How to become a nutritionist
Many people’s lives have been turned upside down due to Corona, and the attention on health has increased a lot. The food we eat is the cause of many health problems. Our health means what kind of food we should eat, and what kind of food we should eat for our health. Dietitians are now in high demand.
How to Join Nutritionist and Dietician Courses
After completing Intermediate with Botany, Zoology, Physics, and Chemistry subjects, one can study Nutrition and Dietetics courses as part of a three-year degree, after that, if interested, one can join a two-year M.Sc.
With a PG qualification, one can excel as a nutritionist. If you want to become a dietitian, after completing the course, along with 6 months of internship, you will have to take the Registered Dietitian exam conducted by the Indian Dietetic Association.
BSc Life Sciences/ Applied Nutrition /Applied Nutrition and Public Health /Clinical Nutrition Dietetics/Food and Nutrition /Food Science and Quality Control /Food Technology/ Nutrition /Nutrition and Dietetics Community Science .. . Many degree colleges, agricultural universities, and autonomous institutions offer courses at the B.Sc level under other names.
Those who complete these courses can join M.Sc Nutrition and Dietetics as part of PG. For admission in UG and PG courses in national-level institutes, you have to write CUSET UG / PG. Many institutes are offering UG-level nutrition courses under Osmania University. You can get admission through the Dost website with inter marks merit.
BSc Nutrition
The duration of the course is three years. Human Physiology, Fundamentals of Nutrition, Food Biotechnology, Health and Weight Loss Strategies are studied as part of this. Diet charts following the body mass index on completion of the course. Learn how to create diet plans that support weight loss.
BSc Food Technology
The duration of this course is three years. As part of this, selection of food, preservation, packing, distribution, and food technology come under. As part of this course, you will learn the basics of food technology, principles of food science, nutrition, food processing, and engineering, and food preparation.
They will get training on food quality and management. Through this course, they will learn about the hidden scientific aspect of food and nutrition and the opportunities around nutrition.
M.Sc
Theory in degree, practical classes, internship, and research in PG will give you complete mastery of the subject. In M.C. you can choose the specialization of your choice. Clinical health, child/adolescent, public health, food processing, etc. This course mainly focuses on advanced human nutrition, therapeutic nutrition, food science, and quality control.
After completion of the course, 6-8 months internship is mandatory. If you want to go into the field of research, students will be able to experience the topics they have read in the books by researching the subject of their choice. The entrance test is required to get admission in PG courses.
Nutritionist Job Opportunities
Nutritionists: Nutritionists are experts who tell us what should be consumed in what quantity and how our food habits affect our health.
Dietitian Job Opportunities
Dietitian: Prescribes foods with nutritional value that can be quickly measured based on the current health condition of the affected patient.
Clinical Dietitian: Works in hospitals, and nursing homes. For example, they must help patients suffering from cancer with their diet, to assess the nutritional value of the food taken by the patient, and to suggest a diet according to their taste and preferences without depleting nutrients.
Community Dietitians: They work with fitness clubs, public health agencies, and government projects to create awareness about nutritious food to prevent diseases. They work in groups or communities.
Pediatric Dietitians: They provide dietary advice for infants to teenagers. Pediatric dietitians may work in hospitals or practice privately.
Sports and Dieticians: They work in sports training centers/clubs, sports hostels, and athletic teams. A nutritional diet is prescribed according to players’ weight and body type. Dietitians can also provide services in food manufacturing facilities. They conduct research there about the quality and nutritional value of food items.
Classes can be given as home science teachers and lecturers to create awareness about the subject of nutrition in schools and colleges. Nutrition specialists, food processing managers, personal dietitians, food quality inspectors, and food scientists can excel.