Nutrition & Diet

Dietetics and Nutrition is a branch or specialisation of medical science that deals with the study of various foods along with their nutritional values and customising it as per patients or a person’s health and fitness requirements. Dietetics and Nutrition course is also a part of Health and Wellness branch. Primarily a Science subject, the Dietetics and Nutrition course forms a core to broader courses or branches such as Food Technology, Biotechnology, Biochemistry etc. and on the other hand, these subjects also form a core for the Dietetics and Nutrition courses. On this page of Shiksha, we will discuss at length about the course structure, colleges, scopes, among others.

What is Dietetics and Nutrition?

The demand for nutritionists/dieticians has significantly increased over the years owing to increased awareness amongst individuals to stay healthy. Avoiding high-calorie diets result in keeping hypertension, obesity, and other food-related diseases at bay. Nutritionists/dieticians are health specialists who create diets for individuals. They teach patients about healthy food habits/lifestyles and stay aware of developments in nutrition and medicine. Dietetics emphasises food management, whereas nutrition emphasises the promotion of healthy food to get better health. Through a healthy diet, nutritionists/dieticians facilitate in improving their patients’ quality of life as well as overall well-being.

Eligibility Criteria for Pursuing Dietetics and Nutrition Courses

The basic eligibility requirement to pursue Dietetics and Nutrition program at the UG and PG level is –

Under-Graduate (UG)

• The minimum eligibility for pursuing UG in Dietetics and Nutrition is passing the Class 12 Board exam in the Science stream
• Students must have studied Biology/Chemistry/Physics as major subjects in Class 12
• They should have scored an aggregate of at least 50 per cent or equivalent CGPA in Class 12 Board exam
• Some colleges/universities also accept Botany/Computer Science/Biochemistry/Zoology as the major subjects studied in Class 12.

Post-Graduate (PG) –

• Candidates should have a bachelor’s or an equivalent degree in Dietetics and Nutrition or a related discipline from an approved university or institute
• They should secure an aggregate of at least 55 percent or equivalent CGPA
• Subjects learned/studied must include food and Home Science, Biology, Clinical Nutrition and Biochemistry, Microbiology, Physiology, and Dietetics