Physical Activity, Nutrition, and Health (NUTR-0272)

Spring 2025 · NUTR 0272 · Tufts University · 3 credits · Undergraduate

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.

Course codes: NUTR-0272, NUTR 0272, NUTR0272, NUTR-272, NUTR 272, NUTR272

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