Identifies food constituents (macro and micro-nutrients, phytonutrients) that can help prevent or treat disease. Describes how modern processed foods can adversely impact health. Outlines the major benefits of healthy eating related to immune function, aging, gastrointestinal (GI) functions, and cognition. Explains the role of nutrigenomics and personalized nutrition in optimizing gene activity or expression. Describes how nutrition myths, pseudoscience, and an obsession with “clean eating” can compromise health and lead to orthorexia. Outlines how the information in this course can be used to improve patient care outcomes. Describes, based on the information presented, the implications for dentistry, mental health, pharmacy, nursing, dentistry, occupational, and physical therapy, and other health professionals.

Explains the complex nature of body fat and why both too much and too little are deleterious to health. Describes how genes, eating behavior, macronutrients, physiology, microorganisms, and the environment interact to produce obesity. Outlines how the food industry’s production of hyperpalatable foods fuels sweet, fat, and salt addiction and the obesity epidemic. Identifies the most effective diets that could produce long-lasting results in weight loss. Explains strategies for maintaining successful weight loss, managing food cravings, and treating emotional overeating. Identifies the relative effectiveness of diet, exercise, medications, and surgery in maintaining weight loss. Describes how the information in this course can be utilized to improve patient care and patient outcomes. Describes, for this course, the implications for dentistry, mental health, nursing, and other healthcare professions.

Describes how the biopsychosocial model of health and how disease impacts aging, health, life span, and longevity. Explains the dfferences between normal aging and age-related disease and their effects on life span and longevity, including periodontal disease. Describes the effects of genetics, epigenetics, and the environment on aging. Describes how the body and brain age at the cellular, tissue, organ, and organ system levels. Explains the causes of recent increases in life expectancy in the world and the United States. Describes the “super-ager” centenarians who have the longest and healthiest lives among all people. Lists the ten bio-psycho-social behavioral choices that everyone can do to extend health and life spans. Describes how the information in this course can be utilized to improve patient care and patient outcomes. Describes, for this course, the implications for dentistry, mental health, nursing, and other healthcare professions.