Nadia Qureshi, MD

Professor, Pediatrics and Pediatrics Infectious Disease

Elective coordinator: Natalie Hiller nhiller@luc.edu

Teaching assistants 2025-2026:

Catherine Kim, ckim25@luc.edu

Janna Kotsen jkotsen@luc.edu

DESCRIPTION AND COURSE OBJECTIVES:

This part-time elective (one week of elective credit) is designed to provide M2-M4 medical students with a comprehensive understanding of the most current information that is available regarding nutrition and its impact on our health. This course will cover topics such as understanding the nutrition label, processed foods, the best options available in each of the main food groups, and more. Using evidence-based medicine, this course aims to educate students on the consequences of how foods in our current society can either help or harm our health. With this information, students will be better prepared to provide preventative medicine and integrate nutritional considerations into their clinical practice, enhancing their care as future physicians, regardless of their chosen specialty.

Description of Activities: Throughout the course, students will attend lectures on zoom and/or in person on the nutritional topics covered in the course. Students will partake in a final project in which they will cook a dish for an in-person event. The dish must be made with ingredients that the students learned are healthier options, as outlined in the course lectures. Students will bring their food, accompanied by an ingredient list, to the final meeting where students can share their food and recipe with other students. 

Elective Curriculum

1. Introduction

This part-time elective (one week of elective credit) is designed to provide medical students with a comprehensive understanding of the most current information that is available regarding nutrition and its impact on our health. This course will cover topics such as understanding the nutrition label, processed foods, the best options available in each of the main food groups, and more. Using evidence-based medicine, this course aims to educate students on the consequences of how foods in our current society can either help or harm our health. With this information, students will be better prepared to provide preventative medicine and integrate nutritional considerations into their clinical practice, enhancing their care as future physicians, regardless of their chosen specialty.

2. Course Objectives
   • Medical Knowledge
     1. Describe the biochemical processes that occur in the human body upon consumption of various nutrients
     2. Define processed foods and how they affect our body
     3. Understand how an excess of sugar, both natural and unnatural, affects our body
     4. Outline the various types of fats and oils that are commonly used and describe the benefits and drawbacks of each
     5. Describe the advantages and disadvantages of the most popular diets
   • Patient Care
     1. Be able to describe the significance of components of the nutritional label to patients
     2. Educate patients on the most up to date clinical knowledge regarding a healthy diet plan
     3. Provide dietary guidance to patients based on their specific diagnoses
     4. Utilize a holistic and preventative approach to patient care
   • Interpersonal and Communication Skills
     1. Utilize an empathetic approach when counseling patients on dietary changes necessary to obtain their health goals
     2. In laymen’s terms, be able to explain how various nutrients impact our health
     3. Demonstrate culturally sensitive communication when discussing dietary recommendations, considering patients with diverse backgrounds and beliefs
   • Professionalism
     1. Recognize and address personal biases while providing nutritional counseling
     2. Respect patient’s autonomy and confidentiality when considering healthcare decisions
   • Practice-Based Learning and Improvement
     1. Critically assess and apply up to date research findings when developing nutritional plans for future patients
     2. Utilize the course content to modify or create new recipes that are comprised of healthy ingredients
     3. Apply lecture content to formulate grocery lists for future patients to utilize
   • Systems Based Practice
     1. Analyze the impact of healthcare policies and regulations on current nutritional guidelines
     2. Identify government-assisted programs to aid in providing food for individuals with limited resources
   • Interprofessional Collaboration
     1. Collaborate with interdisciplinary healthcare teams, acknowledging the importance of a team-based approach to patient care
     2. Identify the diverse professionals that have unique roles in aiding nutritional counseling, including MDs/DOs, dieticians, physical therapists, etc
   • Personal and Professional Development
     1. Seek the opportunity to incorporate preventative medicine in future care encounters
     2. Obtain the ability to appropriately advise future patients on current nutritional recommendations
     3. Actively engage in remaining up to date with new research that is relevant to nutritional medicine as the field continues to grow

 Requirements: In order to receive the 1-week credit, students must complete the following:

• • Attend all of the required lectures, with the exception of 1 absence permitted (10-11 hours total)
  • Complete the pre-rotation and post-rotation quizzes covering lecture content by the end of the elective period
  • Complete a mid-elective evaluation and a ½ page reflection on what modifications (if any) you have made in your own life or clinical practice based on course content.
  • Final Project: For the final project, students will work in groups of 2-3 students to create a dish to share with the class, potluck style. In addition to preparing the dish, they are required to create a nutrition label based on the ingredients and quantities used in the recipe. Their dish should align with the principles of a “healthy” diet as discussed throughout the course. Consider incorporating clean ingredients, high-protein content, whole foods, or other elements that contribute to its healthfulness.
    1. Brief Description: Include a short explanation of your dish (e.g., snack, breakfast, lunch, or dinner), why it is healthy, and any relevant insights from our lectures. These can be modified from an existing recipe with healthier ingredients or your own creations!
    2. ** If students are unable to attend this date, an alternate assignment will be provided in order to fulfill the final project requirement

Lecture Specific Objectives:

• Nutrition labels- "What's in it?
  • Demonstrate proficiency in reading and interpreting Nutrition Facts labels on food packaging
  • Analyze the significance of ingredient lists on food labels
  • Evaluate the accuracy and relevance of nutrition content claims on food labels.
  • Recognize various names and synonyms for added sugars, unhealthy fats, and other potentially misleading ingredients commonly found on food labels.
  • Identify potential pitfalls and limitations of relying solely on nutrition labels for assessing the healthfulness of food products, including understanding the impact of processing and food marketing tactics.

