LF:MNET071p Ethics of nutritional therapy - Course Information
MNET071p Ethics of nutritional therapy
Faculty of Medicineautumn 2026
- Extent and Intensity
- 0.5/0/0. 1 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
In-person direct teaching - Teacher(s)
- Mgr. et Mgr. Zdeňka Barešová (lecturer)
PhDr. Pavel Humpolíček, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Bc. Michal Koščík, Ph.D. et Ph.D. (lecturer)
doc. PhDr. Martin Loučka, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Tatiana Malatincová, Ph.D. (lecturer)
doc. PhDr. Alena Slezáčková, Ph.D. (lecturer)
doc. PhDr. Miroslav Světlák, Ph.D. (lecturer)
MUDr. Rastislav Šumec, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Ing. Kateřina Novohradská (assistant) - Guaranteed by
- doc. PhDr. Alena Slezáčková, Ph.D.
Department of Medical Psychology and Ethics – Theoretical Departments – Faculty of Medicine
Contact Person: Blanka Suchá
Supplier department: Department of Medical Psychology and Ethics – Theoretical Departments – Faculty of Medicine (70,00 %), Department of Public Health – Theoretical Departments – Faculty of Medicine (30,00 %) - Course Enrolment Limitations
- The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
- fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
- Nutrition therapist for child nutrition and Nutrition therapist for adult nutrition (programme LF, N-SZ)
- Dietetian (programme LF, N-VDD)
- Abstract
This course introduces students to the foundations of healthcare ethics and bioethics, with an emphasis on their practical application in nutritional therapy. It is based on the premise that, in everyday practice, the nutritional therapist encounters decisions that are not only professional but also ethical in nature. These decisions concern client autonomy, responsibility for recommendations, professional boundaries, communication about sensitive topics, and long-term collaboration in lifestyle change.
The course familiarizes students with the basic principles of medical ethics, including respect for autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice, and demonstrates their specific application in nutritional care. It focuses on situations typical of nutritional therapy practice, such as working with the client’s motivation and resistance, ethical aspects of recommendations related to weight loss and lifestyle change, communication of risks, work with eating disorders, respect for the client’s values and preferences, and collaboration within a multidisciplinary team.
An important part of the course is understanding the relationship between ethics, law, and professional standards, including informed consent, privacy protection, working with data, and responsibility for the care provided. Students learn to recognize ethical dilemmas in everyday practice, to reflect on them in a structured way, and to seek solutions that are professionally appropriate while also respecting the needs and dignity of the client.
The course emphasizes the development of professional judgment and decision-making in situations where there is no single correct solution. Graduates should be able to perceive nutritional therapy not only as a professional intervention, but as an ethically grounded process of care in which the relationship with the client, respect for their autonomy, and the responsible use of professional recommendations play a central role.
- Learning outcomes
The student applies the principles of autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice when making decisions in a specific nutritional consultation, for example when choosing between a directive recommendation and respect for the client’s choice.
The student analyzes a specific case vignette from nutritional practice, identifies an ethical dilemma, for example a situation in which the client refuses a recommendation, requests a non-indicated diet, or endangers their health, and proposes a professionally and ethically defensible course of action.
The student formulates nutritional recommendations for a client with a chronic illness in a way that is professionally appropriate while also respecting the client’s values, life situation, and readiness for change.
The student conducts a conversation about sensitive topics, such as obesity, eating disorders, or difficulties with adherence to a regimen, in a way that minimizes stigmatization and supports the client’s dignity.
The student recognizes situations in which a nutritional problem exceeds their competencies, for example suspected eating disorder or serious psychological difficulties, and proposes a specific procedure for referral or collaboration with another professional.
The student obtains and documents the client’s informed consent in the context of a nutritional intervention and explains the proposed procedure, including its benefits and risks.
The student identifies potential conflicts of interest in nutritional practice, for example recommending specific products, commercial collaboration, or media influences, and proposes a course of action consistent with professional ethics.
The student reflects on their own attitudes and values, for example toward obesity or the client’s lifestyle, and describes how these may influence their decision-making and communication in practice.
The student justifies their decision in a specific clinical situation using ethical principles and professional standards, for example explaining why they respect the client’s decision even when it is not medically optimal.
