How To Become a Nutritionist? Scope and Career Opportunities

Nutrition plays a pivotal role in leading a healthy life. It is a vital element required in every stage of life. Nutritious food intake and metabolism of nutrients are associated with the decreased risk of both infectious and non-communicable diseases. Nutritious diet is a major determinant of future health – physical, mental and social health, not merely an absence of disease.

Why Study Nutrition and Dietetics after 12th?

The objective of pursuing a course in Nutrition and Dietetics is that the student will acquire scientific knowledge of basic sciences and principles of Nutrition and Dietetics. Students will get a broad understanding of clinical nutrition, food science, sports nutrition, public health nutrition and its influence on human health and well-being. They will develop skills pertaining to critical analysis, entrepreneurship and communication for career development in the field of nutritional sciences, and will enhance practical knowledge in the domain of Nutrition and Dietetics for its applications in industry and research.

Courses to Become a Nutritionist

After 12th to become a nutritionist, a student can pursue B.Sc. in Nutrition and Dietetics followed by M.Sc. Nutrition and Dietetics. M.Sc Nutrition and Dietetics has four major specialized fields of nutrition– Clinical Nutrition, Public Health Nutrition, Food Science and Technology, and Sports Nutrition. All these fields have their scope of working as a nutritionist.

Responsibilities as a Nutritionist

A Nutrition Professional offers guidance to people, families, and organizations on how to change food, lifestyle, and mindset for optimum health promotion. They can work with a licensed healthcare provider to help individuals with previously diagnosed disease recognize biochemical imbalances and toxicity which lead to poor health.

Career Opportunities as a Nutritionist

Clinical Nutritionist:

Clinical Nutrition is one of the major disciplines of Nutrition and Dietetics. The focus of the field is to research and acquire more and more scientific knowledge to treat infectious and non-communicable disease by therapeutic diets and innovations. The scope of this field is as follows:

A graduate in B.Sc. Nutrition and Dietetics can work as a dietician in hospitals and Nutritionists in health clinics, health centers, and MNCs.
Opportunity to be a registered dietician (RD).
Graudates can work as a project assistant, project associate, chief nutritionist in NGO’s and private organizations.
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 eating habits.

Public Health Nutritionist:

Public Health Nutrition is another field of nutrition that focuses on the public health problem regarding food and nutrition like Anaemia, Vitamin A, Diabetes, Iodine deficiency etc. they deal directly with masses. The scope of this field is as follows:

Graduates can work as a project assistant, project associate at an organization like PHFI, WHO, UNICEF, health organizations.
Work as a chief nutritionist in NGO or private organizations.
Work as a Regulatory affairs specialist
Nutrition Journalism is another field to explore
Public health policymaker
Sustainable food nutritionist

Sports Nutritionist:

Sports nutrition deals with specific nutrition requirements and guidelines of sports players depending on the category of sports. The scope of this field is as follows:

Nutritionist at sports training, gyms and fitness center
Digital sports coach for average gym-goer
Fitness streaming programmer
Certified Supplements and granular nutritionist
Nutritionist at Sports Authority of India

Food Science and Technology

This is another field of nutrition. The scope of the field is as follows:

Food Scientist – Work in R&D centres of Industry
Food Auditor/Food Quality Controller
Food analyst/Food sensory evaluator
Research associatewith Food Industry
Consultant in FSSAI
Technical Labelling Analyst