The areas of diet and nutrition are becoming popular as many people realise the importance of food in health maintenance and disease prevention. This heightened perception has resulted in growing consumer demand for more credentialed providers of expert advice on nutrition and dietary practices. For students who have finished 12th grade and possess a genuine interest in the health and wellness sector, choosing a job in diet and nutrition can give them a promising way to significantly change people’s lives. This article will attempt to highlight some of the top courses in diet and nutrition after 12th grade, facilitating aspiring professionals to take an educated leap into their future.
Why Choose a Career in Diet and Nutrition?
Before jumping on, let’s understand, What is Nutrition & Dietetics - it's a study of food and nutrition management, the science behind it, and the dietary care that would improve health and promote a healthy lifestyle. For which, Dietitians and nutritionists play a very crucial role in creating such balanced diet charts or healthy schedules and supporting through providing tailored dietary advices for the overall wellness.
Therefore, those who are interested in health, wellness, and food sciences can pursue courses in Nutrition and Dietetics to gain valuable opportunities and contribute to society. Talking about today’s world, there is a rise in day-to-day lifestyle disorders causing health diseases like diabetes, obesity, and heart-related conditions. Thus, there is a growing demand for dietetics professionals. These types of courses after your 12th grade, will help you to become such professionals.
Understanding the Key Roles: Nutritionist vs. Dietitian
No matter how many times the terms “Nutritionist” and “Dietitian”, are used in an interchangeable manner, which might create a misconception about the definition and roles of both professions. Since they represent distinct roles with distinct qualifications and scope of work.
- Nutritionist: A nutritionist may look at the overall picture of healthy eating and the habits surrounding it. In many cases, they may not require any specific qualifications or certifications to work in community settings, wellness programs, or within the food industry. Unlike dietitians, clinical interventions for the management of disease are typically not.
- Dietitian: In India, the dietitian usually holds a Bachelor's or Master's degree in nutrition and dietetics from some recognised institution. They are usually qualified to work clinically and provide medical nutrition therapy, therefore often involved in the diagnosis and treatment of dietary and nutritional problems. Other requirements may include passing a specific certification exam related to the area of study for registration with a professional body.
Top Diet and Nutrition Courses After 12th
To get a kickstart in this industry after your 12th, you should explore and make yourself aware of various such courses offering the perfect guidance in your professional journey as a Nutritionist or Dietitian. Here are some of the prominent courses available in India:
- Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in Nutrition and Dietetics
Eligibility: Completion of 10+2 with a background in science (Biology and Chemistry)In terms of duration, Like any other BSc program, this too is 3 years. And majorly the curriculum focuses on subjects like Human Physiology, Community Nutrition, Biochemistry, Food Science and Therapeutic Nutrition. The study of these subjects opens many career prospects post completion like Nutritionist, Clinical Dietitian, Health Educator, Research Assistant, and many more.
Some Notable Institutes Offering this Course:
- Lady Irwin College, Delhi University - Institute of Home Economics, Delhi University - All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi
- Nirmala Niketan College of Home Science, Mumbai
- Jagannath Community College (JCC), Rohini
Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in Food Science and Nutrition
Eligibility: Completion of 10+2 from Science stream background
This 3 year long BSc degree majorly focuses on Food Chemistry, Food Processing, Microbiology, Quality Control and Nutritional Assessment. This directly opens so many gates for the graduates completing this course, few of the job positions freshers can apply for are Food Technologist, Quality Control Officer, Product Development Scientist, Nutritionist in the Food Industry, and many more.
Some Notable Institutes Offering this Course:
- PSG College of Arts and Science, Coimbatore
- VIT Vellore
- Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Coimbatore
- Calcutta University
- Banaras Hindu University
- Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in Applied Nutrition
Eligibility: Completion of 10+2 with Science stream background only
As the name suggests, this 3-year BSc degree will guide the aspirants by teaching subjects like Nutritional Biochemistry, Dietetics, Public Health Nutrition and Research Methodology. Making the graduates industry ready for future career opportunities including Public Health Nutritionist, Sports Nutritionist, Clinical Dietitian, Researcher, and many more
Some Notable Institutes Offering this Course:
- Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Gujarat
- University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore
- Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore
Diploma in Nutrition and Dietetics
Eligibility: Completion of 10+2 from any stream stream, but science background is given preference
This Diploma course in Nutrition and Dietetics is generally 1-2 years in duration, making the students industry-ready and giving them exposure to subjects like Basic Nutrition, Meal Planning, Therapeutic Diets and Nutrition Counseling. The hands-on and theoretical exposure give aspirants career opportunities where they can apply for Dietetic Technician, Nutrition Assistant, Weight Management Consultant, and many more.
Some Notable Institutes Offering this Course:
- Global Institute of Health Science (GIHS)
- Jagannath Community College (JCC), Rohini
- Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences
Other Relevant Bachelor's Degrees
- B.Sc. in Home Science (Specialisation in Food and Nutrition) - B.Sc. in Biochemistry - B.Sc. in Physiology
How to Choose the Right Course for You
Now the awareness about all possible courses provided above might give you a clearer picture of the variety of numerous courses and their possible career opportunities. The next step comes, is deciding and choosing the right course for yourself with perfectly fits your career goals.
Here are a few parameters to help you decide between the correct health and wellness courses after the 12th, which will require careful evaluation of several factors to make it easy for you to get into the right course tailored to your needs and desires:
- Time and Resources: Depending upon the time you can give and when you feel like entering the workforce, you can decide this by looking at the course duration and by what time the course makes you industry-ready.
- Personal Career Goals: Putting your career goals in one place and deciding in which sector you want to serve professionally, sectors like research, public health, or the food industry. If your goal is to work directly with clients in clinical settings, planning and managing diets.
- Your Preferred Learning Style: The B.Sc. emphasises theoretical knowledge and research, suitable for those who enjoy scientific study. The Diploma emphasises practical training, ideal for hands-on learners.
- Interest: No matter how much you evaluated and analysed both career paths on several parameters, At the end of the day, the most important factor would be your interest, seeing where it tends towards aligning exactly with which diet and nutrition courses after 12th learning style and your aspirations.
Conclusion
The area of diet and nutrition provides an excellent job opportunity for individuals who are interested in health and wellness. There are multiple courses offered after the 12th grade which will enable students to pick programs according to their interests and plans. If one wishes to work as a clinical dietitian, public health nutritionist, or even a consultant in the food sector, there exist huge possibilities that make a difference. With the above-mentioned vital skills and a way of life dedicated to learning, future professionals can make big differences in personal and community wellness.
For anyone keen on taking this route, looking into recognised programs and schools is an important first step. Talking to experts in the area and asking for guidance can also give useful ideas and advice. Take the path toward being a driver for healthier ways of life and communities.
* Disclaimer: The information and opinions expressed herein are
solely those of Collegedekho and do not
necessarily reflect the views or
policies of JCC.