Learn about Nutrition, Exercise and Sports and understand how nutrition can support exercise and sports performance.
Course Details
| Language | English |
| Duration | 6 weeks |
| Effort | 4-8 hrs/wk |
Description
Are you involved in sports or regular exercise and do you want to have a better understanding of the role of nutrition on performance and health? Do you want to learn whether certain nutritional strategies could be relevant for your own athletic performance and/or muscle growth? Are you a dietitian, personal trainer, physiotherapist or a health/sport coach and do you want to be able to provide proper nutritional advice for your clients? Or, are you none of the above but interested in nutrition, exercise and sports and do you want to make your own informed decisions about your daily food intake?
Then this online course Nutrition, Exercise and Sports is for you! Nutrition is crucial to live an active and healthy life, to support training, and to optimize performance. In this online course, researchers and teachers from Wageningen University & Research will familiarize you with the nutritional aspects of exercise and sports. What are the basic concepts in exercise physiology and sport nutrition science? How is exercise being fueled for the different types of sports like; power sports, sprinting and endurance exercise? And how does protein support skeletal muscle mass and performance? In this online course you will learn to estimate energy needs and understand thermoregulation and fluid balance. You will learn about the role of micronutrients and supplements in exercise performance. Moreover, you will be introduced to some health issues related to doing exercise.
This online course also touches upon how the lessons learned from nutrition and sports research can be applied during ageing. For example, what are the benefits of extra protein in vulnerable age groups?
Be aware that this online course will not tell you exactly what to eat. Instead, you will learn and understand the nutritional aspects of physical activity and sport, so you can make your own informed decisions and critically evaluate nutritional advices and claims.
Is this course for you?
The online course Nutrition, Exercise and Sports is especially useful for:
- Sport and health coaches, physiotherapists, personal trainers and dietitians
- People working in the sport food industry
- Professional athletes
- Everyone with a healthy appetite for knowledge about nutrition, exercise and sports
Ready to join the MOOC Nutrition, Exercise and Sports? This online course contains several interesting and inspiring interviews with nutrition and sport professionals. It will provide a basic understanding of nutrition, exercise and sports, and contains challenging assignments that will give you insight into nutritional needs and performance benefits for your athletes, your clients or yourself.
What You Will Learn
After successful completion of this course, you will be able to:
- The key concepts of exercise physiology and sports nutrition science
- Important nutritional aspects of exercise including energy, carbohydrates and fats, protein metabolism, and fluid balance
- Why certain nutritional strategies can enhance exercise and sports performance
- The role of micronutrients and supplements in exercise and sports
- The relationship between exercise, nutrition and health, including during ageing
Grow these skills
Prerequisites
Basis knowledge about nutrition. If you have no basic knowledge about nutrition, we would recommend you to join the Nutrition and Health: Micronutrients and Malnutrition course first. The Nutrition and Health: Macronutrients and Overnutrition course could also serve as a valuable preparation.
Plan
Week 1 | Introduction to Sport Nutrition (Science)
Key topics include an introduction to sports, exercise and nutrition, including types of sports and the Sport Nutrition Pyramid. You will also be introduced to Sport Nutrition Science, including the empirical cycle, study designs, critical issues and performance measurements.
Week 2 | Skeletal Muscle, Exercise and Sports
Key topics include skeletal muscle anatomy and physiology, muscle contraction and energy transfer, exercise capacity (power and endurance), and the cardiopulmonary system during exercise.
Week 3 | Energy and Fluid Balance
Key topics include energy requirements, energy availability, thermoregulation, fluid balance, dehydration and rehydration strategies.
Week 4 | Macronutrients
Key topics include carbohydrates and fats as energy sources, nutritional strategies, skeletal muscle protein metabolism, and dietary protein intake.
Week 5 | Micronutrients and Ergogenic Supplements
Key topics include the functions and recommendations of micronutrients such as iron, magnesium, calcium, and vitamins D and B, as well as ergogenic supplements and sports performance.
Week 6 | Exercise and Nutrition during Ageing
Key topics include skeletal muscle and ageing, protein and exercise in older adults, and intervention strategies.
Learner Testimonials
"I enjoyed having a global view of the topic, ranging from muscle physiology, to nutrients, to hydration etc. The teaching staff was also very pleasant and easy to understand."
"Im so happy and satisfied about this course, becasuse futher give us really valuable information, this opened my mind to new knowledge, its so complete and i love the videos with drawins and examples."
"Although I had an advantage of knowledge before starting the course, I’ve learned more details about food and exercise. Loved that! Also, this course was a good ‘refreshment’, of my knowledge."
