Edexcel Level 3 BTEC Nationals in Health and Social Care

UNIT 21: NUTRITION FOR HEALTH AND SOCIAL CAREUnit 21:Nutrition for Health and SocialCareNQF Level 3:Guided learning hours: 60BTEC NationalUnit abstractThis unit builds on the understanding of the principles introduced in Unit 5:Fundamentals of Anatomy and Physiology for Health and Social Care and alsoUnit 15: Biochemistry for Health.Improvements in nutritional health are increasingly being recognised as importantfactors in effecting improvements in the health of the population. It is thereforeimportant that those who work in the health and social care sectors, or those whoare responsible for the wellbeing of others, have a good understanding of nutritionand diet. This unit provides an understanding of nutrients from a science-basedperspective, but also develops understanding of the role that food plays in socialcontexts. It develops in more detail nutritional concepts introduced in the Level 2BTEC Award in Nutrition Awareness. The unit also will provide useful underpinningknowledge for the study of food hygiene and of practical culinary skills.Learners will be introduced to the concept of nutritional health through exploring anumber of definitions and different ways of describing diet and food intake. Thecharacteristics of macronutrients and micronutrients in terms of their chemicalcomposition and behaviour in cooking, digestion and in human metabolism will beexplored, and related to the nutritional requirements for different individuals. Theeffects of non-food substances that may be ingested and that influence health willalso be considered.Learners will then investigate the importance of nutrition for different populationgroups, and relate this to risks to health as well as to socio-economic factors thatinfluence food intakes. Other influences such as practices in the food industry,institutional catering, health education, and labelling of foods will also be examined.Finally, learners will carry out a quantitative study of the food intake of a chosenindividual, analyse it in relation to the health and lifestyle choices of the individualchosen, and prepare a plan to improve the nutritional intake of the individual.This unit will provide learners with a good understanding of the practical applicationof nutritional concepts based on scientific principles, as well as an understanding ofthe role food plays in social contexts. The knowledge gained will be valuable to thoseworking in a caring capacity, or catering for vulnerable groups.BN018467 – Specification – Edexcel Level 3 BTEC Nationals in Health and Social Care– Issue 1 – February 2007 © Edexcel Limited 2007283