Define Future Projections in the Field of Public Nutrition?
We discussed earlier that the field of public nutrition has existed for a long time, although not by this name. A heterogeneous network of professionals with distinct training and career paths, working in applied nutrition programmes and policy continues to shape the field, incrementally, through dedication and effort. Although the need for a continuing supply of such persons, albeit with more targeted and appropriate training, is acknowledged widely, funding for the preparation of such individuals is increasingly, scarce. A comprehensive effort in public nutrition would need to address appropriate training to a critical mass of key individuals at each level of a country.
Such a programme could achieve significant improvement in nutrition and create the human and institutional capabilities to sustain positive nutritional gains well into the twenty-first century. The appropriate training of applied nutrition professionals to work at the programme and policy levels hence, needs to be supported and recognized. Organizations prepared to fund this set of training activities will play a significant role in enhancing institutional effectiveness, strengthen regional capacity for providing ongoing human resource development, and contribute to the establishment of sustainable training programmes. Thus, we can appreciate that, as the field of public nutrition gains increasing recognition, there are more and more opportunities for professionals in the applied field to publish and disseminate their work in the academic community. There are journals devoted to food policy and programmes and nutrition journals now commonly contain sections devoted to the policy and programme applications of nutrition science.