Food, Nutrition and Health

What you will learn

• How nutrition impacts health
• Introduction to the field of nutrition and food
• Basic chemistry and composition of food, their role in the body and their impact on health
• How to better weigh and interpret the information overload about nutrition and health
• Skills needed to effectively assess, design and implement dietary strategies and nutritional therapy at a basic level.
• In recent years, interest in the role of food and nutrition in promoting health and wellness has increased, particularly as a part of preventative healthcare in medical settings, (Source: Bureau of Labor and Statistics).
• Employment of dietitians and nutritionists is projected to grow 14 percent from 2016 to 2026. (Source: Bureau of Labor and Statistics).
• The median annual wage for dietitians and nutritionists was $58,920 in May 2016.
• This program offers specialized training about food and proper nutrition, opening advanced career opportunities for dieticians, nutritionist, registered nurses, and a range of jobs in the food industry.

Program Overview

In this Professional Certificate program, taught by prof. Sander Kersten, a leading global expert in the field of nutrition, you will learn how to analyze and interpret the information overload about nutrition and health to help build a healthier lifestyle for you and/or your patients.

You will learn about the composition of macro- and micronutrients, their role in the body, and their impact on our health. You will get a sound understanding of energy homeostasis and the regulation of bodyweight. Also, you will learn about health problems related to overnutrition and undernutrition. You will learn strategies to improve nutritional status, and combat overnutrition and undernutrition based on scientific knowledge. The program covers everything from fat, protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and water. You will acquire the necessary knowledge, skills and tools to become more critical towards the food and health related messages we’re constantly bombarded with.

This program will also help you develop a critical mindset. You will learn how to distinguish misinformation about food as you discover what is complete nonsense, what has a scientific basis and where the truth is somewhere in between.

This program is especially useful for health care professionals who are looking to update their knowledge and skills about nutrition and people working in the food industry with a non-nutrition background (such as food technology, legal, marketing, HR and communication staff).
Health care professionals will benefit by acquiring a solid academic knowledge base in nutrition that will be helpful in their interactions with patients and clients.
Professionals working in the food industry with a non-nutrition background will benefit by gaining a better understanding of foods and nutrients and how they can impact our health, which will useful in the design of new foods and new health claims and will allow for better communication with nutritionists and food scientists within and outside the company.

Continuing education and accreditation

Health care professionals and health associate professionals often require formal qualifications and updated schooling to practice their profession. For some associations, this program may be used for CEUs. Please check with your local organization if the program qualifies.

Courses in this program

Nutrition and Health: Macronutrients and Overnutrition

Learn from the top professors of Wageningen University & Research about macronutrients and overnutrition and how they impact humans. This online course is offered as a MOOC, and is part of the Professional Certificate Pogramme: Nutrition and Health.

Nutrition and Health: Micronutrients and Malnutrition

Learn from the top professors of Wageningen University & Research about malnutrition and micronutrients and how they impact your health. This online course is offered as a MOOC, and is part of the Professional Certificate Pogramme: Nutrition and Health.

Job Outlook