Nutrition and Dietetics As A Career Option | Courses, Job Prospects

There are different types of human beings all around the world comprising of different cultures, ethnicities, religions, and many other things.

Since the beginning of humanity, human beings have invented many things starting with fire. One of those inventions is called “FOOD”. It is more relevant to survival than invention.

Food might be one of the few things that unite every human being. We all need to eat to survive. But we also need to keep our physical health in check and that’s where the concept of nutrition and dietetics comes in.

Many a times, we require assistance on what should we eat and how much should we eat to keep our health stable. Some people have big issues about their consumption of food.

Professionals called Nutritionists and Dieticians are qualified and highly skilled people that diagnose these kinds of issues and keep our physical health in check. They treat various kinds of problems like eating disorders, food allergies, diabetes, malnutrition, IBS syndrome, kidney failure, and many more.

Their work differs from private clinics or hospitals to government hospitals. They are also valuable in the food industry, hospitality, athletics, and media.

The course of Nutrition and Dietetics itself offers various programs and courses at the graduate and postgraduate levels. These courses consist of various subjects like human physiology, nutrients, food technology, and biochemistry which are important.

This field has a lot of scopes. Here are some things to keep in mind about the field of Nutrition and Dietetics.

• Nutritionists and Dieticians have high-income capability and are in huge demand.
• The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics states that between the years 2016 to 2026, there will be an approximately 15% increase in demand for Nutritionists and Dieticians which is way above average.
• By 2026 there will be a requirement for about 10,000 more Nutritionists and Dieticians. In the year 2017 alone they made an average of $60,000 in the United States.

Nutrition and Diet are essential for health. The World Health Organization (WHO) stated in its reports that obesity has tripled since 1975 worldwide with over 1.9 billion adults of age 18 or older being overweight and more than 650 million being obese.

They mentioned in their report that –

“Most of the world’s population live in countries where overweight and obesity kills more people than underweight.”

In some countries, children suffer from malnutrition but at the same time, almost 41 million children under the age of 5 were overweight or obese in 2016. Being malnourished or obese increases the chances for chronic diseases like diabetes, hypertension and heart disease, and stroke.

Nutritionists and Dieticians are trained to help such kind people and establish good health for them. They work with individuals to help people to eat right and live long and stay physically active.

There are varieties of food all around the world. Food science is an evolving field and so is the industry of nutrition. This requires experts to make individuals understand the advantages and the disadvantages of the food we eat.

According to an article in Science Focus, the food we eat 10 years from now may be tailored to our genome. Personalized nutrition may be an option where we’ll have the capacity to modify our diet and food. Lab-grown meat is no longer a myth.

Some environmentalists have the opinion that if we avoid meat and dairy it will reduce the negative climate impact. Scientists are finding a way to produce lab-grown protein without the animal.

So how do we know what food is best for us? We have Nutritionists and Dieticians for it.

Different types of Nutrition and Dietetics Courses and Duration

Eligibility Criteria in Nutrition and Dietetics

Below I have given the eligibility criteria for completing Nutrition and Dietetics Courses.

Under Graduate Diploma, Certificate and Degree Courses:

After clearing class 12 board exams a candidate can apply for undergraduate diploma, degree, and certificate courses.

On the basis of the state-level entrance exam, admission to a 3-year diploma course is offered by some government colleges or universities.

After the candidates have passed 10+2 exams, they can directly take admission in a certificate or short-term diploma programs. It is imperative for the candidates to study physics, chemistry, and biology till class 12 for B.Sc. programs.

Some institutes offer B.Sc. courses on the basis of entrance exams; others offer admission on the basis of marks secured by candidates in class 12.

Post Graduate Degree and Diploma Courses

Students who have done B.Sc. in this field securing at least 45% marks can apply for M.Sc. programs. Admissions to this program are done on the basis of entrance exams and personal interviews conducted by some reputed institutes.

Direct admission is also possible at some colleges or universities without any exams or interviews. Candidates can apply for PG Diploma courses after completing graduation in the field.

Some institutes also offer these programs to candidates who have done undergraduate diploma courses in Nutrition and Dietetics.

Syllabi for Nutrition and Dietetics

Popular Subjects:

Colleges and Universities of Nutrition and Dietetics

These are some of the universities and colleges, where these courses are offered. You can find many different colleges in your local cities and towns as well that offers these.

• Jagannath Institute Of Management Sciences – Sector-3, Rohini (JIMS), Delhi.
• CMC Vellore (CMC VELLORE), Vellore.
• St. Teresa’s College (STC), Ernakulam.
• Microtek College Of Management and Technology (MCMT), Gurgaon.
• Assumption College, Kottayam.
• Lady Irwin College, Delhi.
• Symbiosis Institute Of Health Sciences (SIHS), Pune.
• S.N.D.T. College Of Home Science (SNDTHSC), Pune.
• Hindi Vidya Prachar Samiti’s Ramniranjan Jhunjhunwala College (RJ), Mumbai.
• Institute Of Hotel Management Catering Technology and Applied Nutrition (IHM Chennai), Chennai.
• Tatyasaheb Kore College Of Pharmacy (TKCP), Kolhapur.
• College Of Commerce, Arts And Science (COCAS), Patna.
• Sheth P.T. Mahila College of Arts and Home Science (SPTMCAHS), Surat.
• Mahishadal Girl’s College (MGC), Tamluk.
• Arts, Commerce and BCA College For Women (WKBSMACBCACW), Dhule.
• Shevaroys College Of Hotel Management and Catering Technology (SCHMCT), Salem.
• GCG Ludhiana, Ludhiana.
• Matoshree Vimalabai Deshmukh Mahavidyalaya (MVDM), Amravati.
• Government College for Girls (GCG PATIALA), Patiala.
• Sadakathullah Appa College (SAC), Tirunelveli.
• Yadava College (YC), Madurai.
• Govt. D.B. Girls’ P.G. (Autonomous) College, Raipur.
• All India Institute of Hygiene and Public Health (AIIHPH), Kolkata.
• Uttarakhand Open University (UOU), Haldwani.
• Sadabai Raisoni Women’s College (SRWC), Nagpur.
• SNDT Women’s University, Pune.
• SAM Global University (SGU), Bhopal.
• Lifeness Science Institute (LSI), Mumbai.

Job Prospects in Nutrition and Dietetics

With all the health problems rising amongst us it is important that we have a proper nutrition diet. There are no better professionals than nutritionists and dieticians who can make us realize that.

The younger generation is also getting the importance of proper nutrition. Private Dieticians and Nutritionists are making good money in Tier 1 and 2 cities. Hospitals and even a lot of corporate companies are hiring them to keep their employees healthy.

Some of the Job profiles which nutritionists and dieticians can take up are:

• Consultants
• Food Show Host
• Researcher
• Therapeutic Dietitian
• Sports Nutritionist
• Administrative Nutritionist
• Nutritional Sales Executive
• Nutrition Trainer

Candidates can earn a good amount of money which differs from Rs. 1.5 lakh to Rs. 2.5 lakh. Private practitioners may earn up to Rs. 4.5 lakh per year with proper advertisements and good clinics.

Candidates can also try in abroad if they have experience.