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180.620.81 
Food Production, Public Health and the Environment
Drs. Robert Lawrence and Polly Walker
3 credits
Environmental Health Sciences
2nd term (online only)
October 23, 2008 - December 19, 2008 

Course Description
The course will provide an overview of the complex and challenging public health issue of food security in a world where one billion people are undernourished while another billion are overweight. The course will explore the connections among diet, the current food and food animal production system, the environment and public health, considering factors such as economics, population and equity. Although the focus will be on the U.S. experience, both domestic and international case studies will be used to illustrate the issues discussed. Alternative approaches to achieving both local and global food security will be considered. The important role public health professionals can play will be explored. Guest lecturers will include experts from a variety of disciplines and experiences.

Module 1:  An Introduction to the Food System: Diet, Food Production, the
               Environment and Public Health
Module 2:  Historical, Ecological and Economic Overview of Agriculture and Food 
               Production
Module 3:  Public Health Implications of Industrial Animal Production (IAP)
Module 4:  Food Consumption, Culture and Policy as Determinants of the Food 
               System
Module 5:  Sustainable Alternatives to Current Food Systems
Module 6:  Opportunities for Public Health

Course Objectives
Upon successfully completing this course, students will be able to:
   • Define the concepts of food security and describe how food systems relate to public health
   • Describe how diet, food production, the environment, equity, population and resources inter-relate to impact each other and ultimately human health
   • Describe factors that have helped shape the current food system  
   • Identify 3 to 5 opportunities and challenges to encourage dietary behavior change, support sustainable agriculture, improve food security and lessen the environmental and public health impact of food production and consumption

Who should take this course? 
This course is for public health students who want to learn more about how food and the environment are connected, either for professional practice or personal interest. Although it may help to have a background or some general understanding of both nutrition and environmental health, this is not a requirement.   

Prerequisite Course
  • Introduction to Online Learning (must register for course )

Recommended Courses
  • Environmental Health  (180.609.01)
  • Principles of Human Nutrition  (222.641.81)

Please email questions to Pamela Rhubart-Berg at prhubart@jhsph.edu

For more information and registration, please click here.