Division of Human Nutrition launched

Lift off: Attending the launch of the Division of Human Nutrition are (from left) Professor Marjanne Senekal, Fiona Hermann and Sharmilah Booley.

The Division of Human Nutrition held its official launch, which included an exhibition and lectures, on 12 February.

The launch comes after a two year "bridging period", says division head Associate Professor Marjanne Senekal. The division was restructured after moving from the Department of Health and Rehabilitation, where it was known as the Division of Nutrition and Dietetics, to the Department of Human Biology in UCT's Faculty of Health Sciences.

"Old courses were recurriculated and modularized to meet the new standards set by the Health Professional Council of South Africa for dietetics and to provide other BSc and health science honours students with access to individual nutrition courses. A whole complement of and new staff was also deployed," says Senekal."

The launch included trade and interactive nutrition and dietetics related scientific exhibitions. This was followed by a scientific programme chaired by the Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, Prof Marian Jacobs.

Lectures were by Prof Senekal Marianne Visser from the University of the Western Cape, Dudu Mthuli from the South African Sugar Association and Professor Tim Noakes from UCT's Unit for Exercise Science and Sports Medicine.