Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Back to Syllabus Search | Browse by Department
Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Fall Semester 2025

Obesity & Weight Management (Hybrid)

KIN 4080-30Y

Course: KIN 4080-30Y
Credits: 3
Term: Fall Semester 2025
Department: PEHP
CRN: 31382

Course Description

Review of the scientific literature surrounding obesity and weight management, primarily the causes and consequences of this growing epidemic. (Fall) [Graded (Standard Letter)] Prerequisite(s): KIN 3070 and KIN 3075 - Prerequisite Min. Grade: C- Registration Restriction(s): None

Required Texts

1.      Ultra-Processed People: The Science Behind Food That Isn't Food Hardcover – June 27, 2023 by Chris van Tulleken (Author)

2.      Health Professional's Guide to Treatment of Overweight and Obesity Paperback – May 1, 2024, by Weight Management Dietetic Practice Group (Author), Hollie A. Raynor (Editor), Linda M. Gigliotti (Editor)

3.      Readings, assignment instructions, and other important documents will be available through Canvas.

Learning Outcomes

COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES:

At the conclusion of this course, students are expected to be able to find, consume, evaluate, discuss, and apply lay-information and scholarly evidence regarding: 

1.      The definition and etiology of overweight/obesity

2.      Weight bias and anti-fat attitudes and the body positivity movement

3.      Consequences of excess adipose tissue and obesity-related diseases 

4.      Treatment and prevention of obesity and obesity-related diseases

a.      Dietary 

b.      Physical activity 

c.      Pharmacological 

d.      Surgical 

5.      Behavioral Change and Weight Loss Maintenance 

Course Requirements

COURSE REQUIREMENTS: 

1.      Quizzes: There will be several quizzes during the semester. All quizzes must be taken individually unless otherwise noted. Quizzes will be given online and during class, depending on the topic. Quizzes are open notes/open book but CLOSED INTERNET. Quizzes will be timed.

2.      Obesity/Weight Management Projects: You will have two major projects throughout the semester. There are several project options and topics to choose from. More information can be found on Canvas.  

3.      In-class Participation – There will be discussions, reflections, and short in-class assignments – must be present to win!

4.      Out of class semi-synchronous participation – There will be 4 discussions throughout the semester (see discussions guidelines). 

 

STUDENT EXPECTATIONS

Participation and attendance – Required! This class works best when all of us are involved in discussing and learning the material, and it’s more interesting and meaningful. We will have some sort of in-class activity each time we meet. 

Academic Honesty.  The University's goal, as well as mine, is to foster an intellectual atmosphere that produces educated, literate people. Cheating, plagiarism, unauthorized use of AI, and the like are at odds with this goal and therefore will not be tolerated in any form.  All work submitted by a student must represent that student's own ideas and effort. When the work does not represent the student's own work it must be properly cited; if it is not, the student has engaged in academic dishonesty. Cheating, forgery, plagiarism or the use of work belonging to another (either living or electronic) are all considered academic dishonesty. Works that have been submitted previously (such as in another class) are NOT considered original and will not be graded (i.e. will be scored as a zero). Use of AI will not be allowed unless explicitly stated otherwise. Students who are suspected of engaging in academic misconduct will be subject to SUU Policy 6.33 https://www.suu.edu/policies/06/33.html as well as grade sanctions. Quizzes will be administered using Honor Lock and assignments submitted on Canvas will be checked for authenticity using Copy Leaks. 

Citation and Referencing: During the semester you will be required to provide references within your presentation and discussion posts, using a link to the article or website that you are referencing is acceptable. If you are referencing a book, please include the page number. 

Grammar and Spelling: It is expected that you will edit your assignments, tests, and any communication via email, text, or canvas. Demonstrate pride and professionalism by turning in the quality of work, in which you avoid slang terms (e.g. reps), texting shortcuts (e.g. ‘i’, ‘dont’), and misspelled or misused words (e.g. ‘to’ versus ‘too’, ‘whether’ vs. ‘weather’).  Assignments with typos and grammatical errors will not be eligible for full credit. 

 

Approximate Point Breakdown:

 | Quizzes | 80
| Discussions (4 @ 25 pts each) | 100
| In-class/Out of Class Assignments | 125
| Project 1 and 2 Prep Assignments | 30 pts
 | Project 1 | 50
| Project 2 | 50
| Total | 435 pts 

Course Outline

Week
Content/Topic
See Canvas for Readings, Videos and/or other supplementary materials for Discussions and Quizzes Assignments and Quizzes
Tentative, see Canvas for exact discussion openings and closings, quizzes, and assignment due dates and guidelines. 


