Therapeutic Diets

Lesson Content

• Lesson Plan Template:

  CTE Lesson Plan

• CTE Course Info and Benchmark Notes

  
  

  Course Name: Orientation to Health Science Professions

  Program Name: Health Science

  Course Number: 8400110

  Course Type: Orientation/Exploratory

  CIP Number: 03179999OR

  CTE-HLTH.68.8400110.5.6 - Explore the need for proper nutrition and water intake to maintain wellness.

• Unit Outline

  
  

  This lesson should be used with the Case Study "Lifestyle Choices: Nutrition and Wellness" (Resource ID#: 218928). It is intended to be the third lesson in this unit, following Food Groups (Resource ID#: 219015) and Nutrition Facts Labels (Resource ID#: 219086). Subsequent lessons for this case study will focus on Nutritionist/Dietician careers (Resource ID#: 219074), and Meal Planning (Resource ID#: 219084).

• Career Connection

  
  

  Students will be introduced to the career of a nutritionist as they relate to therapeutic diets. Students will research to gain insight into therapeutic diets and then determine the best therapeutic diet for a family member in the case study. They will then collaborate and coordinate efforts to research a therapeutic create a presentation that will be given to the class.

• Learning Objectives

  
  

  Students will be able to:

  • define therapeutic diet.
  • explain why some people need a therapeutic diet to provide proper nutrition.
  • research a therapeutic diet and present it to the class.
  • describe therapeutic diets for various medical conditions, including heart disease.

• Prior Knowledge

  
  

  Students should be familiar with/able to:

  • The concept that some of our behaviors and choices impact our health.
  • The concept that some foods are healthier than other foods.
  • The concept that there are food groups and a healthy diet includes all of them.

• Guiding Questions

  
  
  • What are therapeutic diets?
  • How can therapeutic diets contribute to the wellness of a person with a health condition?

• Procedure

  
  

  Introduction:

  1. Pose the following bellwork/warm-up question: “Can everyone in your family eat the same foods or does any family member have restrictions on what they can eat?” Then, have students share with a partner.
     
     
  2. Display the case study “Lifestyle Choices: Nutrition, and Wellness” (Resource ID#: 218928) to students. Read it aloud and have students follow along as you read.
     
     
  3. After reading the case study the following questions can be discussed:
     • What are some of the lifestyle choices being made by the Martinez family? (List on the board for future reference.)
     • (Refer to the list that was made.) How can these choices affect their health?
     • Can you think of any other problems that can result from a poor diet? (Answers may include obesity, death, heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, cavities/oral health problems, etc.)
     • Can changes in diet reduce any of these problems?
     • What recommendations did the doctors make for Abuelo Carlos and the Martinez family?
       
       
  4. Tell students: “Therapeutic diets” are meal plans that control the intake of certain nutrients and/or foods that affect a medical condition. There are many kinds of therapeutic diets, each with guidelines that help a specific medical condition. A doctor may prescribe a therapeutic diet based on the health problems of the patient. Often, a patient meets with a Nutritionist to learn about their therapeutic diet and how to integrate it with their food preferences, allergies, etc.

  Activity:

  1. Give students a copy of the “Therapeutic Diets” worksheet.
     
     
  2. Review the sample therapeutic diet for “puree/smooth liquid diet” on the chart. It lists the description of the dietary changes and related health conditions that would need this specific diet.
     
     
  3. Tell students that each group will be assigned a specific therapeutic diet from the chart and will present them to the class.
     • Assign student groups and a therapeutic diet to each group.
     • Provide 10-15 minutes for them to research their assigned diet.
       
       
  4. Have student groups present their assigned therapeutic diet. Have all students complete their chart during the presentations.
     
     • Student presentations should be 2-3 minutes long and should include: name of therapeutic diet, description of modifications for this diet, examples of food that follow this diet, and at least 2 medical conditions/problems that might require someone to follow this diet to meet their personal needs for proper nutrition.
  5. After the presentations are completed, have students answer the Conclusion questions at the bottom of the worksheet.
     
     

  Closure: Follow up Discussion Questions

  • What diet/diets would benefit Abuelo Carlos?
  • What role does a nutritionist play in supporting individuals needing therapeutic diets?
  • What if multiple family members have different therapeutic diets?
  • How can you make sure that the foods being served follow the therapeutic diet? (Answers may include reading nutrition facts labels/packaging for prepared food or researching food online for nutritional value.)

• Teacher Notes

  
  
  • Create student groups of 3-4 students in advance.
  • Lesson pacing: 15 minutes for case study and introduction, 15 minutes to research one therapeutic diet, 20 minutes to present research and complete the therapeutic diet chart/worksheet, 5 minutes for follow up discussion

• Optional

  
  

  Extension Ideas:

  • Students can interview family members to find out about health problems/concerns and any therapeutic diets that are or should be used by those family members.