What this life looks like
You study the relationship between food and human health. Nutritional Scientists research how nutrients — carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, and water — affect the body, investigate the causes and consequences of malnutrition, develop evidence-based dietary guidelines, and design programmes that improve nutritional outcomes for populations. In Africa, where malnutrition in its multiple forms — undernutrition, micronutrient deficiency, and rapidly rising obesity — affects hundreds of millions, nutritional science is critically urgent.
What she actually does
You design and conduct nutrition research studies, analyse dietary data from populations, measure nutritional status using clinical and biochemical methods, evaluate the effectiveness of nutrition interventions, translate research findings into dietary guidelines and public health recommendations, develop fortified food products, advise governments and organisations on nutrition policy, and teach nutrition to health professionals and the public.
Where you can work
| Sector | Places in Africa |
|---|---|
| Research Institutes | APHRC (African Population & Health Research Center), IFPRI Nutrition, HarvestPlus, GAIN Africa |
| Government | Ministry of Health nutrition departments, national nutrition programmes, food fortification initiatives |
| UN & Development | UNICEF Nutrition, WFP nutrition programmes, WHO Africa nutrition, USAID Feed the Future nutrition |
| Universities | Nutrition science departments — teaching, research, and community nutrition practice |
Why it matters in Africa
Africa faces a triple burden of malnutrition — 280 million people are food insecure, over 30% of children under five are stunted from chronic undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies affect hundreds of millions, and simultaneously obesity is rising rapidly in urban populations. Nutritional scientists who can investigate these intersecting crises, develop effective interventions, and advise governments on food and nutrition policy are doing some of the continent's most important public health work.
Your pathway in
- Study Nutritional Science, Dietetics, Food Science, or Biochemistry at university
- Pursue a master's or PhD for research careers: nutrition research is increasingly molecular, requiring strong laboratory skills
- Gain clinical or community nutrition experience alongside research training
- Connect with the African Nutrition Society and national nutrition societies in your country
- Develop skills in nutrition assessment methods: dietary recall, anthropometric measurement, and biochemical analysis
Skills you will need
- Nutritional assessment methods
- Dietary research and analysis
- Epidemiology and statistics
- Food fortification science
- Nutrition communication
- Policy analysis
A woman in this field
Anna Lartey
Ghana
Anna is a Ghanaian nutritionist who served as Director of Nutrition and Food Systems at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Rome — the most senior nutrition role in the world's most important food and agriculture agency. A Professor at the University of Ghana, she has conducted landmark research on complementary feeding practices for infants and maternal nutrition in Ghana and across Africa. She has trained a generation of African nutritional scientists and remains one of the continent's most influential voices in the field.
Take your first step
- Research the African Nutrition Society at africannutritionsociety.org — it is the continental professional body for nutrition scientists and publishes resources on African nutrition challenges
- Study what stunting is and why it matters — stunting in children under two has lifelong consequences for cognitive and physical development, and understanding it is foundational for African nutrition work
- Read the Global Nutrition Report at globalnutritionreport.org — it is the most comprehensive annual assessment of nutrition status globally and covers Africa in depth
- Research HarvestPlus at harvestplus.org — they are the leading organisation developing biofortified staple crops to address micronutrient deficiency in Africa, and they demonstrate nutrition science applied to food systems
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