and clinical needs, we can develop multi-week menu cycles that are feasible and acceptable for various specific groups and ensure adequate nutrient intake. |
| 5. | By identifying nutritional issues encountered in specific patient groups (risk of malnutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, treatment-related side effects, and swallowing difficulties), they can recommend evidence-based nutritional interventions and menu adaptations. |
| 6. | They can present the meal plans and nutrition recommendations they have prepared in a language and format appropriate for the target audience (patients, families, healthcare professionals, and institutional administrators) and develop nutrition education materials. |
| 1. | Mak, R. H., Rees, L., Parekh, R. S., Warady, B. A., & Greenbaum, L. A. (2023). Nutrition management for chronic kidney disease: Differences and special needs for children and adults. Kidney International Reports, 8(7), 1330-1342. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ekir.2023.04.028 |
| 2. | Middleton, C. G., Hannan-Jones, M., Pereira, L., & Williams, L. T. (2025). Alignment of menu items offered in Canadian long-term care homes with Canada's Food Guide and the Diabetes Canada Clinical Practice Guidelines. Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research, 86(1), 12-18. https://doi.org/10.3148/cjdpr-2024-015 |
| 3. | Vasile, F. C., Preda, A., Stefan, A. G., Vladu, M. I., Fortofoiu, M. C., Clenciu, D., Mitrea, A., Mota, M., & Fortofoiu, M. (2021). An update of medical nutrition therapy in gestational diabetes mellitus. Journal of Diabetes Research, 2021, Article 5266919. https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/5266919 |
| 4. | Al-Barrak, M. K. H., Alshammari, A. M., Alshammari, T. K., Alajmi, R. A., Alshammari, S. A., Alshammari, A. A., Alanazi, A. D., Alenezi, O. A., Alanazi, M. M., Alanazi, M. M., Alanazi, T. M., & Alanazi, F. S. (2024). Nutrition and hydration across the lifespan: Integrating nursing care and nutritional science. Revista Espanola de Nutricion Humana y Dietetica, 28(Suppl. 1), 123-135. |
| 5. | Bianchini, V. U., Rauber, F., Galastri Baraldi, L., Moreira Andrade, G., Mais, L. A., & Martins, A. P. B. (2020). Criteria adopted for school menu planning within the framework of the Brazilian School Feeding Program. Revista de Nutricao, 33, Article e190242. https://doi.org/10.1590/1678-9865202033e190242 |
| Type of Assessment | Count | Percent |
|---|---|---|
| Assignment | 1 | %10 |
| Quiz | 1 | %10 |
| Midterm Examination | 1 | %20 |
| Final Examination | 1 | %60 |
| Activities | Count | Preparation | Time | Total Work Load (hours) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lecture - Theory | 14 | 3 | 2 | 70 |
| Assignment | 1 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| Quiz | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Midterm Examination | 1 | 10 | 1 | 11 |
| Final Examination | 1 | 10 | 1 | 11 |
| TOTAL WORKLOAD (hours) | 99 | |||
PÇ-1 | PÇ-2 | PÇ-3 | PÇ-4 | PÇ-5 | PÇ-6 | PÇ-7 | PÇ-8 | PÇ-9 | PÇ-10 | |
OÇ-1 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3 | ||||||
OÇ-2 | 4 | 5 | 4 | |||||||
OÇ-3 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | |||||
OÇ-4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | ||||||
OÇ-5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | |||||
OÇ-6 | 5 | 4 | ||||||||