Area of concentration: NUTRITION AND HEALTH
Comprises studies on Nutrition and its interface with Health, including mainly the genesis, pathophysiology and nutritional therapeutic strategies of chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs). It also addresses health promotion and the prevention and treatment of diseases, in addition to the characteristics of foods and their consumption by individuals, groups and populations, aiming to promote health and/or nutritional therapy.
The advancement of diseases and metabolic alterations associated with the consumption of dietary components demands studies that involve the pathophysiological, immunological understanding and control of such alterations. In addition, there is an emerging need to train nutritionists capable of working in various contexts of disease and homeostasis to contribute to the expansion of Postgraduate studies in nutrition in the country. Thus, the area of Nutrition and Health seeks to meet the current needs for academic and scientific training of health professionals required by the science of Nutrition and the demands of health promotion and care at both national and global levels.
To understand the relationship between nutrition and health, as proposed by these courses, two lines of research have been developed: “Clinical and Experimental Nutrition” and “Nutrition and Public Health”. These lines are closely related and coherent, considering that Epidemiology, the basis of Public Health, has provided important scientific evidence that guides research in the basic (experimental) area to confirm or deny diagnostic and treatment hypotheses raised. Clinical Nutrition and Public Health, based on evidence, have expanded in recent years as important strategies for promoting new biological theories and potential health care provided to individuals and populations.
Line of Research: CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL NUTRITION
Aims to investigate the relationship between Nutrition and Health through the study of genetic, biochemical, physiological, pathological and immunological pathways resulting from the effects of food components in animal models and clinical studies, seeking to characterize, prevent, diagnose and treat such situations. It studies the participation of components derived from food or intestinal microbiota in different diseases, such as inflammatory bowel diseases, atherosclerosis, food allergies, obesity, diabetes mellitus, among other chronic and infectious diseases, in addition to proposing the design of intervention studies and determination of diagnostic tests in the area of Clinical Nutrition. The research carried out is based on testing new nutritional components, using experimental disease models, and searching for new diagnostic and treatment strategies.
Research Line: NUTRITION AND PUBLIC HEALTH
It aims to conduct diagnostic investigation of the nutritional status of population groups and individuals through anthropometric, biochemical, clinical and dietary consumption indicators, as well as to understand the relationship between diet and the occurrence, prevention and treatment of diseases through the interface between epidemiological studies and clinical investigations on the subject, including studies on nutritional intervention strategies to improve the health status or disease of groups and individuals.