Department of Health and Social Care

Unit 21 Nutrition for Health and Social Care (10)

Task/Challenge Brief

BTEC Level 3 Diploma in Health and Social Care

Year
Unit Title

13

Nutrition for Health and Social Care

Assessment
Title:
Deadline Date:
Task No:
Outcomes
to
be achieved:

The Nutritionists advice

Thursday 10th September- Friday 18th December
P1- D2
1 Understand concepts of nutritional health
2 Know the characteristics of nutrients
3 Understand influences on dietary intake and nutritional
health
4 Be able to use dietary and other relevant information from
an individual to make recommendations to improve nutritional
health.

Assessment Criteria
P1

P2
M1

P3
M2
D1

P4
M3

P5

D2

Task Checker and Presentation Expectations

Mark off each task as you complete it

TASK

Brief description of the task

P1
P2
P3
P4
P5
M1

Glossary of key terms & newspaper article

Display of nutrients
Fact file of dietary intake
3 day food analysis
One week plan
Similarities and differences of nutritional and
energy
Assess influences affect the nutritional health
Assess the plan meets the nutritional needs
Make realistic recommendations
Evaluate how the plan might improve health

M2
M3
D1
D2

Done
it?

PASS- Everyone must complete all the pass tasks to achieve a grade E.
MERIT- For students targeted C and those who want to try the extra challenge!
DISTINCTION-For students targeted A and those who want to try the extra challenge

Presentation standards

All work must be hole punched into your folder wallet

All work must be in order of assignments.
Your mark sheet must be at the top of all your work, followed on the
next page by your own front cover.
You must sign the mark sheet where it says Student signature
All work must have the correct title number e.g. P1
There must be no plastic wallets anywhere in your work.
Work can be word processed or hand written.
All quotes are in bold with a reference.
All sources must be highlighted in the bibliography.
You must include a bibliography and appendixes at the very back.

Unit 20- Promoting Health Education

You are a nutritionist and

have been given the
responsibility to build a
health promotion file for
your local health authority,
explaining the concepts of
nutritional health and the
potential risks to health of
inappropriate nutrition. You
need to do each of the
tasks they have asked you
to.

Learning Outcomes:
1 Understand concepts of nutritional health
2 Know the characteristics of nutrients
3 Understand influences on dietary intake and nutritional health
4 Be able to use dietary and other relevant information from an individual to make
recommendations to improve nutritional health.

In order to pass this unit you are expected to complete 5 assignments.

Each assignment is broken down into separate tasks that will meet all of
the grading criteria in order to pass the unit.
You have been prepared for your coursework tasks by learning about each
topic in class. You will find that your class work will help you to complete
each task and understand it better.

Assignment 1

P1- Explain concepts associated with nutritional health

Task- Care workers will need to use nutritional terminology accurately and
be aware of current debates relating to food and nutrition.
1. For the health promotion you need to include a glossary of terms with
an explanation of the concepts of nutritional health from the list of
keywords below.
Set out the glossary in alphabetical order use the terminology as the title
and a definition/explanation of the term underneath: This may be a couple of
sentences or a paragraph, include examples and illustrations Take a look at
the glossary in the back of the BTEC books as an example of glossary layout
remember to put the definition/explanation in your own words and make a
note of where you sourced the information so you can create a bibliography;
any direct quotes must be referenced.
Use examples and diagrams to help illustrate meanings:
Concepts: food, diet, meals and snacks, nutrients
Nutritional health: malnutrition, undernutrition, deficiency, overweight, obesity
Nutritional measures: nutritional and energy balance, growth charts, weight for height and
gender, Body Mass Index (BMI); actual food intakes, recommended intakes: Dietary Reference
Values, Reference
Nutrient Intakes; nutrients per portion and per 100 g of food
Dietary intake guidelines: Eatwell Plate, food groups, five-a-day; effect of food
preparation/processing methods

2. Current nutritional issues: CHOOSE ONE from the list on the writing
frame:
Set out this piece of work in a newspaper column format; use the
terminology as the headline and underneath write up a report on the current
debate concerning the subject you have chosen:
This may be a couple of pages, you can include examples, quotes, diagrams
and illustrations remember to put the report in your own words and make
a note of where you sourced the information so you can create a
bibliography; Research using current media e.g. newspapers, books, TV
programs, white papers, BBC news and report the issues around the chosen
subject:
Current nutritional issues: one of the following e.g. food labelling, organic food, genetically
modified foods, environmental aspects of food production, self-prescribed health supplements,
treatments for obesity, advertising food, global food inequalities.

