Education of dietitian's in Brazil: Minimum clock hours of instruction for a bachelor's degree in nutrition

Abstract

This essay aims to debate the minimum clock hours of instruction necessary for obtaining a bachelor's degree in nutrition considering the challenges to educate health professionals. Official documents on the minimum clock hours of instruction required by undergraduate nutrition programs were analyzed to investigate compliance with the curriculum guidelines for the area, the law that regulates the profession of dietitian, and the necessary education for the Sistema Único de Saúde (Unified Health Care System). Compared with other health programs, nutrition presented the smallest increase in the minimum clock hours of instruction required for the degree. The changes that occurred in the epidemiological, demographic, and nutritional profile of the population and scientific advances require specific nutrition actions. Since Sistema Único de Saúde focuses on comprehensiveness in the three levels of care, on humanization, and on health care, the theoretical and methodological concepts given in undergraduate programs need to be improved for the dietitians education to meet the Sistema Único de Saúde needs. Incorporation of the knowledge needed for working with food and nutritional phenomena, including its social and cultural dimensions, management of public policies, quantity cooking, and food and nutritional surveillance requires a higher minimum clock hours of instruction. In conclusion, dietitians need a minimum clock hours of instruction of 4,000 to acquire a proper education, integrate into the university life, and coordinate interdisciplinary experiences of the triad teaching/research/extension.