Fitness and health-conscious living have become buzzwords in the urban lifestyle context. And, with it, holistic nutrition has gained popularity as a career option worldwide. Nutrition promotes the role of food as a means of improving health and wellness and as an essential preventive healthcare system. Nutritionists are healthcare professionals who plan holistic diets for people, besides teaching them about the importance of healthy eating.
Who is a Nutritionist?
A nutritionist is an expert in the use of food and nutrition to promote health and manage diseases. Nutritionists advise people on what to eat in order to lead a healthy lifestyle or achieve a specific health-related goal. Most nutritionists work in hospitals, nursing homes, long-term care facilities, or medical offices. There is not much of a difference between the scope of work of a nutritionist and that of a dietician, except for a mere technicality pertaining to educational qualification.
With people's lifestyles and outlooks changing, the focus of education has shifted from finishing and grooming courses, such as cooking and catering, to the domain of fitness, preventive healthcare, and nutrition.
According to the Indian Dietetic Association, “RD stands for Registered Dietitian, who is a qualified, skilled and knowledgeable professional. A Registered Dietitian is authorized to prescribe Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT), which is evidence-based and to counsel people to achieve and maintain good health." While nutrition is an area of expertise with a broad array of real-world applications, there are 2 main areas of concentration that bring nutritionists into contact with the general public.
Clinical Nutrition
Clinical nutritionists work in clinical settings, often in one-on-one situations with inpatients and/or outpatients, as well as with their families, in assessing, designing, and implementing dietary strategies and nutritional therapies. Usually, clinical nutritionists aim to address a particular medical issue, which can include hypertension, diabetes, or obesity. However, they can also be consulted on plans of action in situations where a treatment protocol, such as chemotherapy, impacts a patient's overall diet or creates particular food sensitivities.
Community Nutrition
Schools, community health clinics and recreational centers, local, state, and federal government agency programs, and health maintenance organizations (HMOs) are some of the places within the scope of work of a community nutritionist. Often, in these settings, specific subgroups, for instance, children, the elderly, at-risk families, and their specific needs are targeted in programs designed to address specific nutritional issues.
Career Opportunities as a Nutritionist
When people search for the best dietician near me, it is a sure opportunity for you to showcase your knowledge and expertise in a professional way. Here are some of the areas of expertise that you can train yourself to master and avail the best job opportunities in nutrition.
Clinical Nutritionist
One of the major disciplines of Dietetics and Nutrition, clinical nutrition focuses on research and the acquisition of more and more scientific knowledge to treat infectious and non-communicable diseases by therapeutic diets and innovations. A graduate in B.Sc. Dietetics and Nutrition can:
- Work as a dietician in hospitals and nutritionists in health clinics, health centers, and MNCs
- Become a registered dietician (RD)
- Work as project assistants, project associates, chief nutritionists in NGOs and private organizations
- Work as a bariatric surgery nutritionist
- Be an entrepreneur and open their nutrition clinic or nutrition-based café or restaurants, as people are getting more aware about healthy food habits
Public Health Nutritionist
This field of nutrition focuses on the public health problem regarding food and nutrition like Anaemia, Vitamin A deficiency, Diabetes, Iodine deficiency, etc. Public health nutritionists interact directly with the masses. The scope of this field includes:
- Project assistant, project associate at an organization like PHFI, WHO, UNICEF, health organizations
- Chief nutritionist in NGO or private organizations
- Regulatory affairs specialist
- Nutrition journalism
- Public health policymaker
- Sustainable food nutritionist
Sports Nutritionist
Sports nutrition deals with the specific nutritional requirements and guidelines of sports players depending on the category of sports. A sports nutritionist can be employed as:
- Nutritionists at sports training, gyms, and fitness centers
- Digital sports coach for the average gym-goer
- Fitness streaming programmer
- Certified supplements and granular nutritionist
- Nutritionist at Sports Authority of India
Food Science and Technology
The scope of the field includes:
- Food scientist
- Food auditor/Food quality controller
- Food analyst/Food sensory evaluator
- Research associate
- Consultant in FSSAI
- Technical labelling analyst
Best Nutrition Courses in India
The objective of pursuing a course in Dietetics and Nutrition is that the student will acquire scientific knowledge of basic principles of Dietetics and Nutrition. Students acquire a broad understanding of clinical nutrition, food science, sports nutrition, public health nutrition, and its influence on human health and well-being.
Students of Dietetics and Nutrition develop skills pertaining to critical analysis, entrepreneurship, and communication for career development in the field of nutritional sciences. They also gain practical knowledge in the domain of Dietetics and Nutrition for its applications in industry and research.
Find out how to become a professional nutritionist without a university degree in Nutrition.
