Sport and Exercise Nutrition

Winter 2023
LKS Faculty of Medicine, School of Public Health

Professor: David Montero / Joni Zhang

Office: 3/F, room 3-07, Hong Kong Jockey Club Building
Email: dvmb@hku.hk / jozhangh@hku.hk
In the introductory lecture you will:

1. Receive key information about the evaluation methods

2. Understand the general expectations of this course

3. Have the opportunity to ask questions during and after the lecture to
clarify any doubt
 Sport and Exercise Nutrition
Winter 2023
LKS Faculty of Medicine, School of Public Health

General objectives
1. Develop a critical understanding of current evidence on human nutrition and
the impact of nutritional components in exercise and health

2. Elucidate the energetic demands and nutrient needs of main physical activities
and sports

3. Clarify the contribution of nutrition and exercise to body composition and

weight management

4. Introduce the effects of ergogenic nutritional supplements and drugs on

exercise performance and health
 Course assessment: quizzes

• Quizzes 60 %
Quizzes will comprise individual multiple choice questions (MCQs) designed to evaluate
the achievement of students with respect to the learning outcomes
Multiple choice questions (MCQs)
Example from other courses:
Evaluation of multiple choice questions (MCQs)
• A correctly answered question counts +1 points
• A wrongly answered question counts -0.5 points
• A not answered question counts 0 points
Organization and schedule of quizzes
• Quizzes will be performed in class,
during lecture time

• They will cover the material

delivered in the course previous to
the date of the quiz (and not
covered in previous quizzes)

• They will be announced a week in

advance of the date of the quiz

• In total, there will be 3 quizzes

during the course
Advice for quizzes:
• Attend the lectures, ask questions to clarify your knowledge

• Use tutorial time (e.g., after every lecture) if needed to further clarify
your questions

• Revise the material regularly

• During the test, balance how sure you are of the right answer with
the risk of a negative mark if you select the wrong answer. Not
answering a question that you are unsure of may be a clever option
 Course assessment: article critique

• Article critique 25 %
Each student is requested to perform an objective analysis of a scientific
work, with emphasis on whether or not the authors supported the main points
with reasonable arguments based on facts
Examples of possible open-ended questions to answer in the article critique

• Identify the main result of the study and explain its potential impact using your own
words.

• Develop your thoughts about the following conclusion:…

• What do you think regarding the information provided on…

• Elaborate on the most important methodological limitation that reduces the strength of the
evidence with respect to…

• …

Total number of questions: ≤ 8

Total maximum number of words: ≤ 800 (⁓100 on average per question)
Organization and schedule of the article critique
• The article critique will be performed in class
during the last lecture’s day (26.04.2023)

• You will be informed via Moodle of the

scientific article (but not the questions) to
criticize 24 hours in advance (25.04.2023)

• On the last lecture’s day, you will have 2 hours

to answer the questions. Remember to bring a
pen.

• Access to internet will be allowed but no

communication between students or any third
person will be allowed
Advice for the article critique:
• Be active, thinking and asking questions, during the whole course. This will stimulate
and train your critical capacity

• Read the scientific article thoroughly

• Take a look at related articles and/or reviews by other groups before drawing
conclusions

• Argument your critique as clear and straightforward as possible

• Facts first, reasoning/inferences/judgement second

 Course assessment: media critique

• Media critique 15 %
Each group (5 students, grouped at your will) will present a critique of a piece
of information in the media regarding topics in Sport and Exercise Nutrition.
Another group (opposing group) of students will be responsible for challenging
the presenting group (i.e., asking questions) at the end of the presentation.
Overview of the media critique
• The presenting group will select a piece of information in the media (e.g., social media post, video, news
article) in English or Chinese (traditional or simplified).
• You are responsible for translating all the relevant information to English if the media you chose is not in
English.
• You must send your chosen media to the tutor (Dr. Joni Zhang; email: jozhangh@hku.hk) for approval at least 1
week before your presentation.

• Four main points must be addressed during the presentation:

1. Clear exposition of the controversial piece of information/message
2. Contrast between the message delivered by the media and established scientific evidence
3. Identify limitations and/or knowledge gaps of current scientific evidence (if any)
4. What might be done (potential study) to advance our knowledge in the specific issue?

• Both the presenting group and the opposing group will be evaluated according to the presentation grade
descriptors provided on Moodle.
• The opposing group will especially be evaluated based on their attitude, engagement and quality of questions.
• An overall grade will be given after evaluating each group’s presentation and performance as the opposing
group.
• Advice: read the guidelines with attention before preparing for your presentation and to be the opposing group.
More guidance on media critique
• The main aim of this activity is to critique (i.e., critically analyze) information presented in the piece of media
you chose.
• Below are some guiding questions for the four main points:
• Clear exposition of the controversial piece of information/message
• What is/are the key message(s) of the selected video?
• What are the interesting/controversial issue(s)? You can choose to focus on one or more issue.
• Have you summarised the content concisely and accurately for the audience?
1. Contrast between the message delivered by the media and established scientific evidence
• What is your view or the current evidence on the issue(s)? For example, do you agree with the key
message? And Why?
• Explain and present your argument(s) using established scientific evidence.
2. Identify limitations and/or knowledge gaps of current scientific evidence (if any)
• Are there any limitations and can you recommend any future studies?
3. What might be done (potential study) to advance our knowledge in the specific issue?
• What is your conclusion?
• What is your take home message?