• Sugar- The Bittersweet
  • Understand the physiological processes involved in sugar metabolism within the body, including the roles of the liver, brain, and insulin regulation.
  • Evaluate the relationship between sugar intake and insulin resistance, including the development of metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes.
  • Analyze the metabolic pathways of fructose and its distinct effects on the body compared to other sugars, such as glucose and sucrose.
  • Discuss the potential health implications of consuming alternative sugar forms.

• The impact of lifestyle on the composition and quality of the gut microbiota and human health outcomes.
  • The development and role of the human gut microbiota.
  • Gut produced microbial metabolites are critical for human function.
  • The impact of nutrition in shaping composition and quality of the gut microbiota
  • The gut microbiota drive human disease risk
  • The gut microbiota, short chain fatty acids and adiposity risk across the epidemiologic transition.

• Know your fats
  • Define what is a fat
  • Discuss the physical characteristics of fats
  • Review the chemical structure of fats and their biologic function
  • Review the digestion and absorption of fats
  • Review natural occurring fat sources and daily requirements
  • Discuss the labeling of fats in the market place.
  • Discuss the dangers of Industrial oils and fats ("designer fats")

• Healthy Protein Consumption
  • Understand the health benefits of a lean protein-focused diet 
  • Identify the general minimum protein content recommended for patients
  • Discuss adequacy of protein in vegetarians/vegans
  • Identify concerning trends regarding meat selections in modern diets

• You are what you eat!- Role of Nutrition in Prevention and Causation of Cancer
  • Understand the statistics regarding cancer, increasing cancer numbers in younger age group, and increase in obesity.
  • Understand the correlation between nutrition, obesity and cancer (what you eat may affect your genes)
  • Understand the national guidelines for nutrition.
  • Understand the role of Mediterranean diet, plant-based diets, intermittent fasting in reducing risk of cancer.
  • Understand how to apply this knowledge practically for themselves and for their patients to lead a healthy life.

• Lifestyle, Nutrition and Healthy Pregnancy
  • Define lifestyle medicine
  • Review evidence for nutrition recommendations in pregnancy
  • Review evidence for exercise and other lifestyle recommendations in pregnancy
  • Discuss how to optimize nutrition and lifestyle practices in the preconception and postpartum period

• Integrating Resistance Training into Clinical Nutrition: Benefits and Guidelines for Patient Program Design
  • Understand the physiological adaptations and health benefits of resistance training, including its impact on muscle mass, metabolic health, and bone density.
  • Identify key considerations for designing safe and effective resistance training programs tailored to patients with varying medical conditions, such as osteoporosis, diabetes, and obesity.
  • Discuss the role of resistance training in promoting weight management, insulin sensitivity, and overall metabolic health within a clinical nutrition framework.
  • Explore evidence-based recommendations for resistance training frequency, intensity, volume, and progression suitable for patients undergoing nutritional interventions.
  • Evaluate case studies and practical examples to illustrate the integration of resistance training prescriptions into comprehensive patient care plans aimed at optimizing health outcomes.

• Optimizing Cardiovascular Health through Aerobic Training: Implications for Clinical Nutrition
  • Examine the physiological benefits of aerobic exercise on cardiovascular health, including improvements in aerobic capacity, blood pressure regulation, lipid profiles, and endothelial function.
  • Discuss the interplay between aerobic training and dietary interventions in managing and preventing chronic diseases such as hypertension, dyslipidemia, and cardiovascular disease.
  • Identify principles for prescribing aerobic exercise programs tailored to patients with specific medical conditions, such as coronary artery disease, obesity, and metabolic syndrome.
  • Explore the role of aerobic exercise in enhancing nutrient metabolism, energy expenditure, and weight loss strategies within a clinical nutrition context.
  • Apply evidence-based strategies for implementing aerobic training protocols, including frequency, duration, intensity, and progression, in patient-centered care plans for improved cardiovascular and metabolic outcomes.

Tentative Lecture Dates/ Times (AY2025-2026)    Subjected to change- please see Sakai for updated schedule. The bolded lectures are confirmed for AY 25-26.

Note: Most lectures will be held in person at SSOM. Exceptions for a zoom option will be made for M3 and M4 students who are on clinical rotations outside of SSOM on a case-by-case basis.

Methods of Assessment

1. 1. Students will be evaluated on the basis of each of four components:
   2. Attendance in required lectures (50%)
      1. Final Quiz (15%)
      2. Mid-rotation feedback (15%)
      3. Final Project (20%)