The intakes of certain nutrients and specific food groups positively influence our health and reduce our risk of non-communicable diseases. Our need for nutrients and specific foods, and the development of healthy behaviours vary across our lifespan and are at times critical to achieving and maintaining health. Our dietary recommendations are based on established evidence, and national health data and primary research provide us with evidence for how healthy or unhealthy our current diets and behaviours are.

To appreciate the role of food in our health and understand differences in needs for different population groups, we need to be able to locate and critically analyse the evidence and information available to us. This task aims to develop your ability to research and critically review current evidence and recommendations for nutritional intakes and behaviours of Australians at different stages of the lifespan.

Task Details:

To complete this task, you will be required to develop a 2000 word (+/- 10%) essay that will focus on one (1) food group and two (2) population groups, defined by stages of the lifespan. For example: you may choose FRUIT as your food group and TODDLERS/PRESCHOOLERS and OLDER ADULTS as your two population groups. In this example, your essay would be developed to answer the question: What is the role of fruit in the health and wellbeing of toddlers/preschoolers and older adults?

Specifically, you will choose:

• One (1) food group from the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating:
• Grain foods;
• Vegetables and legumes/beans;
• Fruit;
• Milk, Yoghurt, Cheese and alternatives;
• Lean meats and poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts and seeds and legumes/beans),

AND

• Two (2) two population groups based on the different stages of the lifespan:
• Pregnancy
• Toddlers/preschoolers (1-5 years)
• Children (6-12 years)
• Pre-adolescents/Adolescents (13-18 years)
• Young adulthood (19-25 years)
• Early and middle adulthood (26-60 years)
• Older adulthood (61-84 years),
• Late adulthood (85+ years).

Your essay should address the following key areas:

• Introduction: This section should provide an overview of -
• your chosen food group including the nutrients provided by such foods,
• the two population groups defined in relation to stages of the lifespan, and the main ideas addressed in the body of your essay.
• Body: This section should include evidence-based discussion of -
• current Australian recommendations for intakes of foods and nutrients related to chosen food group,
• strength of evidence, levels of consensus (and any 'new' evidence) for the above recommendations,
• the role of the food group and related nutrients in the health of individuals in chosen population groups,
• current intakes and behaviours of these foods and nutrients, by your chosen population groups in Australia, and
• recognised impacts/outcomes of such intakes and behaviours on the health of these population groups.

NOTE: the body of your essay can be separated with headings for each population group however, when developing your essay you should ensure linkage is developed between the two sections.

• Conclusion: This section should provide a -
• summary of the main points included in your essay, and
• final statement about implications of evidence discussed in the body of your essay.
• Reference list.

Your essay will be assessed against the following criteria:

• Introduction includes:
• clear and concise introductory statement about the topic being addressed,
• an overview of your chosen food group and the nutrients provided by this food group;
• identification of your two population groups, and
• a statement of the scope of the essay.

• Body provides relevant and evidence-based discussion for each chosen population group, of:
• current Australian recommendations for intakes of your chosen food group and related nutrients,
• the strength of evidence, levels of consensus (and any 'new' evidence) for these recommendations and the role of these foods/nutrients in the health of individuals,
• current intakes and behaviours in Australia, and
• impacts/outcomes of such intakes and behaviours on the health of individuals.

• Conclusion:
• provides summary of main issues discussed and clear statement of implications.
• Written expression:
• is clear and concise with no unsupported statements, generalisations, inconsistencies, confusing arguments or repetition.
• Organisation and presentation of essay:
• is well organised with logical flow of ideas, presented in professional manner, grammar and punctuation are accurate, meets word length, headings and spacing/alignment contribute to overall presentation.
• Use of evidence:
• discussion is supported by appropriate evidence and referencing style is used accurately and consistently throughout. NOTE: there is no minimum or maximum number of references assigned for this task but it is expected that all statements and sources of evidence are appropriately referenced, and reliable sources are used.

Student are permitted to use Generative AI for this assessment in the following ways:

• developing literature search strategies
• compiling suitable literature sources and locating data
• guidance for structuring the assignment

If Generative AI is used in any way, it must be cited as per the CQU Guidelines (Academic Learning Centre). If students choose to use generative AI, the following statement must be completed and included on the front page of the uploaded assessment: "I have used (insert technology) to (insert how you used this) in accordance with the requirements of this unit. The reason I used this was to (explain why you used it). The details of how I used it as (insert how). I hereby declare that the submission is an appropriate representation of my individual skills and abilities to meet the requirements of the task/s."

As per academic writing requirements and assessment criteria; citations of information should be of the primary source (i.e. statistics returned by AI must be fact-checked and referenced from their original source as well as the AI source).

Failure to cite primary sources as well as AI sources could be considered a breach of academic integrity.

Your use of Generative AI must be clearly outlined in an appendix as a separate file which includes the prompt used and Generative AI response (in line with marking rubric). Failure to include an appendix may result in academic integrity investigation.

You are required to attend a one-day practical session (residential school), on Week 10 Tuesday at the Rockhampton campus. This assessment task involves 1) an Observational Assessment AND 2) a Laboratory Workbook.

1) Observational Assessment (Pass/Fail assessment task):

At the residential school, you will be assessed on your knowledge, competence and skills in relation to Nutrition Assessment including a 24hr dietary recall and anthropometric measurements. You will be observed and evaluated by a trained nutritionist or dietitian. Details for this assessment task will be provided on the unit Moodle page.

2) Laboratory Workbook (Marked assessment task):

The workbook will contain tasks for your residential school. Some of these tasks can be completed during your residential school and some will require further research to be completed.  You will have one (1) week from your residential school to submit your completed laboratory workbook (due, week 11 Tuesday at 5pm AEST).

Details for practical assessment and laboratory workbook criteria will be provided on the unit Moodle page.