- Key topics
Fundamentals of healthcare ethics and bioethics in the context of nutritional therapy.
Principles of autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice in nutritional practice.
Ethical decision-making in nutritional consultation and a structured approach to ethical dilemmas.
Informed consent and shared decision-making in nutritional care.
Boundaries of the professional competence of the nutritional therapist and indications for further care.
Working with client autonomy in relation to professional recommendations, adherence, and refusal of treatment.
Ethical aspects of communication about weight, obesity, and lifestyle, including stigma and weight bias.
Ethics of working with eating disorders and risk behavior.
Confidentiality, data protection, and working with sensitive information in nutritional practice.
Conflicts of interest in nutritional therapy, including dietary supplements, commercial influences, and media recommendations.
Professional responsibility and ethical standards of the healthcare professional.
Collaboration within a multidisciplinary team and shared responsibility for care.
Ethical aspects of preventive and population-based interventions in nutrition.
Ethics of eHealth and digital tools in nutritional care.
- Study resources and literature
- required literature
- Jonsen, A. R., Siegler, M., & Winslade, W. J. (2019). Klinická etika: Praktický přístup k etickým rozhodnutím v klinické medicíně. Triton.
- VÁCHA, Marek Orko; Radana KÖNIGOVÁ and Miloš MAUER. Základy moderní lékařské etiky. Vyd. 1. Praha: Portál, 2012, 302 s. ISBN 9788073677800. info
- Approaches, practices, and methods used in teaching
Teaching is designed as an interactive process aimed at developing ethical reasoning and decision-making in the context of nutritional therapy. It combines elements of lectures and seminars, with an emphasis on understanding ethical principles and applying them to specific situations in clinical practice.
Individual sessions are structured as a recurring cycle. First, a theoretical framework is introduced, such as ethical principles, professional standards, and the legal context, and is then applied to specific ethical situations from practice, such as case vignettes and model dilemmas in nutritional care. This is followed by joint analysis, discussion, and argumentation regarding possible solutions, their consequences, and their ethical justification. In this way, the course systematically develops students’ capacity for structured ethical reasoning and clinical judgment.
Emphasis is placed on the active involvement of students through discussions, work with case vignettes, and the resolution of ethical dilemmas in which there is often no single correct answer. Students are encouraged to formulate their own positions, ground them in ethical principles and professional standards, and defend their decisions in professional discussion.
The course also includes reflection on students’ own attitudes and values, which may influence decision-making in practice, for example attitudes toward obesity, the client’s lifestyle, or responsibility for behavior change. This aspect is important for the development of professional judgment and an ethically sensitive approach to the client.
Homework assignments focus primarily on the analysis of ethical situations, work with recommended literature, and the formulation of the student’s own professionally grounded position. The aim is for students not only to understand ethical principles, but also to be able to actively use them when making decisions in nutritional practice.
- Method of verifying learning outcomes and course completion requirements
Assessment in the course takes the form of a final group oral colloquium, the aim of which is to assess not only students’ understanding of key theoretical concepts, but above all their ability to apply them in clinical reasoning and in work with clients.
During the colloquium, each student works with a specific case vignette or ethical problem arising from the clinical practice of a nutritional therapist. The case is then discussed within the group. The student must demonstrate the ability to approach the situation from an ethical perspective, identify the core of the ethical dilemma, and analyze it in a structured way.
Emphasis is placed on the ability to apply basic theoretical knowledge, especially the four principles of healthcare ethics, namely autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice, and to use them as a framework for analyzing the situation and proposing a course of action. Students are expected to formulate their reasoning clearly, provide arguments, and respond to the perspectives of others within a professional discussion.
Assessment focuses primarily on the student’s ability to recognize the ethical dimension of a situation, reason about it in a structured way, connect theory with practice, and formulate a professionally and ethically defensible solution.
- Language of instruction
- Czech
- Study support
- https://is.muni.cz/auth/el/med/podzim2026/MNET071p/index.qwarp?mode=edit
- Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
- Study Materials
Information on completion of the course: Pro ukončení zkouškou kromě požadavků pro kolokvium je podmínkou napsání písemné práce na zvolené dílčí téma předmětu.
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught every week. - Listed among pre-requisites of other courses
- Enrolment Statistics (autumn 2026, recent)
- Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/med/autumn2026/MNET071p