What Is Dietology And Nutrition: What Is The Difference Between Them

Alexander Bruni
Author: Alexander Bruni Time for reading: ~8 minutes Last Updated: August 08, 2022
What Is Dietology And Nutrition: What Is The Difference Between Them

In this article, learn more about What Is Dietology And Nutrition: What Is The Difference Between Them. The article talks about the main differences between dietology and nutrition.

In the article we will tell:

  1. Formation of nutrition as a science
  2. The subject of study of modern nutrition
  3. Differences between scientific approaches of nutrition and dietology
  4. Differences between dietetics and nutrition in practice
  5. 5 useful books about the science of nutrition

People often think that dieticians and nutritionists do the same thing, but the truth is that the two professions are very different in terms of education, qualifications, and day-to-day roles.

Dietetics promotes a somewhat generalized approach—there are established dietary recommendations for people with certain chronic diseases.

A nutritionist studies the client's daily diet and helps to adjust it in accordance with the goal. The task of a nutritionist is to teach people to choose and eat foods that bring maximum benefit to the body. That is, to eat fully, to maintain the strength and processes of the body in the best conditions. The client of a nutritionist acquires the skill to independently adjust their weight and their well-being, gets rid of bad eating habits (dependence on stimulants: sugar, coffee, etc.).

Formation of nutrition as a science

Nutrition began its development during the Second World War, when it was important to create a diet that would be the basis for a healthy life of people in a crisis situation. Experts began to conduct studies that showed that proper nutrition is the basis of human health and, on the contrary, an unhealthy diet contributes to the development of various diseases. For example, scientists have found that the nutrition of a pregnant woman directly affects the health of her child, and the microflora of his intestines depends on the quantity and quality of dairy products consumed.

 

The studies revealed a direct relationship between the speed of rehabilitation of people with injuries and their nutrition. The more complete and balanced the diet was, the faster the patients recovered. In addition, proper nutrition contributed to the speedy recovery of the gastrointestinal tract while taking antibiotics.

Thus, a new science of nutrition appeared, which dealt with the diet of people with various health problems. If you try to give a definition, then nutrition is the science of nutrition.

 

Nutritionology is not exclusively the study of nutrition, it is also at the junction of such sciences as pharmacognosy and pharmacology. The developments of nutrition scientists are used by bromatologists, trophologists, as well as specialists studying food hygiene (the Russian version of nutritionists).

  • Pharmacognosy is one of the pharmaceutical sciences that studies medicines obtained from medicinal raw materials of plant and animal origin, waste products of plants and animals, as well as some products of their primary processing (essential and fatty oils, resins, milky juices, etc.).

  • Pharmacology - biomedical science of medicinal substances and their effects on the body; in a broader sense, the science of physiologically active substances in general and their action on biological systems.

  • Bromatology is the science of nutrition.

  • Trophology is the science of food and nutrition. Trophology is a branch of hygienic science that studies the influence of the alimentary factor on the human body and develops measures that prevent diseases, improve human health, maintain its ability to work and increase life expectancy by rationalizing nutrition, improving and controlling the quality of manufactured products.

  • Nutritional hygiene is one of the branches of hygiene that studies the problems of a complete and rational nutrition of a person, depending on gender and age, profession and nature of work, climatic conditions and physical activity, national and other characteristics.

The subject of study of modern nutrition

Today, nutritionology is a serious science that deals with nutrition and its impact on the life of the human body (at the cellular and biochemical levels as well).

 

The main areas of research in nutrition:

  • features of the assimilation of food by the body, factors affecting this process;

  • the influence of individual foods on the functioning of the body;

  • the impact of different types of nutrition on disease prevention and treatment.

Nutriciology today attracts many people, even those who are far from classical science. If you lead a healthy lifestyle, understand how nutrition can affect our health, and are interested in the compatibility of different products, you may be interested in an in-depth study of nutrition.

A nutritionist studies the following issues:

  • what substances the products consist of, how these components are related to each other, how they interact;

  • how it is worth preparing certain products so that they are as beneficial to the body as possible;

  • how other ingredients in dishes affect the body;

  • how a meal schedule can affect metabolism and metabolic processes;

  • how to cure diseases and prevent their development with the help of nutrition;

  • what foods can have a negative effect on the body.

It would seem that nutrition is very similar to dietology, but they are still different.

Differences between scientific approaches of nutrition and dietology

Dietetics is a medical branch that develops group nutrition for people with various diseases. Such nutrition requires the obligatory adherence to specific schemes.

