With obesity and type 2 diabetes becoming worldwide epidemics, I'm heartened to see many people interested in pursuing careers in nutrition counseling. I am often asked about education programs - here are some of the better ones:

• The Program in Integrative Medicine (PIM) here at the University of Arizona does offer two online courses in nutrition education, one on Nutrition & Cardiovascular Disease and one on Nutrition & Cancer, with other courses in development. The first covers the fundamentals of diet and nutrition for heart health and includes such subject areas as macro- and micronutrients, fad diets, supplements, phytonutrients, and patient motivation. The Nutrition & Cancer course addresses cancer treatment and prevention. Subject areas include integrative nutritional approaches to cancer, micronutrients, common diets for cancer patients, and whole foods.
  
  Both courses are open to anyone. Physicians, nurses and dieticians who complete either course can get continuing education credit. New classes begin on the 15th of every month. Participants will have a maximum of 90 days to complete each course. You can learn about the nutrition courses, plus other online courses PIM offers, by clicking here. 
  
• Hawthorne University is an online university that offers a wide range of nutrition courses for students at various levels of expertise. To see what’s available visit their site by clicking here.
  
• The Institute for Integrative Nutrition also offers excellent training. The regular curriculum is conducted over the course of 10 weekends in New York City. But there is an online component, and online instruction will be expanded. Find out more by clicking here.

Bear in mind that many colleges and universities offer a variety of online courses in many subject areas. You may be able to find the nutrition education you seek by checking the offerings of well-regarded, fully-accredited schools.

This is a great field with good career opportunity, and I wish the best of luck to all who choose to pursue it.

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