HLTHPS010 - Interpret and use information about nutrition and diet

Unit code: HLTHPS010 | Study level: TAFE

Credit points

N/A

Location

Online

Prerequisites

N/A

Overview

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to interpret and use basic information about nutritional principles and healthy diet. It does not include the provision of therapeutic nutritional or dietary advice to individual clients or the recommendation of ‘practitioner only’ nutritional products.

This unit applies to individuals working with clients within the limits of the Australian dietary guidelines. They make referrals to other health professionals or accredited practising dietitians when those limits are exceeded.

Assessment

For Melbourne campuses

Assessment tasks will be designed to reinforce and extend knowledge and skill competence within set and controlled parameters in accordance with each unit’s learning outcomes and performance criteria requirements, including the setting of work based practical application tasks designed to provide evidence of competence outcomes, within periodic and scheduled timelines.

Students will be expected to demonstrate the following required skills:

used critical thinking skills to review and distil information about nutrition and diet, and;
used information about nutrition and diet within the scope of own job role in the provision of services to at least 3 different people.

Students will also be expected to demonstrate the following knowledge:

legal and ethical requirements in relation to the provision of nutritional and diet information to clients;
source of information about nutrition and diet and ways to assess their credibility;
established evidence-based sources of information about nutrition and diet;
anatomy and physiology relating to diet;
primary components of Australian dietary guidelines, including those for older Australians, children and adolescents;
foods and their key features as described in the Australian dietary guidelines, including diet related aspects of chronic disease;
basic principles and practices of nutrition and healthy diet, including nutrients, their function, recommended dietary intake (RDI), toxicity and their food sources;
benefits of antioxidants, and food groups that provide good sources;
influences on food choices for individuals;
food labelling and interpretation;
role and implications of using food additives and preservatives;
health implications of food choices;
role of good nutrition in avoiding dietary diseases;
effects of various processing and cooking methods and food storage on nutrients;
commonly encountered food intolerances;
main types and characteristics of special diets that are part of contemporary Australian society;
the meaning of: drug–food interactions, food allergy; food intolerance; alkaline and acidity charts, and;
indicators of need for referral to specialist advice.

Required reading

The qualified trainer and assessor will provide teaching and learning materials as required in the form of workbooks produced by the Polytechnic and/or via the Polytechnic e-learning system.