Assignment 2

P2- Describe the characteristics of nutrients and their benefits to the body

Task- You have been asked to complete a display for an open day for Health and Social Care staff you need
to: describe the characteristics of nutrients and their benefits to the body; using the nutrient as the title and the
nutrient subcategories as subtitles. Included should be characteristics such as dietary sources, function in the
body, changes that happen in processing; when in storage, heated and frozen.
Characteristics: dietary sources, function in body, changes in processing, e.g. heat, storage,
freezing
Carbohydrates: sugars, starch, non-starch polysaccharides; sugar substitutes, e.g. artificial
sweeteners, sorbitol
Proteins: polypeptides, essential and non-essential amino acids
Lipids: mono- and polyunsaturates; saturates, cis and trans fats; cholesterol
Vitamins: fat-soluble, e.g. A, D, E and K; water-soluble: B group, C
Minerals: iron, calcium, others, e.g. magnesium, sodium, potassium, selenium, zinc
Energy: dietary sources, as kilocalories and kilojoules, energy values for protein, fat,
carbohydrate and alcohol
Other diet-related consumption: water, dietary fibre, alcohol
Physiological context: nutrient functions explained using appropriate physiological terminology
relevant to the body systems and metabolic processes, e.g. converted in liver to fatty acids stored
in adipose tissue, absorption of calcium in small intestine
Groups: young children, young people, adults, older people, pregnant women and breast feeding
mothers

M1- Discuss similarities and differences in the nutritional and energy

requirements of two groups of individuals
Task- You have been asked to provide advice to staff members which
discusses the similarities and differences in the nutritional and energy
requirements of two groups of individuals for example children and older
adults:
You can achieve this by comparing the two groups in an essay style, using
examples and quotes from scientific research and government guidelines:
(1000 words)
Include examples, quotes, diagrams and illustrations remember to use
your own words and make a note of where you sourced the information so
you can create a bibliography.

Assignment 3

P3- Explain possible influences on dietary intake

Task- Food is essential for life but what we eat is subject to a wide range of
influences. Recognising these and taking account of them when planning
menus and preparing food can make the difference between an individual
eating sufficiently for their needs or not.
Create a fact file, which (P3) explains possible influences on dietary intake.

Included must be health factors, dietary habits, lifestyle, economic

influences, socio cultural, education and social policy, you could use these
terms as headings (minimum 500 words)
Health factors: underlying health condition resulting in specific nutrient needs, e.g.
diabetes, coeliac disease, irritable bowel syndrome, lactose intolerance, food allergy; loss
of ability to feed independently, e.g. from paralysis; loss of function, e.g. cognitive,
digestive
Dietary habits: influences, e.g. meal patterns, snacking, personal tastes, food
availability
Lifestyle: influences, e.g. eating at home, social eating and drinking, exercise/activity
levels, occupation (active, sedentary), leisure pursuits
Economic: influences, e.g. cost of food, access to shops; food supply, e.g. seasonal
variation
Socio-cultural: influences, e.g. beliefs, socialisation, food rituals, role of food in families
and communities
Education: influences, e.g. public health, health education, food hygiene, marketing and
labelling; role of health professionals, e.g. dieticians, public health nutritionists, doctors,
nurses, carers, sports nutritionists, health and fitness instructors
Social policy: legislation, regulations and policies, e.g. Children Act 2004, Every Child
Matters, Nutrition Standards for School Lunches and Other School Food 2006, other
initiatives, e.g. Healthy Schools, National Minimum Standards for Care Home Catering

M2- Assess how influences on dietary intake may affect the nutritional health
of individuals.
Task- You will need to assess how influences on dietary intake may affect the
nutritional health of individuals
D1- Make realistic recommendations for minimising negative influences on
individuals in a specific health and social care setting
Task- make realistic recommendations for minimising negative
influences on the individuals in your specifically chosen health and social
care setting (minimum1000 words)

Assignment 4
You have been asked to look at a patients food intake and compare it against the government
recommended requirements to help improve their health and quality of life you will need to take into
consideration their life style, cultural needs and beliefs, their abilities and so on
For this assignment, you are expected to design and produce a food & exercise/activity diary; as well as a
lifestyle questionnaire: which will become part of your patients fact file; use sources of nutritional information
from legitimate sources such as: food analysis database or printed tables. The individual you are to use for this
analysis will be given to you in the corresponding lesson, the individual will be fictional but with a realistic
background