1
What is Obesity? – Discussion of the historical framework, definitions, and prevalence of overweight/obesity in adults and children. What are we trying to measure and why? 
What is Weight Bias? – What are the consequences of internal and external weight bias/stigma?
In-class activity - discussion and written reflection; 10 points
READ: Chapter 1 & 3 in textbook and assigned course manual readings


2
Defining Obesity as a Chronic Disease: Discussion of the American Medical Association’s decision to classify obesity as a chronic disease and the diagnostic and treatment implications of this decision.
In class activity – using case studies to practice diagnosing obesity using various metrics; 10 points
Online Discussion 1: Ultra Processed People (UPP) (Tulleken) CH 1, 2 and 3; 25 points



3
Causes of Obesity and the Science of Body Weight Regulation: Discussion of how body weight is regulated from birth through young adulthood, middle-age, and older-age and why some individuals are more susceptible to increased bodyweight throughout these life stages.
READ: CH 15 in textbook and assigned course manual readings (review CH 1 & 3 for quiz)
In-class activity – Idea Mapping to identify relationships between various causes of obesity – 10 points
Quiz 1: CH 1 – 3 and 15 in Textbook & assigned course manual readings; 20 points.


4
Causes of Obesity –Discussion of how dietary choices affect physical health and subsequent dietary choices. Discussion of the environmental and genetic determinants of dietary choices and consumption habits including obesogens, certain medications, poor sleep quality, alterations to the gut microbiome, physical activity, and eating disorders.
READ: CH 7, 9, 16 in textbook and assigned course manual readings. 
In-class activity – reflection and discussion of the evidence that supports and refutes pop-culture sound bites regarding the cause of obesity; 10 points. 
Online Discussion 2: UPP (Tulleken) CH 5, 6, 7; 25 points

5
Causes of Obesity Part 2–Discussion of how dietary choices affect physical health and subsequent dietary choices. Discussion of the environmental and genetic determinants of dietary choices and consumption habits including obesogens, certain medications, poor sleep quality, alterations to the gut microbiome, physical activity, and eating disorders.
In-class activity – Selecting, administering, and interpreting common assessment tools to identify dietary consumption habits, behavioral health, and risk of current or future disordered eating/eating disorders; 10 points
Quiz 2: CH 7, 9, 16 in textbook and assigned course manual readings; 20 points.


6
Obesity Interventions: Discussion of various Dietary Interventions and multicomponent interventions intended to reduce risk of obesity-related chronic diseases. 
READ: CH 10 & 11 Textbook & assigned course manual readings. 
In-class activity- Dietary Intervention Case Study Part 1; 10 points
Online Discussion 3: UPP (Tulleken) CH 8, 9, 10; 25 Points. 


7
Dietary Interventions for Weight Management: Discussion of various Dietary Interventions intended to reduce body weight and risk of obesity-related chronic diseases.
In-class activity - Dietary Intervention case study Part 2; 10 points
Quiz 3: CH 10 & 11 Textbook & assigned course manual readings; 20 Points. 


8
Dietary Interventions for Weight Management: Discussion of various Dietary Interventions intended to reduce body weight and risk of obesity-related chronic diseases. 
In-class activity- Dietary Intervention Case study Part 3; 10 points. 
Midterm project due; 50 Points

9
Obesity Interventions Physical Activity: Discussion of physical activity principles for weight management including physical activity assessment and recommendations. READ: CH 8 & 12 Textbook and assigned course manual readings. 
In-class activity – Bring textbook to class.  Physical activity assessment and recommendations; 10 points.
Online Discussion 4: UPP (Tulleken) CH 11, 13, 14, 15

10 Pharmacological Interventions for Obesity: An introduction to the classes, efficacy, risks, and benefits of various pharmacological interventions for individuals with obesity.
Surgical Interventions for Obesity: An introduction to the types, efficacy, risks, and benefits, and long-term outcomes of various forms of bariatric surgery.
READ: CH 14 Textbook and assigned course manual readings. 
In-class activity: Reflection on medical interventions pros and cons in the treatment of obesity; 10 points. 
Quiz 4: CH 8, 12, 14 and assigned course manual readings; 20 points. 

11
NO CLASS NO CLASS

12
Behavior Modification: An introduction to several forms of weight and health related behavioral assessments. READ CH 9 & 13 BEFORE Class. Bring textbook to class.
In-class activity: Behavior assessment and modification case study part 1; 10 points. 

13
Behavior Modification: Accepted methods used to change problematic, weight-related thought processes and behaviors (cognitive behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy, cognitive restructuring).   
READ CH 9 & 13 BEFORE Class. Bring textbook to class.
In-class activity: Behavior assessment and modification case study part 2; 15 points.

14
Final Projects Final Projects 50 points. 


Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work

Late Policy: Due to the dynamic nature of this course and our inter-dependence on each other to complete discussions, give presentations etc.. late work will not be accepted unless prior arrangements are made. If you anticipate a time conflict, contact me as soon as possible (PRIOR to the due date) and I will do my best to make accommodations for you. If an emergency or similar unforeseen event occurs, please contact me as soon as it’s feasible (e.g., same day or within 24 hours) and we’ll discuss options making up course material and assignments you might have missed. 


If you are traveling to or participating in, a university event, please let me know ahead of time so we can make arrangements regarding the course material and assignments. If you keep the lines of communication open, we’ll be able to better handle any situations that may arise. Thanks for your help with this.

Attendance Policy


Participation and attendance – Required! This class works best when all of us are involved in discussing and learning the material, and it’s more interesting and meaningful. We will have some sort of in-class activity each time we meet. If you are absent for a University-approved event, you will have the opportunity to make up participation points outside of class. 

Course Fees

N/A

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.