New Nutrition Degree discussed at nutrition club mixer

Troy University launched a new degree under the College of Health Sciences this semester, the bachelor of science in nutrition. 

The program, which was originally only offered as a minor and was only available to Troy Online students for a year before being introduced as an in-person option, gives students the chance to explore the science behind what makes food healthy and how much of an effect a healthy diet can have on a person. 

“Everyone wants to live long and healthy” said Nutrition Club President, Makenna Calbert, who is a senior nutrition major from Woodstock, Georgia. “It also affects your genes. 

"If you eat right, you’ll be setting up for your future generations, but most people in the world don’t know how to eat right.” 

One of the program’s biggest goals is to shed light on the misinformation regarding nutrition that has been gaining popularity in the media and inform students how to avoid and debunk false claims. 

“Your social media algorithm keeps you into it,” said Dr. Aimee McDonough, lecturer of nutrition. “I think that’s what it is, and a lot of people don’t want to trust science anymore. 

“All we can do is go back to science because science is proved over and over and over.” 

Others agreed social media spreads misinformation. 

“There’s a lot of misinformation about nutrition out there and in the current landscape that it’s pretty easy to get these certificates with air quotes around them by going to a website and answering a few questions” said Coordinator of the B.S. in Nutrition Dr. Teresa Johnson. “Since we live in a free market society, I’m allowed to sell you a pinecone and tell you that it’ll cure baldness, belly button lint and cancer, and if you want to be ripped off, you can.” 

Students will also be taught how to make the science behind nutrition digestible for people with a simple, common understanding of food, to prevent people from letting their ignorance in the topic lead to accidental unhealthy choices. 

“I think people are realizing that their diets aren't the best; I mean, I know people want to [eat healthy] but that just don’t know what to do,” McDonough said. “There’s too much information and that’s what a registered dietician does; we take the science and put it in plain English.” 

Students who join the nutrition club will get opportunities to learn from and shadow professional nutritionists as well as their instructors. There’s no fee to join the nutrition club, and it is open to students of all majors and focuses. 

For more information, visit @troynutritionclub on Instagram.