Nutrition in Disease and Stress Conditions

This advanced topic examines the impact of acute and chronic disease states on nutritional requirements, metabolism, and body composition, with a focus on wasting syndromes and hypermetabolic conditions. Designed for Zambian university students in clinical nutrition, dietetics, or medical sciences, the module covers the physiological responses to severe stress (trauma, burns, surgery), chronic conditions (CHF, COPD, cancer, HIV/AIDS), and the resulting nutritional consequences such as cachexia, anorexia, and increased energy expenditure. Students will learn to calculate adjusted energy and protein needs during stress, manage drug-nutrient interactions, and design therapeutic diets to support recovery and quality of life. Understanding nutrition in disease is vital for success in tertiary clinical nutrition examinations and for careers in hospital dietetics, palliative care, or chronic disease management within Zambia’s healthcare system. The topic integrates pathophysiology with nutritional therapy, preparing learners to address complex cases and contribute to multidisciplinary teams improving patient outcomes in Zambian hospitals and clinics.