Do you like exploring the relationship between heath and food? Does nutrition inspire you to pursue a career in it? Do you want to know the nutrition scope in Pakistan?
Give this article a read to know all about how to become a nutritionist in Pakistan.
Table of Contents
Who is a Nutritionist?
A nutritionist is an expert in the use of food to promote health and wellness. You know, different foods have different kinds of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants which are essential for your health.
A nutritionist can tell you all the things related to diet, what you eat, how you eat it, and how much you eat it.
Let me give you an example. If you want to know about vitamin D and why it is important for your health, your nutritionist will guide you all about vitamin D-boosting foods. Not only will he guide you, but also provide you with a nutrition diet plan, as it’s important to eat certain foods at certain times.
Who is a Dietician?
Now, you must be wondering who is a dietician and how is he different from a nutritionist?
Well, the difference is simple. A dietician knows nutrition, and he/she applies this knowledge to physical and practical work.
Every dietitian is a nutritionist but not every nutritionist is a dietitian.
A dietician has more credentials and degrees than a nutritionist. You can become a nutritionist without any formal education or licensing but it is illegal to call yourself a dietician without any proper education and experience.
Dietician Vs Nutritionist
| Characteristics | Dietician | Nutritionist |
| Education | Opt for medical nutrition therapy/therapeutic diets | Opt for sports nutrition, nutrition education, planning,g, and assessment |
| Work | Treat patients with specific diseases/disorders | Provides health guidelines to general population |
| License | Get registered after taking a test | No test to become a registered nutritionist |
| Work Place | Medical settings e.g hospitals/clinics | Commercial settings e.g gyms/sports club |
How to become a Nutritionist in Pakistan?
Now you know all about the difference between a nutritionist and a dietician. Now let’s understand how can you become a nutritionist in Pakistan.
Complete High School and College
To pursue a career as a nutritionist, you must take steps for it at the earliest level. Opt for biological sciences in Matric/O’Levels and FSc/A’Levels as well.
It is important to study biology at this level to get a basic understanding of human anatomy, physiology, and nutrition.
Choose Nutrition as a Majors at the University
There is a lot of nutrition scope in Pakistan. Therefore, the universities offer 4-years BS degree programs in nutrition. This program is recognized by the Higher Education Commission. Over 4 years, you will learn:
- Different factors of nutrition and fitness
- Technique goals to interpret medical expertise about food
- Food’s reference to health
- To help human beings vary their ingesting habits
- To prepare an eating regimen for the clients
Training
After passing out, you will be required to undergo training experience at a healthcare facility. You can do either an internship or a placement to gain work experience. This is important as it will provide you with the necessary practice to excel in your professional life.
At least, 6 months of the training period is required.
Job Opportunities for Nutriotisnt in Pakistan
There are many choices for a nutritionist to specialize in. Let’s talk about some of them:
Clinical Nutritionist
If you wanted to be a doctor, but couldn’t get a chance for you, this is a field for you to get that ‘doctor vibe’. You can work at a hospital as a clinical nutritionist/dietician after passing an exam known as Registered Dietician.
This is a highly responsible job, as you cater to the needs of the patients, as well as the doctors. You make diet plans for your clients, and guide them according to their health conditions. In a nutshell, you advise your clients on the dos and donts of a diet.
For example, you can guide an anemic patient about the intake of iron-rich foods, how much amount he should take, and when.
Fitness Consultant
You can work at a gym as a fitness consultant. You can guide your clients about their fitness queries, as well as which foods they should eat to maintain a healthy and fit body.
You can make diet plans for healthy weight loss. Fitness experts even deal with people who are suffering from certain diseases and help them with a non-medical approach.
Quality Control Manager
You can work as a quality control manager. Your job requires the responsibility of meeting all the standards for a certain product. You make sure that the product is of the best quality and ready to be consumed.
You can also work with consumers to understand their mindset. This can help in ensuring even greater quality for a product.
Product Manager
You can get hired by food industries as a product manager. This nutrition branch has a wide scope in Pakistan.
Food Scientist
If you see yourself as a researcher, you can always be a food scientist. This field is great, as there is a chance to learn and discover new things in the food industry.
You can research various areas of study and can publish them in a well-reputed journal. The most popular research of 2021 was done by clinical nutritionists on the positive impacts of intermittent fasting.
Food Inspector
Honestly speaking, food inspector is a great deal in Pakistan.
They check the hygiene and ingredients of the food. They look for the expiry dates and the food that has been expired but still being sold. They even check the location and type of utensils used in the manufacturing, processing, and handling of the food you eat.
This is a very tough job but this is directly linked to the government sector, and it has great scope.
NGOs-based Jobs
Being related to NGOs comes with perks, but also with great responsibility.
You can join any non-governmental organization after completing your degree and training. You can act as a public health nutritionist and play your part in spreading some good to the unknown areas of the world.
Bottom Line!
I’m sure this article was helpful for you as you learn a great deal about nutrition scope in Pakistan and how you can become a nutritionist. This is a thriving field with jobs in every area of life. So, it’s safe to say that you can easily pursue nutrition as a career.
If you want to know about foods for your health, or if you want to know about a particular diet regimen, make sure to consult a well-known dietician in Lahore. You can book an appointment via Healthwire.pk or you can call at (042) 32500989.
