Department of Nutrition and Dietetics

Nutrition is the study of the influence of food intake on health and well-being, and dietetics is the application of nutritional knowledge particularly tailored to individual needs in the prevention and management of disease. The importance of nutrition in the maintenance of health is being increasingly recognised, and public demand for reliable information about nutrition has never been higher. Nutrition is an applied science, so nutrition graduates can be employed in a variety of scientific roles, including those that relate to the food industry, public health or the media.

The BSc in Nutrition is accredited by the Nutrition Society, so graduates of this programme are eligible to apply for direct entry to the Voluntary Register of Accredited Nutritionists.

The BSc in Nutrition & Dietetics includes registration in dietetics, thereby qualifying graduates to register with the Health Professions Council and work in the National Health Service as Registered Dietitians.

The Department of Nutrition & Dietetics was established in 1945 as the first university department of nutrition in Europe. It is a leader in the training of students, in research, and in consultancy to governments, international agencies, industry and the media. In the most recent Research Assessment Exercise, King's Diabetes & Nutritional Sciences Division was awarded the highest ranking in the UK for its discipline.

We prepare students to work in the NHS and to advise consumer groups, the food industry and governmental agencies, or to engage in research. Our approach is multidisciplinary, drawing upon expertise in biochemistry, food science, medicine, physiology, social and environmental sciences. Students can study topical subjects such as sports nutrition, the relationship between diet and disease, antioxidants and cancer, energy metabolism and obesity.