Nutritionology or nutrition science is a science aimed at studying the functional, metabolic, hygienic and clinical aspects of the interaction of nutrients and how they affect the body. Nutritionology studies the mechanisms of healthy nutrition, the motives of a person's food choice, determines nutrition systems and strategies for rational human nutrition. Unlike dietetics, nutritionology is not engaged in the study and selection of nutrition for the preservation of health in various pathologies, and also differs in a comprehensive approach to the study of nutrition problems.
Nutritionology originated at the junction of several sciences, including chemistry, biology, and food hygiene. Abroad, nutritionology is a specialty that can be obtained in universities and colleges. In Russia, people with medical or chemical-biological education most often become nutritionists – after acquiring their main specialty, they complete a residency in the field of dietetics and nutritionology. However, people can get an education in the field of nutritionology even without medical education, having completed professional retraining courses. Training programs for nutritionists operate at the Russian State Social University (RSSU), the Peoples' Friendship University of Russia (RUDN), the First Moscow State Medical University named after Sechenov, the Russian Medical Academy of Continuing Professional Education (RMANPO), the I. I. Mechnikov Northwestern State Medical University (I. I. Mechnikov NWSMU)
