This article was automatically translated from the original Turkish version.
A dietitian is a person who has graduated from a nutrition and dietetics program affiliated with higher education and has passed competency and quality examinations in Nutrition and dietetics, possessing professional competence in the field. The primary objective of dietitians is to prevent the development of nutritional disorders through personalized nutrition programs; when prevention is not possible and a person already suffers from such disorders, dietitians aim to eliminate these disorders using appropriate nutritional strategies and to identify and implement dietary regimens that optimize the patient’s metabolism.
The word “diet” derives from the Greek “diaita,” meaning “lifestyle.” The term diet is also used to describe a nutritional regimen applied to maintain or restore health. The scientific discipline that studies this area and has adopted it as its specialty is called dietetics or nutritional science. Fundamentally, nutrition science can be defined as the branch of science that examines the functions of foods in the human body, their effects on health, and their relationship with diseases.
Within the framework of nutrigenetic research, the necessity for personalized diets has become better understood. Additionally, advances in the food industry—such as nanotechnology, hydroponic and aquaponic farming, and the identification of new taste perceptions like umami and oleogustus like—have led to increased production of targeted foods. The rise in enteral and parenteral nutrition and food support products has also heightened the need for individuals to consult dietitians to maintain health and develop dietary plans in the event of a disease condition.
Because nutrition is the most essential component of treatment, physical examinations of patients have become more nutrition-focused, and the employment of dietitians has begun to increase in healthcare institutions, particularly in preventive people health areas and organizations involved in food and beverage production.
Paleolithic Period studies have revealed evidence of malnutrition and infection symptoms in ancient human skeletal remains. On the other hand, after transitioning from a hunter-gatherer lifestyle to settled life during the Neolithic period, humans began cultivating and consuming agricultural products, with cereals becoming the primary food source.
Babylonian tablets dating to around 2500 BCE contain valuable information on nutritional methods used for treating illnesses. In antiquity, Hippocrates, regarded as a pioneer in medicine, emphasized the central role of nutrition in medical treatment with the statement, “Do not prescribe drugs when you can treat with food.” Plant and animal products were used to treat diseases during this period.
In the late 19th century, research improved understanding of nutrition and dietetics practices. The first dietary plans for patients were determined by physicians, and nurses were responsible for ensuring patient adherence to these diets. By the end of this century, the profession of “dietitian” was formally defined.
At the beginning of the 20th century, research on the effects of foods on bodily functions increased, and the relationship between nutrition and disease prevention importance gained recognition. This situation contributed to growing interest in the science of nutrition and dietetics.
During the First World War, 41 percent of British men with nutritional deficiencies were deemed unfit for military service. With the United States’ entry into the war, demand for dietitians increased, leading to the founding of the American Dietetic Association (ISLAND) in 1917. Dietitians began to be categorized into roles such as therapeutic dietitian, administrative dietitian, public health dietitian, and educational-advisor dietitian.
World War II again highlighted the importance of dietetics and called upon 1300 dietitians for service. Increased labor demands and the growing participation of women in the workforce created a need for eating out, elevating the role of the “Administrative Dietitian.”
Since 1977, ADA has begun organizing in-service training seminars. Following these developments, various countries, including Türkiye, established dietitian associations in subsequent years.
Through scientific research initiated in the mid-19th century in developed countries, nutrition became internationally recognized as a scientific discipline, and by the early 20th century, nutrition and dietetics education and training had reached university level in many developed nations.
In Türkiye, under the leadership of Professor Dr. İhsan Doğramacı, who emphasized the necessity of multidisciplinary healthcare teams, the Institute of Public Health was established within the Faculty of Medicine at Ankara University in 1954. Immediately following this, the “Hacettepe School of Health Sciences” was founded to train professionals from various health fields. Within this school, the “Dietetics Program,” launched in 1962, formed the foundation of the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics and marked the beginning of dietitian education in Türkiye.
The program, which initially enrolled 10 students, grew and developed over time and became affiliated with Hacettepe University’s Faculty of Health Sciences. Due to the graduation of the program’s first cohort on 6 June 1966, June 6 has been recognized as “Dietitian Day” and is celebrated annually. The Department of Nutrition and Dietetics has since expanded within time to include graduate education programs.
To become a dietitian in Türkiye, one must complete a four-year bachelor's degree degree program in Nutrition and Dietetics at a university.
Dietitians can pursue master’s or doctoral degrees to build an academic career or become specialized dietitians.
During university education, compulsory internships are completed in hospitals, community health centers, sports clubs, and private clinics.
In Türkiye, dietitians can work in various fields:
Dietetics and Dietitian
History
Dietetics in Türkiye
Requirements to Become a Dietitian
Education
Master’s/PhD
Compulsory Internship
Dietitian Responsibilities
Dietitian Work Areas