The importance of what we eat is often overlooked in the frenzied rush of everyday life. The CDC reports that a 33.8 percent of American adults and 17% of children were overweight in 2008, leading to a rise in diabetes, heart disease and other life-threatening conditions. Nutrition and food science experts enjoy helping people lead healthier lives through a balanced diet.
Nutrition and food science degrees focus on the chemical and biological components of our food and the ways in which these ingredients affect our health. Nutritionists and dietitians also study the social impacts of the foods we eat, including how they affect our economy, psychology, and culture.
Most graduates of nutrition science programs become nutritionists or dietitians. Both careers involve working closely with individuals or communities to plan and supervise the preparation of healthy meals, whether in the context of an individual practice or a large institution such as a school or hospital.
Dieticians and nutritionists are also concerned with education and awareness. Teaching their patients how their diets affect their health and well-being is a large part of the job. If the patient understands that her current diet is placing her at risk, she is more likely to cooperate in the diet's modification.
Nutritionists can also specialize in a particular discipline within their field. Dietitians often specialize in treating children or patients with kidney problems, critical illnesses or diabetes. Others supervise overweight patients or those with eating disorders. Some clinical nutritionists and dietitians make a career out of managing the food service departments of large institutions, such as hospitals, nursing care facilities, schools, or correctional facilities. These specialists must plan healthy, well-balanced meals for the correct number of individuals, often on a strict budget.
Food scientists analyze food, ingredients, and what causes it to break down or spoil. They are concerned with the safe preservation and processing of food as well as its nutritional value. They can help companies keep tabs on food sanitation, quality control, storage, and marketing.
Due to an increased awareness in recent years of how food directly affects our health, there is a greater demand for professionals trained in nutrition and food science. The general public has begun to realize just how important it is to eat well-balanced meals. This means that the opportunities for a career in nutrition are at an all-time high.
Being a nutritionist, dietitian, or food scientist is about more than just telling people what to eat. There are a wide variety of careers in this field. From advertising to research, if you are interested in health and nutrition, there is a job for you in the vast field of nutrition and food science. Some examples include:
