Nutrition and Human Health

Nutrition and human health is an applied scientific discipline concerned with how the foods we eat affect our bodies, our wellbeing, and our risk of disease across the life course. It draws on biochemistry, physiology, epidemiology, and public health to understand the relationships between dietary patterns and health outcomes, and it has become increasingly important as the burden of diet-related conditions including obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease has grown in both the UK and globally.

The four-year full-time Nutrition and Human Health with Foundation Year programme at the University of Suffolk is aimed at students who have little prior experience or knowledge of the field, or who have been out of education for a while and are looking to rebuild their knowledge and confidence in the science disciplines. The additional foundation year provides the scientific grounding and academic skills development needed before entering the main degree, and the University of Suffolk has an established track record in supporting students who may not have followed a conventional route into higher education. The main programme develops your understanding of nutritional science, metabolism, public health nutrition, dietary assessment, behaviour change, and the policy and regulatory frameworks that govern food and nutrition practice.

With a typical entry tariff of 120 points, the programme is accessible and inclusive. Graduates from nutrition programmes pursue careers as nutritionists, public health nutritionists, dietetic assistants, health coaches, and in food industry roles including product development, quality assurance, and regulatory affairs. Many go on to further professional training in dietetics or public health, or to postgraduate study in nutrition science, health promotion, or related fields.

Registered Nutritionist status with the Association for Nutrition is a professional goal for many graduates.