Career Prospects In Health & Nutrition
With lifestyle diseases on the increase, there is a growing demand for nutritionists and dieticians says our Career Counselor
Health is wealth goes a popular adage. It's relevance seems to have grown over the years with large number of people investing more time and money in keeping themselves fit, which has thereby increased the demand for trained nutritionists or dieticians to supervise and advise the right diet and also promote sound eating habits through research and awareness.
Kumud Khanna, director, Institute of Home Economics, Delhi University (DU) said, "Students pursuing a course in dietetics have an important role to play in health management of our country — to cure diseases owing to malnutrition and end obesity and health disorders caused due to over-consumption of junk and oily food. They have to tackle these challenges effectively as awareness creators, counsellors and therapeutics."
Skill set Patience, good communication skills and awareness about food production, processing and administration, knowledge about dietary deficiency diseases and an understanding about economic, social, psychological and ecological factors determining peoples’ choice for food, are needed to become a good nutritionist. Anshu Sharma, senior scientific officer in Nutrition Foundation of India, said, "The dietician must prepare a diet to suit patients requirements and pocket. He must also have a sound knowledge about patient's geographical location as a north-Indian diet will differ from south Indian one."
Training One can pursue BSc or MSc in Home Science or an MSc in Food and Nutrition. Medical graduates can pursue it as a nutrition science after their graduation. Many colleges offer a diploma in dietetics and public health nutrition. However, an internship in a hospital completes the training, as this field is highly specialised and practical hands-on training in patient care and dietetic management can give a useful industry exposure.
Job opportunities
Hospitals, health centres, nursing homes, beauty and slimming centres, food industry and NGOs are the potential employers. "Other avenues are airlines, hotels, fitness centres, research associates, teachers, food technologists and nutrition managers in food industry, nutrition experts in international agencies including UNICEF, WHO, CARE. One can also write regular health and fitness columns in magazines and newspapers," added Khanna.
Kumud Khanna, director, Institute of Home Economics, Delhi University (DU) said, "Students pursuing a course in dietetics have an important role to play in health management of our country — to cure diseases owing to malnutrition and end obesity and health disorders caused due to over-consumption of junk and oily food. They have to tackle these challenges effectively as awareness creators, counsellors and therapeutics."
Skill set Patience, good communication skills and awareness about food production, processing and administration, knowledge about dietary deficiency diseases and an understanding about economic, social, psychological and ecological factors determining peoples’ choice for food, are needed to become a good nutritionist. Anshu Sharma, senior scientific officer in Nutrition Foundation of India, said, "The dietician must prepare a diet to suit patients requirements and pocket. He must also have a sound knowledge about patient's geographical location as a north-Indian diet will differ from south Indian one."
Training One can pursue BSc or MSc in Home Science or an MSc in Food and Nutrition. Medical graduates can pursue it as a nutrition science after their graduation. Many colleges offer a diploma in dietetics and public health nutrition. However, an internship in a hospital completes the training, as this field is highly specialised and practical hands-on training in patient care and dietetic management can give a useful industry exposure.
Job opportunities
Hospitals, health centres, nursing homes, beauty and slimming centres, food industry and NGOs are the potential employers. "Other avenues are airlines, hotels, fitness centres, research associates, teachers, food technologists and nutrition managers in food industry, nutrition experts in international agencies including UNICEF, WHO, CARE. One can also write regular health and fitness columns in magazines and newspapers," added Khanna.
"They have a bigger role to play with the increasing number of cases of obesity, hypertension, diabetics and stress. Moreover, they have to educate people on healthy eating," said Khanna.
Career prospects Alok Shivapuri, principal, Institute of Hotel Management, Pusa said, "Demand for nutritionists and dietitians is increasing, as people are becoming more health conscious. Even hotels are demanding trained dietitians."
Schools and colleges also offer mid day meals to their students, besides government scheme giving nutritionists ample scope to be entrepreneurs.
Celebrity dieticians: Shikha Sharma and Vandana Luthra.
Institute information
Delhi University www.du.ac.in
Career prospects Alok Shivapuri, principal, Institute of Hotel Management, Pusa said, "Demand for nutritionists and dietitians is increasing, as people are becoming more health conscious. Even hotels are demanding trained dietitians."
Schools and colleges also offer mid day meals to their students, besides government scheme giving nutritionists ample scope to be entrepreneurs.
Celebrity dieticians: Shikha Sharma and Vandana Luthra.
Institute information
Delhi University www.du.ac.in
National Council for Hotel Management and Catering Technology www.nchmct.org
Banglore University www.bangaloreuniversity
Punjab University www.pu.edu.pk
National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad www.ninindia.org
Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, www.msubaroda.ac.in
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