Only recently have people started focusing on health and immunity due to COVID-19. Not only that but non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, heart strokes, cancer, gut issues etc., are increasing where diet plays a major role. As Hippocrates said, ‘let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food’ means the food can heal the body. Good food and good health are vital elements for all stages of life. Take gyms, workout studios, and yoga centres are also becoming popular, so people have a basic awareness regarding clean eating and physical activity to stay fit.
Let’s talk about how one can get into this field:
After high school (12th grade), one can opt for a bachelor’s degree in food and nutrition. Here you can get a basic yet broad understanding of clinical nutrition, basic practical knowledge of food, the importance of public health, food industries – food science and quality control etc.
You will also find a lot of certificate courses available online but always check for credibility and source.
After the bachelor’s degree, you can choose the specialisation once you get an idea of your interests. Here comes the Master’s degree, where you can select from- Sports Nutrition, Food Technology, Food science and quality control and Dietetics.
If you plan to choose a 1-year course, you can opt for Post Graduate Diploma courses as well. Many universities run diploma courses for applied nutrition, sports nutrition and food service management course.
You can step ahead and apply for a registered dietician (RD). This requires at least 4 years of studying in this field (Bachelors’s + PGD OR Bachelor’s + Master’s) along with certain months of internship at a hospital to apply for the exam and get qualified.
You can go ahead and plan for a PhD and get into research as well!
What ultimately is the scope in this field?
- You can work in a hospital as a clinical dietician- Here, you get to work more closely with patients as a clinical nutritionist. You get to work with patients having renal disorders, cardiovascular disorders, diabetes, cancer, patients with burns, patients with gut issues etc.
- You can work with gyms, yoga centres, and fitness studios-Every other person you see has enrolled in a gym, and almost all the gyms and fitness centres hire a dietician for their clients.
- You can start your practice as an entrepreneur- If you start your wellness clinic, you can focus on improving the lifestyle of individuals by working closely with them and serving them solutions. Customised diets targeting their disease/disorder are of the utmost importance. The health industry is still seen as a luxury, but this perspective is changing due to the rise in many disorders and the fast life in which everyone relies on packaged and outside food.
- You can work as a sports nutritionist- The future and growth of this field are tremendous. This covers all sports, from nutritionists at sports centres and the Sports Authority of India to certified supplement nutritionists. One can become a personal health coach for a sportsperson in any sport like cricket, football, tennis etc., where to remain fit is the ultimate goal!
- Working in the food industry- In this field, one can work with any food industry as either a food technologist or under the department of quality control, sensory evaluation, R&D department, Consultant for FSSAI and other organisations, and Labelling analyst.
- Public health nutritionist- This field of nutrition focuses on public health programmes based on the public health issues like anaemia, deworming for kids, iodine deficiency, malnutrition, programmes for maternal nutrition, lactation practices etc. One can work in a private setting, NGO or government sector- WHO, UNICEF that deals directly with the masses.
There is a wide scope in this field, depending on your interests. As a nutritionist, it is essential to burst myths and create awareness with whoever you are working with because a lot of fake information surrounds us, especially when a lot of people who are not qualified run their businesses as ‘nutritionists and dieticians’. Food will always play a vital role in mental health or physical health, but what is even more challenging as a nutritionist is diet counselling, which means providing strong, scientifically proven reasons as to why a person should eat or avoid it certain foods.
Lastly, I would like to add no matter the degrees you’ve earned to survive in the field that constantly changes; you need to keep yourself updated with knowledge, new research, new cut-offs and guidelines for certain disorders so that you can provide the best solutions to your clients and help them treat/manage their problems.