Leading Institutes Offering Nutrition Courses in India
- National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad
- Institute of Home Economics, University of Delhi
- University of Madras
- Marathwada University
- Osmania University
- University of Mysore
- G B Pant University of Agriculture and Technology
- University of Bombay
- Shrimati Mathibai Damodar Thackeray University
- Guru Nanak Dev University
- Dr. MGR Medical University, Tamil Nadu
- Madurai Kamaraj University
- Sri Ramachandra Medical College And Research Institute, Tamil Nadu
- Lady Irwin College, New Delhi
- SNDT Women’s University, Mumbai
- Women’s Christian College, Chennai
- All India Institute of Hygiene and Public Health, Nirmala Niketan, Mumbai
Graduate Courses in Nutrition
B.Sc./B.A. Nutrition
It is a 3-year course that focuses on a wide variety of topics, such as human physiology, basics of nutrition, food biotechnology, health, weight-loss strategies, human physiology, etc. The degree not only focuses on general health but also provides expertise in areas such as public health, maternal and child nutrition, etc. Students also learn the techniques of food preservation, food, and quality analysis, fundamentals of the bakery, etc. By the end of the course, students are able to plan diet charts and work on weight loss plans individually.
B.Sc. Food Technology
It is a 3-year course that focuses on the safe use of food. Food technology is the process in which various principles of food science are applied to the selection, preservation, packaging, and safe distribution of food. During the course, students learn the basics of food technology, principles of food science, nutrition, food processing and engineering, food preparation, etc. Food quality testing and evaluation is a crucial area of knowledge acquired during this course. This course aims to help you develop an understanding of the science behind food and nutrition.
Post-Graduate Courses in Nutrition
Following the completion of the graduation course, you can either opt for postgraduate diplomas related to nutrition and dietetics (such as Post-Graduate Diploma in Dietetics & Public Health Nutrition), or a Master’s in Food & Nutrition. A Master’s degree is highly recommended if you want to get ahead in the job market as it provides both theoretical knowledge and practical experience, in the form of internships and research.
M.Sc in Food and Nutrition
In post-graduate degree programs, you get to choose your specialization from various fields in food and nutrition such as Clinical Health (dealing with clinical patients), Child/Adolescents, Public Health, Food processing, etc.
The course focuses on advanced Human Nutrition, Therapeutic Nutrition, Food Science, Quality Control, etc. It is mandatory to complete a 6-8 months internship. The dissertation is a crucial part of the course. Admission to the various postgraduate programs is through entrance exams conducted by respective colleges.
Post Graduate Diploma
Post-graduate diplomas are generally 1-year long. They teach you the fundamentals of nutrition, public nutrition, therapeutic nutrition, public health nutrition, and institutional food management. Most of them end with a 7-8 week’s compulsory internship at a healthcare center. Admission to PG Diploma programs is merit-based.
Once you complete your graduation and post-graduation/PG diploma course, you will become a certified nutritionist. Following this, you can post your credentials online so that people find you when they want to find certified nutritionists online. However, to become a Registered Dietician, it is mandatory to register with the Indian Dietetic Association.
To qualify as a Registered Dietician, you are required to pass the entrance exam conducted by the Indian Dietetic Association (IDA). You should have either completed a PG Diploma in Nutrition & Dietetics or an M.Sc. in Food & Nutrition, followed by a 6-months internship after graduation, to be eligible for the exam.
The exam is divided into 2 papers. Paper-1 includes areas such as Human Physiology, Biochemistry, Physiologic and Metabolic Changes in Disease, Food Microbiology, Sanitation, and Hygiene, etc. Paper-2 includes Human Nutrition and Meal Management, Community Nutrition, Diet Therapy (Theory), Nutrition Education and Dietetic Counselling, and Food Services Management.
Online Nutrition Courses in India
Advanced Diploma in Diet and Nutrition
Advanced Diploma in Diet and Nutrition is a comprehensive course comprising several, manageable modules that help you grasp each concept under the purview of the subject. It is a 1-year-long course. Students who have completed their 12th standard exam or undergraduate course are eligible to apply. On completion of this course, students can consider lucrative job roles such as food product development scientist, nutritional therapist, food labelling specialist
VLCC Institute of Beauty and Nutrition
The VLCC Institute of Beauty and Nutrition is a 1-year classroom teaching course incorporating both theory and practical components. It offers in-depth knowledge in Nutrition Sciences, Food Science, Anatomy and Physiology, Dietetics, Community, and Therapeutic Nutrition. The program also teaches the science of Ayurveda, Acupressure, Yoga, and Massages.
Find nutrition courses online from a qualified instructor here on Superprof.
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