The School of Life · biology, medicine & health
Nutrition & Public Health
What food does inside the body, and how health is protected across whole populations.
What the body needs from food and why — the science of nutrients, digestion, and health.
Syllabus · 4 units · ~26 hours
Unit I — Food and Energy
Nutrients and their roles · Digestion and absorption · Energy balance · Reading a nutrition label
Unit II — The Macronutrients
Carbohydrates · Proteins and amino acids · Fats and fatty acids · Water and hydration
Unit III — The Micronutrients
Vitamins · Minerals · Deficiency and excess · Antioxidants and phytochemicals
Unit IV — Nutrition and Health
Dietary guidelines · Weight and metabolism · Diet and chronic disease · Evaluating nutrition claims
How we count disease, find its causes, and measure whether treatments and policies work.
Syllabus · 4 units · ~28 hours
Unit I — Measuring Health
Incidence and prevalence · Rates and ratios · Measures of association · Sources of health data
Unit II — Study Designs
Cohort studies · Case-control studies · Cross-sectional and ecological studies · Randomized trials
Unit III — Interpreting Evidence
Bias and confounding · Causation versus association · Screening and diagnostic tests · Meta-analysis
Unit IV — Epidemiology in Action
Outbreak investigation · Surveillance systems · Infectious disease dynamics · Chronic disease epidemiology
How communities keep whole populations healthy — from clean water to vaccination to policy.
Syllabus · 4 units · ~24 hours
Unit I — What Public Health Is
The history of public health · Prevention at three levels · Determinants of health · The core functions
Unit II — Protecting Populations
Environmental health · Food and water safety · Infectious disease control · Occupational health
Unit III — Health and Society
Social determinants and equity · Health behavior and promotion · Maternal and child health · Global health
Unit IV — Systems and Policy
How health systems are organized · Health economics in brief · Making health policy · Emergency preparedness
How nutritional needs change from the womb to old age, and how to meet them at each stage.
Syllabus · 4 units · ~22 hours
Unit I — Early Life
Nutrition in pregnancy · Infant feeding and breastfeeding · Introducing solid foods · Growth and monitoring
Unit II — Childhood and Adolescence
Feeding young children · The school-age years · Adolescent needs · Building lifelong habits
Unit III — Adulthood
Nutrition for adults · Nutrition and physical activity · Nutrition and fertility · Preventing chronic disease
Unit IV — Later Life
Aging and appetite · Nutrient needs in older adults · Malnutrition and its signs · Food, dignity, and care
A practical guide to feeding yourself well — planning, shopping, and cooking with confidence.
Syllabus · 3 units · ~12 hours
Unit I — The Basics of a Good Diet
What a balanced plate looks like · Making sense of food labels · Portion and hunger · Sorting fact from food myth
Unit II — Planning and Shopping
Planning meals for the week · Shopping on a budget · Reading the grocery aisle · Storing food safely
Unit III — Cooking for Health
Simple cooking methods · Building flavor without excess · Eating out wisely · Small, lasting changes