SDG Detail

STRAMGT 306: Food, Health & Nutrition Entrepreneurship

Postgraduate course

Project description

Americans spend nearly 7% of their income on food items and another 5% on food services annually (US Census). Food spend is at the intersection of two of the most important industries in the US: health care and agriculture. Food production today supports the food consumption causing our extraordinary burden of disease; 75 cents of every dollar of the $4.8 billion spent annually on health care is for diet-related disease. The health care system accounts for over 17% of U.S. gross domestic product (GDP). Agriculture and agriculture-related industries contributed 4.8% to the U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) in 2012. This course focuses on the shifting landscapes across these industries and subsequent market opportunities in food, health, and nutrition. The course is designed for students with a broad interest in the food or health systems and/or who are interested in careers in related fields. We will examine the food system from three points of view: the consumer, nutritional science, and policy. The class will focus on solving for consumer needs from the perspective of a health-promoting entrepreneur. The class will involve lecture, discussion, and prominent guest speakers who are entrepreneurs themselves or industry leaders.