You are what you eat

Dieticians are becoming overwhelmed by the sheer volume of people with nutrition-related illnesses or people just needing guidance on healthy eating,” says Sue English, course leader for the University’s new Nutrition and Health degree, which starts in September 2009.

“There just aren’t enough people out there to meet the government’s health targets. We saw the need for a specialist role within the health workforce, someone who could work across disciplines on the key policy-drivers of health promotion and prevention.
“As well as the obvious benefits to society, more specialists in this area could save the NHS a great deal of money in the long term.”

The new undergraduate course uniquely combines an understanding of both the science behind nutrition and food and the psychological and cultural factors relating to health. In the multicultural society we live in, knowledge of different cultures and their attitude to healthy eating and exercise is vital for those working in the health system.

“In the first year, all students take a module called Nutrition, Lifestyles and Cultures which puts health into a wider context,” says Sue. “If you don’t know about kosher food or the value system attached to it, how can you advise on an appropriate diet for Jewish people? Attitudes to health and eating vary so much between cultures. Research into increased levels of diabetes and obesity in the South Asian population in Bolton, for example, found that previous attempts to improve health through free gym membership had failed.

“The health professionals in that situation hadn’t factored in the Muslim belief that exercise should only be done to improve health and not to make yourself more attractive. They were also reluctant to use a gym with members of the opposite sex and had issues with appropriate clothing for exercise. On top of that, Muslims refuse to use anything that could be seen as a by-product of gambling so they wouldn’t use any facility built or maintained by Sport England, as this is funded by the National Lottery. “If you don’t know the reasoning behind people’s health behaviour, you’re setting yourself up to fail,” adds Sue.

In Year 2, students look at illness and diseases related to poor diet and also nutrition across the lifespan, reinforcing the ‘cradle-to-grave’ approach of the new course. “Our graduates will be able to support people at every stage in life, from newborn babies to old people,” says Sue. “Nursing concentrates on a “sickness model”, treating people who are already ill, whereas this course takes a “prevention model” as its approach. Healthy eating, ideally, should start at birth but if we can’t catch them there, hopefully health promotion will stop people deteriorating further later in life.”

As with all Edge Hill undergraduate courses, the BSc in Nutrition and Health equips students with essential transferable skills such as communication and study skills that will increase their employability. There is also the option in the third year for students to undertake a 20-day work placement to gain experience, make useful contacts and boost their CV.

The opportunities for graduates with this kind of specialist knowledge are increasing as more and more attention is being given to preventing nutrition-related disorders.
“Anyone who is able to apply practical guidance and support to a range of people across a variety of settings will always be in demand,” says Sue.

It’s not just the NHS that needs qualified nutritionists, either. Graduates could find themselves based in local authorities working on health promotion, in schools, food cooperatives, children’s centres, charities or parenting groups. They could choose to work with particular populations such as ethnic minorities, people with mental health issues, disabled people or any group with nutrition-related health needs.

“Anyone who has a passion for food, nutrition and health would benefit from this course,” says Sue. “If you are good with people and want to help halt the spread of diet-related illnesses, this course is for you.”