In the United States, 65% of the population is overweight. Obesity rates in children have tripled in recent decades. Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, predicts that if these numbers keep going up, most people will die from complications of obesity such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer.
There are many ways for you to get involved and address this crisis, starting with your own health. Eat whole foods and try to stay active. Encourage your friends and family to do the same. Not only will your waist line thank you, but you’ll be happier and more energetic, too.
If you want to spread knowledge about nutrition and wellness on an even wider scale, you may want to consider nutritionist certification programs. The statistics are clear: you’ll be entering a profitable industry where employment opportunities are numerous and professional stability is practically guaranteed. Just as importantly, you’ll also have the chance to make a real difference in the world.
Getting nutritionist certification is possible in several different ways. Many accredited colleges and universities offer nutrition degree tracks that can take up to four years to complete at the undergraduate level. You can become a registered dietitian by graduating from a program approved by the ADA, completing 900 hours of supervised accredited practical experience, and passing an exam. The terms “certified nutritionist” and “certified dietitian” are tightly regulated by the government, so check with schools in your area to see what the laws in your state say about nutritionist certification.
In addition to traditional nutritionist certification tracks, there are health coaching programs that offer certificates rather than degrees in nutrition. Health coaching programs usually take a year or less to complete and require fewer and less standardized exams. While traditional nutritionist certification courses place primary emphasis on diagnosis and treatment, health coaching adopts a more holistic approach to wellness.
Losing weight involves much more than calorie counting and prescribed diets; it’s connected to other important lifestyle factors such as relationships, career, and emotions, too. Health Coaches are trained to help people to explore all aspects of their lives, identify the challenges that are preventing them from being their healthiest, and develop plans to overcome these challenges.
Even if you choose to pursue the traditional nutritionist certification track to gain in-depth knowledge about clinical nutrition, you may still choose to implement health coaching techniques in your practice to help your clients make long-lasting and sustainable lifestyle changes.
Look into the nutritionist certification and health coach training programs that are available in your area or online. Helping people eat better and adopt healthier lifestyles won’t only make a difference in individual lives; it will also help reverse the health crisis, spread the message about health and wellness, and make a difference on a global scale.
