Course Content

Unit 1: Metabolic syndrome: Facts & Features
Definition of the MetS (Syndrome X), the 3 out of 5 criteria that should be met for its diagnosis, associated disease and, affected metabolic tissues. Insulin signalling pathway in different metabolic tissues, insulin resistance, type 1 and 2 diabetes and chronic-low grade inflammation as underlying molecular mechanisms that drive the Metabolic Syndrome.

Unit 2: (Epi-)Genetics vs. Environment
The role of the environment vs. genetics in the course of the development of MetS. Nutrigenetics vs. Nutrigenomics, epigenetics and genomwide association studies (GWAS).

Unit 3: Food Science: The Roles of  Lipids, Sugar & Salt for MetS
Food/nutrition and the MetS. The basic chemistry of sugar and fat. The roles of lipids, sugar and salt in food commodities and food technology. Possible strategies to reduce the consumption of the three components.

Unit 4: Overnutrition: Role of adipose tissue
Adipose tissue localization and types, adipose tissue structure and cellular composition. Additional functions of the adipose tissue besides the classical “storage” function. Adipose tissue expansion. Pathological consequences of the MetS on the adipose tissue: Low grade and chronic inflammation, insulin resistance and role of adipokines. Lipogenesis vs. lipolysis. 

Unit 5: MetS and liver disease
Ectopic fat accumulation: non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Liver inflammation. Lipoprotein metabolism. Ectopic fat accumulation in other tissues (fat spillover from adipose tissue and liver) will be discussed.

Unit 6: Heart disease - an accumulation of all?
Development of atherosclerosis and connection to diabetes and obesity. Other risk factors of heart disease . “Healthy” microstructural constituents of arterial tissues. Arterial tissue remodelling and the role of sugar leading to advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and the crosslinking of the tissue constituents (collagen and elastin). Biomechanical tests of arterial tissues.

Course Goals

After finishing all chapters, you will have acquired advanced and interdisciplinary knowledge about the occurrence, causes and consequences of the Metabolic Syndrome (MetS). You will be aware of risk factors and potential consequences for the human body and the health. A deeper understanding of the the importance of the MetS for indivuals as well as for the whole society will be gained. The urgent need to take preventive measures to reduce the risk factors will be achieved.

Previous Knowledge

Basic knowledge in biochemistry and food chemistry is beneficial, but you should mainly be interested in gaining deep insight into this important research topic.

Certificate

For actively participating in the course you will receive an automatic certificate which includes your username, the course name as well as the completed lessons. We want to point out that this certificate merely confirms that the user successfully the self-assessment questions of at least 4 out of the 6 units.

Licence

This work is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0