Safia Begum1, Iftikhar Alam2,3*, Atta Ullah Jan2, 3, Muhammad Ibrar Khan3
1Nutrition Education, Awareness and Training Consultants, Social Welfare Department, KPK Government of Pakistan. 2Department of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, Bacha Khan University Charsadda, Charsadda, KPK, Pakistan.3Clinical Nutrition Program, Department of Community Health Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University Saudi Arabia
*Corresponding Author Email Address: [email protected]
ABSTRACT
Background: Nutrition has emerged as a promising field of healthcare education and practice in Pakistan. However, no data are available on nutrition education and degree programs in Pakistan. Objectives: The main objectives of this scoping review are: 1) to analyses nutrition education in Pakistan, 2): to recommend a model country with excellent and replaceable nutrition education setup that can be followed as a model to improve nutrition education in Pakistan. Methods: Some databases were consulted without any filters for date of publication or count of publication using these phrases: nutrition education, degree program, curriculum, and accreditation etc. Results: In contrast to most of the countries in Asia that have made massive progress in nutrition and dietetics, Pakistan has made little, if any, progress in nutrition and dietetics education. Only a few universities offer degree programs in these disciplines. Poor curricula and degree program accreditation are some of the weaknesses identified. For improvement in nutrition education, Pakistan needs to follow a model country with a strong nutrition education framework that is characterized by 1) commitment for nutrition education promotion, 2) civil society mobilization and involvement, and 3) building institutional systems for nutrition education. Based on an extensive literature search, we propose Brazil as an excellent potential model country for Pakistan to follow for development of nutrition education. Conclusion: The current efforts for nutrition education in Pakistan are limited in scope and variety. While, nutrition education in Brazil is characterized by commitment for nutrition education promotion, civil society mobilization and building institutional systems for nutrition education, stakeholders in nutrition education in Pakistan may follow Brazil as a model for further development in nutrition education.
Keywords: Dietetics, Nutrition Education, Nutrition Education Accreditation, Pakistan
Citation: Safia Begum, Iftikhar Alam, Atta Ullah Jan, Muhammad Ibrar Khan. The Changing Face of Nutrition and Dietetics Education in Pakistan: What Can We Learn from Brazil? A Scoping Review. Canadian Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2019; 7 (2): 79-112.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.14206/canad.j.clin.nutr.2019.02.06