• Advice: read the guidelines with attention before preparing for your presentation and to be the opposing group.
Grade Descriptors for Presentations

• Uploaded separately on
Moodle

• Advice: read the guidelines

with attention before
preparing for your
presentation and to be the
opposing group.
Organization of the media critique
• The presentation will be performed in class during lecture time.
The tutor (Dr. Joni Zhang) will be the moderator.
• Time limit: 10 min presentation + 5 min Q&A
• Each student must speak during the presentation
• At the end of the presentation, a randomly selected opposing group
will be responsible for asking questions, each group must ask at
least 2 questions and submit their questions via email to the tutor
(Dr. Joni Zhang; email: jozhangh@hku.hk) after
• Remember:
• Both the presenting group and the opposing group will be
evaluated according to the presentation grade descriptors provided
on Moodle.
• The opposing group will especially be evaluated based on their
attitude, engagement and quality of questions.
• The opposing group is required to submit the asked questions via
email to the tutor (Dr. Joni Zhang; email: jozhangh@hku.hk) after
the session, for record keeping and evaluation
• An overall grade will be given after evaluating each group’s
presentation and performance as the opposing group.
Forming groups and presentation arrangement
• You can form your own group (5 students per group)
• You must submit your groups on Moodle no later than February 15th
• You should sign up for a group according to the schedule, making sure that you can attend to the required
presentation date and sessions which your group might be selected as the opposing group
• You must send your chosen media to the tutor (Dr. Joni Zhang; email: jozhangh@hku.hk) for approval at least 1
week before your presentation
• On the day of presentation, Dr. Joni Zhang will randomly select one group to be the opposing group for each
presentation.

Detailed course schedule on the next slide, please read carefully before
signing up for your presentation groups
Detailed course schedule
Week Date Lecture Lecture (Wednesday 09:30 – 12:20 am) Quiz Media Critique

1 Jan 18 Presentation and description of evaluation

Jan 25 Lunar New Year

2 Feb 1 Introduction: nutrition & exercise, macro- and micronutrients

3 Feb 8 Nutrient role in bioenergetics

4 Feb 15 Macronutrient metabolism in exercise and training Deadline for signing up for groups: Feb 15, 11:59PM
Optional: there will be class time for you to work in
5 Feb 22 Nutritional recommendations for physically active individuals (1) Quiz before lecture your groups for your presentation after each lecture.
Dr. Joni Zhang will be present to facilitate and
6 Mar 1 Nutritional recommendations for physically active individuals (2) provide consultation.

7 Mar 8 No class (Reading week)

8 Mar 15 Nutritional recommendations for intense training and competition Presenting: 1-3

9 Mar 22 Energy balance, body composition and weight control Presenting: 4-6 Opposing groups to be
randomised: 1-9
10 Mar 29 Nutritional ergogenic aids Quiz before lecture Presenting: 7-9

11 Apr 5 University Holiday

12 Apr 12 Pharmacological ergogenic aids Presenting: 10-12

Opposing groups to be
13 Apr 19 Tutorial for article critique Quiz before tutorial Presenting: 13-14 randomised: 10-14

14 Apr 26 Article critique

Overall evaluation of course content

• Quizzes 60 %

• Article critique 25 %

• Media critique 15 %
Course schedule EXSC3013-3017 Sport and Exercise Nutrition
(orientative, it might be Class Schedule and Venue

subjected to change)
Main consulted bibliography
• Sports and Exercise Nutrition (2008). Frank I Katch, Victor L Katch, and William D
McArdle. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

• Multiple books/review articles by Prof. Asker E Jeukendrup (2000-2020).

• Exercise Physiology. Nutrition, Energy, and Human Performance (2009). William

D McArdle, Frank I Katch, Victor L Katch. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

• Sports Nutrition. Energy Metabolism and Exercise (2008). Ira Wolinsky (ed.), Judy
A Driskell (ed.). Taylor & Francis.

• Sports and Exercise Nutrition (2011). Susan Lanham-New (ed.), Samantha Stear
(ed.), Susan Shirreffs (ed.), Adam Collins (ed.). Wiley-Blackwell.

• Nutrition and Enhanced Sports Performance (2013). Muscle Building, Endurance,

and Strength. Debasis Bagchi (ed.), Sreejayan Nair (ed.), Chandan K Sen (ed.).
Elsevier.
 Thanks for your attention

I am available if you have any question or comment to clarify about the course