P4- Carry out a quantitative analysis of the daily intake of nutrients and energy by
one individual.
Task-

1 Keep a record of all that is eaten and drunk over a three-day period. (Base
this on your own food and liquid consumption)
2 Keep an activity diary over the same period so you can estimate the
energy expenditure. Base this on your own activities
3 Using a spreadsheet and food analysis data tables, carry out a systematic
quantitative analysis of the total food intake for each of the three days.
Record of food intake: record over one three-day period, all food eaten including meals, snacks,
drinks, confectionery, supplements; portion sizes, processing details as relevant to the nutritional
analysis frequency
Sources of nutritional information: food analysis tables (database or printed), tables of portion
sizes, packaging (especially for processed foods)
Quantitative analysis: to include energy, protein, fat, iron, vitamin C, fibre intakes, proportion of
energy from fat
Strengths and weaknesses: in relation to RNI, general health targets e.g. five-a-day,
representativeness of three-day intake measured to usual dietary habits

P5- Prepare a one-week plan to improve the nutritional health of the chosen
individual.
Task1. Once you have carried out your 3 day analysis, you need to prepare a
nutritional plan for yourself using the same headings that have been used
in the food diary, improve the nutritional balance, and identify the
changes.
2. Devise a nutritional plan to improve the diet for your patient commenting
on factors influencing eating habits.
Nutritional plan: to include meals, snacks, drinks, guidance on portion size, e.g. number,
weight/volume
Activity: record of time per day spent sleeping, sitting, walking (fast/slow), on other exercise, e.g.
sport to estimate daily energy expenditure
Lifestyle influences: as relevant, e.g. personal food preferences, cultural, economic, social,
availability of time; day-to-day variations, e.g. week days/weekends

M3- Assess how the plan will meet the nutritional needs of the chosen
individual.
Task- Evaluate how the nutritional plan might improve health. A short
evaluation, supported by references, of how the plan should improve your
health
D2- Evaluate how the nutritional plan might improve the health of the chosen
individual
Task- Expand your report to explain and evaluate how the plan will improve
the health not only now but for the long term.
Using the diary and consultation form you have designed, carry out a

quantitative analysis of daily intake of nutrients

Sources of information

Books
Arnold A and Bender D Food Tables and Labelling (Oxford University Press, 1999) ISBN 0198328141
Barasi M Human Nutrition: A Health Perspective (Hodder Arnold, 2003) ISBN 0340810254
Bender D An Introduction to Nutrition and Metabolism (Taylor and Francis, 2002) ISBN 0415257999
Boys D, Langridge E and Michie V BTEC National Health and Social Care Book 2 (Nelson Thornes, 2007)
ISBN 0748781722
Byrom S Pocket Guide to Nutrition and Dietetics (Churchill Livingstone, 2002) ISBN 0443071365
Crawley H (editor) Food Portion Sizes (Maff Handbook) (HMSO, 1994) ISBN 0112429610
Gibney M J, Voster H H and Kok F J Introduction to Human Nutrition (Blackwell Publishing, 2002) ISBN
063205624X
Lean M Fox and Camerons Food Science, Nutrition and Health (Hodder Arnold, 2006) ISBN 0340809485
Mann J and Truswell S (editors) Essentials of Human Nutrition (Oxford University Press, 2007) ISBN
0199290970
Truswell S A ABC of Nutrition (BMJ Books, 2002) ISBN 0727916645
Thomas B (editor) Manual of Dietetic Practice (Blackwell Science, 2001) ISBN 0632055243
Webb G Nutrition: A Health Promotion Approach (Hodder Arnold, 2002) ISBN 0340760699
Journals
Care and Health
Health Service Journal
Human Nutrition and Dietetics
Public Health Nutrition
Websites
www.dfes.gov.uk Department for Education and Skills
www.dh.gov.uk Department of Health
www.fdf.org.uk Food and Drink Federation
www.food.gov.uk Food Standards Agency
www.foodinschools.org Food in Schools
www.hda.nhs.uk Health Development Agency

www.healthyschoollunches.org Healthy School Lunches

www.hesonline.nhs.uk Hospital Episode Statistics
www.hpa.org.uk Health Protection Agency
www.nutrition.org.uk British Nutrition Foundation
www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk School Food Trust
www.statistics.gov.uk National Statistics Online Government Statistics Resource
www.surestart.gov.uk Surestart
www.teachernet.gov.uk Teachernet
www.vegsoc.org.uk Vegetarian Society
www.wiredforhealth.gov.uk Website for Healthy Schools programme