Part Two of Our Series on Nutrigenomics and Nutrigenetics Counseling

There’s a reason that biochemistry is one of the key classes that you’ll find in a standard bachelor’s in nutrition degree program. When you get right down to it, when nutritionists are talking about food and nutrients and how they impact the human body and health, what they are talking about are the chemical metabolic reactions happening at the cellular level to digest and turn foods into fuels.

Of course, the instructional code that tells those cells how to do all that is written into our very genes. At the same time, the nutrients and chemicals coming out of those foods can influence those genes themselves, flipping switches controlling protein synthesis, metabolic events, and even the expression of chronic diseases.

If that all sounds pretty important knowledge for the field of nutrition to understand, you’re right. It’s all a part of the new science of nutrigenomics. Dietitians who are nutrigenomics specialists are going to be a hot commodity in the decades to come. Whether you’re already working in the field or studying toward that goal now, a few key moves will put your career on track.

The following bachelors and Master’s programs offer career-focused instruction delivered by trained nutritionists with experience in the field. Find out more what each individual course of study offers through the locations below.

Why a Nutrigenomics Specialization Could Be the Right Move for Both Your Career and Your Clients

Taking a patient-centered approach has long been the standard in nutrition counseling. Nutrigenomics takes that ability to a whole new level.

With insights into individual genetic predispositions, and the impacts of various nutrients on the genotype, counselors can tailor their recommendation with vastly more information and assurance. Registered dietitians have always taken into account things like:

• Family history
• Health problems
• Dietary preferences
• Exercise and lifestyle factors

But individual genetic analysis will give them rock-solid science to back up diet plans.

This can be particularly useful for clients where the standard nutritional counseling approaches don’t quite get the job done. Every dietitian has seen them: the patient who, for whatever reason, just doesn’t respond as you would expect to a conventional treatment plan.

In the past, that has meant long periods of trial and error, figuring out which foods and patterns work and which don’t. But a genetic analysis may quickly reveal all.

This patient population may be the ideal target for nutritionists specializing in nutrigenomics and genetics-informed nutrition counseling.

Where Do Nutrigenomics Specialists Work?

Because this is a field that can apply to just about any patient population, however, the employment opportunities for nutrigenomics counselors should be widespread. Unfortunately, it’s such a new development that it’s tough to predict exactly how widely or just what differences there could be in salaries and employment.

Due to the high level of technical detail in nutrigenomics, you can expect to find most of these positions currently tied closely to healthcare systems. In fact, medical doctors are making some of the greatest uses of the technology so far. They work with clinical dietitians to make headway with those tough-to-treat patients who benefit most from the technology.

On the other hand, as more and more people hear about the potential of nutrigenomics, you can also expect demand to rise among independent nutritionists. Particular for Certified Nutrition Specialists managing their own practices, this could be a skillset that drives a lot of business in the coming years.

You can also find plenty of roles in this field already working at universities and other research centers. As the details of the connections between genes and nutrients continue to be explored, there are many opportunities to help push the field forward at the cutting edge.

Getting the Right Education To Become a Nutrigenomics Specialist

If it isn’t clear already, this is a field in nutritional counseling that absolutely demands a high level of education. Counselors who plan to integrate genetic testing results into nutritional planning need a strong understanding of genetics and genomes. Interpreting the results that come in from genetic testing isn’t child’s play; there is no one-to-one mapping of gene to protein, but instead complex combinations that can express differently in different circumstances.

Sorting all this out is going to push most nutritionists in this field toward a master’s degree in nutrition and dietetics at a minimum. This offers relevant coursework in areas like microbiology and organic chemistry. This is foundational stuff for understanding nutrigenomics, even if it’s not quite sufficient alone.

Importantly, master’s programs also open the window to participation in advanced research projects. Ideally, you’ll aim toward programs that are investigating nutrigenomics and nutritional genetic topics directly. Even if you don’t, however, just having the exposure to the concepts and processes of scientific research will give you a better platform for understanding nutrigenomics breakthroughs when you encounter them.

Classes That Will Help Boost Your Nutrigenomics Street Cred

In any degree program, you can boost your credentials toward nutrigenomics practice through courses in fundamentals such as:

• Biochemistry
• Molecular Biology
• Genetics
• Nutrition and Omics
• Nutrition Informatics

There are also a handful of new programs popping up that focus on this new field, with more sure to follow. A Master of Science in Nutrition and Nutrigenomics or a Master of Biohacking and Nutrigenomics will pack in the additional study in areas like human genetics and lifecycle nutrition and disease to help you make sense of the new tools available.

More and more standard master’s programs in dietetics are also moving to incorporate this kind of coursework to better assist in personalized nutrition planning.

Your Options for Retraining as a Nutrigenomics Specialist if You Are Already a Qualified Dietitian

You can’t go back in time to switch your major to a degree that didn’t exist only a few years ago, however. So if you are already a registered dietitian aiming to shift to nutrigenomics work, you have to consider other options.

For starters, it’s important to understand that you don’t need any special certification to work in nutrigenomics. However, earning a certification may help your job prospects.

There are currently no certification requirements to become a specialist in nutritional genomics.

On the other hand, advanced studies in biogenetics, informatics, and biochemistry are crucial for making nutritional genetic information work in diet planning. So most nutritionists are going to have to revisit their training.

Fortunately, even if you already have a master’s, there are resources in the field to catch you up on new nutrigenomics developments.

For example, the American Nutrition Association offers a specialty Nutritional Genomics Training and Certification Program that delivers five modules of instruction in the field. At the end, you may be eligible for the CNGS (Certified Nutritional Genomics Specialist) credential. There are also universities offering nutrigenomics graduate certificate options, as well as private, for-profit educational providers with training courses in nutrigenomics.

The NutriGenomics Institute is one of these, offering online courses that specifically break out topics for health and sports or current nutrition professionals.

There are also options like the Nutrition Genome Nutrigenomic and Epigenetic Training Program, which ties a complete training program to specific counseling practices. These options work well for anyone who is looking for a package of training and potential referrals through larger organizations.

In any case, you’ll find that you have plenty of different options for tailoring your education to your career goals, even if your nutrition degree was awarded years ago. Staying current is always a part of work as a registered dietitian. When it comes to nutrigenomics, it may be the ticket to a whole new field of practice.