The 20-week programme consists of theory lessons, guest lectures, excursions, and interdisciplinary project work.
Theory and guest lectures
Theory lessons are designed around the food environment and the consumer. You will learn about nutrition and health, and what the term ‘food environment’ means. Lectures on behavioural change will give you insight into various strategies that encourage consumers to make healthier choices. Legislation and labelling lessons look in detail at the information on food packaging. There are assignments linked to all lessons, so you can further familiarise yourself with the material.
Many guest speakers will inspire you and offer insight into their perspective on the food environment. Well-known scientists, the food industry, social organisations, food services, and local or national government authorities explain their role in the food environment and what they can contribute. There is plenty of opportunity for discussion with the speakers during these lectures, so you can gain insight into the interests of various stakeholders and form your own critical opinion about the food environment. A number of excursions are included in the programme.
Project
In addition to the theory lessons, you will spend 20 weeks working in a multidisciplinary group on a project to gradually make the food environment healthier. You will first conduct thorough research into the food environment, then devise a strategy to improve it so that consumers can eat more healthily. This strategy is presented to the client and lecturers at the end of the programme.
The projects vary per year. Some examples of projects:
- Design a supermarket (e-store) of the future to help consumers make healthy choices;
- Introduce healthy school lunches at primary schools, hospitals or other healthcare facilities;
- Develop a pre-test for food companies to avoid misleading labels;
- Encourage pupils in primary schools to drink water;
- Investigate the amount of fat and calories in pizzas from different pizza chains;
- Design a campus for the future.
