Nutritional Medicine

Program Description: 

Most countries have demonstrable nutrition-related health problems spanning the range of under-nutrition, poverty-related food insecurity, micronutrient deficiencies, and diet-related chronic diseases. About seventy percent of the most prevalent diseases leading to ill health and premature deaths are considered to be nutritionally oriented.

The increasing incidence of diet-related diseases and the growing evidence of the role of nutrition in the prevention and treatment of diseases demonstrate the importance of nutrition in the health and wellbeing of the population.

 In order to develop effective nutritional treatment plans for communities and individuals, it is essential to have the required ability that will make it possible to solve the aforementioned problems. This technological ability is rooted in the Nutritional Medicine program, which will additionally be able to explore the role of nutrition in disease prophylaxis and management that will lead to a happy, healthy and vibrant life.

Definition: 

Nutritional Medicine is a new field in medicine that is based on clinical nutrition but is wider in scope, covering aspects of nutrition and health via the role that nutrition plays in health, disease, lifecycle and ageing. 

In this program students will gain a deep evidence-based understanding of the complex relationships between nutrition and diseases. They will learn to take a critical and scholarly approach to theory, practice, literature and research findings, resulting in a deeper understanding of the range and potential of the nutritional management of disease.

This program prepares graduates to practice in a wide range of clinical, consulting and industrial settings. The program emphasizes on an integrative approach to healthcare.

Objectives :

The Objectives  of the program is to inform and train those to whom the public turns for advice on nutritionally-related aspects of health and disease.

In keeping with modern concepts concerning master graduates in the field of nutrition, all graduates will be expected to enthusiastically inform and inspire their patients and clients to adopt health-protecting and the healthy diets and develop plans to prevent, and even reverse all nutrition related-diseases in enhanced health and well-being of the patients and the community.

General Competencies: 

The graduate of M.Sc. degree in Nutritional Medicine is a professional who:

• Has competency as a research assistant 
• Can identify the causes of health issues, educate the patient and develop treatment and prevention plans to re-establish and promote ongoing optimal health and wellbeing.
• Can combine the traditions related to food as medicine and modern dietary planning with scientific advances in the use of nutrients at therapeutic doses in the treatment, management and prevention of disease.

Specific Competencies and Skills (Special Qualifications): 

The graduate of MSc degree in Nutritional Sciences has competency to:

• Counsel individuals and groups on basic roles of good nutrition, healthy eating habits, and nutrition monitoring to improve their quality of life. 
• Assess nutritional needs, diet restrictions and current health plans to improve and implement nutritional plans.
• Provide nutritional counseling to patients with non-communicable disease, brain and nervous system, gastrointestinal disease and other diseases that nutrition can potentially prevent or control them.
• Advise patients and their families on the importance of nutritional principles, and food selection and preparation 
• Make recommendations regarding public policy, such as food fortification and nutrition standards for specific groups. 
• Participate in planning and conducting research projects on diet and nutrition.