Nutrition, Exercise and Health

Nutrition, exercise and health is a discipline that examines how what we eat and how we move affect our bodies, our health and our wellbeing across the lifespan. It brings together nutritional science, exercise physiology, biochemistry and public health to understand the relationships between diet, physical activity and health outcomes at both individual and population levels. As lifestyle-related diseases, from obesity and type 2 diabetes to cardiovascular disease and certain cancers, place growing demands on healthcare systems, the need for evidence-based expertise in nutrition and exercise has never been greater.

At the University of Plymouth, this three-year full-time programme includes a foundation year and a sandwich year with a work placement. The foundation year gives you a supported entry into the scientific study of nutrition, exercise and health, developing the foundational knowledge and academic skills you will need across the degree. The sandwich and placement elements give you structured professional experience in a relevant setting, which might include work in dietetic services, sports science, health promotion, food industry research or community health programmes.

You will study the science of macronutrients and micronutrients, dietary assessment, exercise physiology, body composition, metabolism, the role of physical activity in chronic disease prevention and the public health frameworks through which diet and physical activity are promoted. Research methods, data interpretation and the ability to communicate evidence-based guidance to different audiences are developed throughout.

Graduates go on to careers in health promotion, public health, sports nutrition, dietetic support roles, fitness and wellness, food industry, research and community health settings. Some go on to postgraduate study in nutrition, dietetics, public health or sport and exercise science, including pathways that lead to professional registration as a dietitian or nutritionist.