Students who wish to become nutritionists need to have a good understanding of anatomy and physiology to understand how the body uses food for energy. Students learn about the structure of bones and muscles; internal organs; the cardiovascular system; the respiratory system; and, most important, the digestive system. Some colleges offer students an opportunity to study the human body through the dissection of cadavers, giving them a three-dimensional understanding of the concepts being taught in class.
Students studying to become nutritionists take a basic course in nutrition concepts. This course gives an overview of calorie intake and expenditure, beginning with the resting metabolic rate, or amount of calories the body requires to maintain current weight when completely at rest. The course also teaches students about different components of food (carbohydrates, fats and proteins), the roles of vitamins and minerals and the impact of physical activity on caloric needs.
Nutritionists must have a strong foundational knowledge in a variety of sciences. Students study microbiology to learn about energy production at the cellular level, chemistry to learn about the conversion of food into energy, general biology and biochemistry. These courses prepare students for more advanced science courses later in the program.
Math concepts are an important part of education for nutritionists, because students must calculate calorie requirements and food portion sizes when meal planning. Nutritionists need to know how to convert measurements from metric to imperial (standard) units and how to work with fractions and ratios.