What is the difference between dietetics and nutrition? The main difference between the scientific approach of nutrition is that the study of nutrition is based on the cell, that is, the processes taking place in the body at the cellular level. Nutriciology studies the absorption of substances from different foods. In this regard, it is extremely important to understand the biochemical structure of nutrients (nutrients), as well as to study the state of cell membranes and their energy potential. That is, it is important for nutrition researchers to understand how food affects the body at the biochemical level, how to organize a simpler absorption of food and its removal from the body.

 

In addition, nutrition studies the motives that guide a person when choosing food, and how this affects his health in the end. Nutrition solves the problem of enriching the human diet with minor nutrients and biologically active ingredients.

With the development of science, the Association of Nutritionists and Health Coaches (ANKZ) was created, and they all come to the annual meeting.

I must say that the issues of proper nutrition have not been studied enough for a long time. But the negative dynamics of the state of health of the population made it necessary to pay more attention to this topic. According to the statistics of the World Health Organization, three quarters of the world's population suffer from diseases, the appearance of which is associated with improper and unhealthy diet.

Nata Gonchar is the founder of MIII, a nutritionist with an international education.

Why nutrition is a growing trend of our time

What do people want today?

  1. Be the master of your health and wellness.

  2. Be confident in the competence of a specialist.

  3. There is a readiness for preventive measures.

  4. They ate fast food, they want to be in trend.

  5. Understand the root causes of problems, especially in children.

  6. To be easy, tasty, beautiful.

  7. Individual approach.

  8. Ancient system as a fundamental principle.

  9. See the relationship between mind and health.

 

In Russia, a nutritionist is a graduate of a medical school with advanced training and a doctor who works with diseases and mainly helps to lose weight in order to be healthy according to certain dietary strategies.

A nutritionist is engaged in a full-fledged diet of a person, teaches him to eat properly and compensated. In other words, so that a person himself knows how to use knowledge and consciously eats, and does not go on a diet.

Differences between dietetics and nutrition in practice

  • Practical Dietetics

Dietetics creates meal plans that are suitable for a specific group of people with a specific disease. For example, pyelonephritis is a chronic kidney disease in which it is necessary to limit or eliminate the intake of animal protein. This helps to prevent the development of serious inflammation of the organ and the release of acetone-containing flakes.

The diet includes a certain set of foods that are allowed to be consumed. It is prescribed by a dietitian, depending on the person's disease and its symptoms. He advises the patient which foods can have a negative effect on the body, after which they are excluded from the diet. Patients are usually instructed to eat often and in small portions. The calorie content of food, as well as the nutrient composition of products, is not of great importance.

 

The most popular diets today: mono-diets, unloading diets on vegetables and fruits, diets by blood type, etc.

The advantages of this approach include the general improvement of the body, the absence of factors that provoke the development of the disease.

Its disadvantages are a diet with a small amount of calories and nutrients, often not very satisfying, not giving the right amount of energy.

  • Practical nutrition

A nutritionist will also select for a person certain foods that can have a beneficial effect on the body, and exclude those that provoke inflammation and other problems. However, in this case, the emphasis will be on the needs of a particular patient, depending on his weight, habits, lifestyle, and so on.

A nutritionist first conducts a questionnaire and finds out in detail everything about the patient’s health, then the person is tested, during which the composition of his body (fat, muscles, water, bones) is determined, and the necessary tests are also taken. Then, depending on the specific problems, an individual diet and diet is compiled, which should contribute to the improvement of a person.

He will select the necessary supplements to replenish vitamins and other vital substances, the deficiency of which can lead to serious health consequences.⠀

It helps to correctly adjust lifestyle and nutrition individually for a particular person, depending on his request: to lose weight, gain muscle mass, improve well-being and health, increase energy levels, and also to prevent many diseases, and all this without the use of medicines.

The main task of a nutritionist is to help the client understand himself and his body, and help him function as comfortably and healthy as possible, as well as build his diet in the most optimal and conscious way.

The nutritionist takes into account a lot of factors - from the patient's genetic predisposition to the current state of health and psychological factors.

5 useful books about nutrition

If you are interested in this subject, you may like the following books:

  1. “Food and brain. What carbohydrates do to health, thinking and memory. Authors: David Perlmutter, Christine Loberg.

  2. "Intestine and Brain". Authors: David Perlmutter, Christine Loberg.

  3. "Cage on a Diet". Author: Joseph Mercola.

  4. "Smart gen. What kind of food does our DNA need.” Author: Katherine Shanahan.

  5. "Sugar Trap" Author: Mark Hyman.

 

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