MNPV081c Psychology of Nutrition - practice

Faculty of Medicine
spring 2027
Extent and Intensity
0/1/0. 1 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).
In-person direct teaching
Teacher(s)
doc. PhDr. Miroslav Světlák, Ph.D. (lecturer)
MUDr. Rastislav Šumec, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
Ing. Veronika Išová (assistant)
MVDr. Halina Matějová (assistant)
Ing. Kateřina Novohradská (assistant)
Blanka Suchá (assistant)
Guaranteed by
doc. PhDr. Miroslav Světlák, Ph.D.
Department of Public Health – Theoretical Departments – Faculty of Medicine
Contact Person: Blanka Suchá
Supplier department: Department of Public Health – Theoretical Departments – Faculty of Medicine
Prerequisites
MPOG071 Psychology
Výuka je v českém jazyce.
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
Abstract

The seminar component of the course Psychology of Nutrition builds on the theoretical part and focuses on the development of practical skills necessary for the work of a nutritional therapist in direct contact with patients or clients.


Emphasis is placed on the application of psychological and communication concepts in real or model situations. Through practice, students learn how to conduct a nutritional consultation in a way that supports motivation, understanding, and long-term behavior change.


The seminars are based on work with case vignettes, model interviews, and simulated situations from clinical practice. Students practice conducting consultations, working with ambivalence, formulating recommendations, setting goals, and responding to typical difficulties encountered in practice, such as resistance to change, low adherence, and emotional eating.


The course develops the ability to translate theoretical knowledge into concrete action — that is, not only to know what to recommend, but also to communicate it in a way that is acceptable, understandable, and feasible for the client.

Learning outcomes

The student conducts a structured nutritional consultation using the principles of Motivational Interviewing, including engagement, agenda setting, exploration, and closure, and adapts communication to the client’s current stage of change. The student recognizes ambivalence, resistance to change, change talk, and sustain talk, and responds by supporting autonomy, using reflective listening, and avoiding confrontation. The student actively uses OARS techniques, including open-ended questions, affirmations, reflective listening, and summaries, applies structured education principles such as Ask–Tell–Ask and Teach-back, and verifies the client’s understanding. The student applies behavior change models, such as the Transtheoretical Model, when analyzing the client’s situation and proposes an appropriate communication and intervention strategy. The student formulates specific, realistic, and individualized nutritional recommendations, sets goals collaboratively with the client using the SMART principle, and supports adherence and long-term sustainability of change. The student establishes a clear collaboration contract, defines goals, expectations, and boundaries of nutritional care, and recognizes situations requiring modification or non-indication of the intervention. The student identifies risky behavioral patterns, including emotional eating, restrictive behavior, and signs of eating disorders, and responds within their competencies, including indication for the involvement of other professionals. The student proposes collaboration within a multidisciplinary team and reflects on their own communication style, its strengths and weaknesses, and possible improvements based on feedback. These skills are assessed through role-playing, case analysis, proposal of further steps, structured reflection, and feedback.

Key topics
  • Motivational Interviewing in nutritional practice: interview structure, principles, and phases of conducting a consultation.

  • Conducting the consultation according to the stage of change, based on the Transtheoretical Model of Change, also known as Stages of Change, and corresponding communication strategies.

  • Working with ambivalence, resistance, and sustain talk in Motivational Interviewing.

  • Communication techniques in Motivational Interviewing, including OARS: open-ended questions, affirmations, reflective listening, and summaries, as well as change talk versus sustain talk.

  • Application of behavior change models to clinical case vignettes in nutritional care.

  • Formulation of nutritional recommendations in clinical practice with regard to the principles of adult education, also known as andragogy, and the client’s understanding.

  • Clarifying values, goals, and intentions in work with the client, including “if–then” implementation plans.

  • Working with barriers to change and supporting adherence in long-term nutritional care.

  • Communication in situations of failure and relapse: normalization, reflection, and further planning.

  • Structuring the nutritional consultation and establishing a collaboration contract, including goals, expectations, boundaries of care, indications, and contraindications.

  • Recognizing risky eating behavior and basic orientation in the field of eating disorders.

  • Conducting a nutritional consultation with patients with chronic illness in the context of prevention and long-term care.

  • Collaboration within a multidisciplinary team and defining the role of the nutritional therapist.

  • Reflection on the therapeutic relationship and one’s own role, including working with transference and countertransference.

  • Supervision and intervision in nutritional practice: sharing case vignettes, reflecting on decision-making, and developing professional competencies.

Study resources and literature
    required literature
  • MILLER, William R. and Stephen ROLLNICK. Motivační rozhovory : příprava lidí ke změně závislého chování. Edited by Petra Winnette. 1. vyd. v českém jazyce. Tišnov: Sdružení SCAN, 2003, xviii, 311. ISBN 8086620093. info
  • PROCHASKA, James O. and John C. NORCROSS. Psychoterapeutické systémy : průřez teoriemi. Praha: Grada, 1999, 479 s. ISBN 8071697664. info
Approaches, practices, and methods used in teaching

Teaching is designed as practical skills training. Individual teaching blocks have a seminar-based character and are grounded in the active work of students.


The basic principle is a recurring cycle: a brief reminder of the theoretical framework, its immediate application in a specific situation, such as a case vignette or model conversation, followed by reflection and reframing. This cycle enables the gradual deepening of skills and their consolidation in practice.


The course systematically uses work in pairs and small groups.


The course systematically uses role play, including the roles of therapist, client, and observer.


The course systematically uses case analysis.


The course systematically uses structured feedback.


The course systematically uses joint discussion of different approaches and their consequences.


Emphasis is placed on creating a safe learning environment in which students can experiment, make mistakes, and develop their skills.


Teaching may also include short homework assignments focused on application, such as preparing the structure of a consultation, analyzing a client situation, or reflecting on one’s own experience.

Method of verifying learning outcomes and course completion requirements

Credit for the seminar component is awarded on the basis of meeting the requirements for attendance and active participation in teaching.


The requirement for obtaining credit is 100% attendance at seminars and active participation in seminar-based work, such as involvement in discussions, work with case vignettes, practice of consultations, and other practical tasks.


In justified cases, absence may be substituted by an appropriate practical assignment on the basis of an individual agreement with the teacher.


The practical application of acquired skills is not assessed separately as part of the credit requirement, but forms part of the final oral colloquium conducted within the theoretical component of the course. During the colloquium, the student demonstrates the ability to use the learned procedures in specific clinical situations, such as case analysis, proposing how to conduct a consultation, or formulating further steps.

Alternate completion

The seminars cannot be completed in an alternative format as a whole.


Teaching is based on direct interaction, practice, and feedback, which constitute a key part of skills development. These aspects cannot be fully substituted by any other form of study.

Language of instruction
Czech
Teacher's information

The seminars are based on active participation and practical skills training, which cannot be fully acquired through passive attendance or self-study.

For this reason, 100% attendance is required. In the event of absence, a specific teaching block may be substituted, on the basis of an individual agreement with the teacher, by an appropriate practical assignment, such as preparation of a case vignette or a proposal for conducting a consultation.

Study support
https://is.muni.cz/auth/el/med/jaro2027/MNPV081c/index.qwarp?mode=edit
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught every week.
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2011, Spring 2012, Spring 2013, Spring 2014, Spring 2015, Spring 2016, Spring 2017, Spring 2018, spring 2019, spring 2020, spring 2021, spring 2022, spring 2023, spring 2024, spring 2025, spring 2026.
  • Enrolment Statistics (spring 2027, recent)
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