Department of Dietetics and Nutritional Sciences

Introduction

Phone +36 1 486 4820
Email etk.dietetika@semmelweis.hu
Head of the Department College Professor Dr. Éva Csobod Csajbókné

Background Education of dietetics in Hungary dates back to the 1920s and was initiated by Aladár Soós. The Department of Dietetics and Nutrition was organised in 1975 as part of the newly established College of Health Care (now the Faculty of Health Sciences of Semmelweis University), with Professor János Rigó as its first director. The main task of the Department is the undergraduate and graduate training of dieticians as well as providing courses on nutritional sciences and dietotherapy for other health professionals educated at the Faculty. Accordingly, the The Department of Dietetics and Nutrition Sciences is also responsible for the training of masters of nutrition and food sciences, the programme is carried out in collaboration with Szent István University.

Education Over the last 40 years, as many as 2000 dieticians have completed their studies at the Department. The undergraduate training programme is eight semesters long, with a total number of 240 ECTs, of which 40 percent is devoted to theoretical training and 60 percent to practice. Dieticians may be employed as therapeutical dieticians or catering managers.

During the education students are taught the whole scope of dietetic practice such as clinical, administrative and public health/community dietitians. Graduate students can be employed in different areas of public health nutrition and nutritional research fields. Postgraduate training programmes are also available for dietitians.

The Master of Nutrition and Food Sciences was launched in the 2009/2010 academic year. Students are taught by experienced teachers who are recognized as experts in the field of nutrition and food technology as well as in research methodology. The duration of the training is 4 semesters with a total number of 120 ECTS. Graduating as Masters of nutrition and food sciences allows students to continue their studies at Ph.D. level at Semmelweis University Doctoral School in the Health Sciences Researches programme. The Department of Dietetics and Nutrition Sciences has collaborative partnership with the European Federation of the Associations of Dietitians (EFAD).

The Department’s staff is also actively involved in the editorial boards of several professional periodicals, such as Metabolism, New Medicine, Developments in Health Sciences and New Diet (managed by the Association of Hungarian Dieticians).

Research The Department has been involved in several projects, such as the EU-funded: ‘Ageing Nutrition’ project (2004-06, organised by the Department), the ‘PORGROW’ project (2004-06), participated as partner institution in the thematic network called DIETS1, ‘Dietitians Improving the Education and Training Standards (2006-09)’ and DIETS2, ‘Dietitians ensuring education, teaching and professional quality’ (funded by the EACEA 2010-13). The Department was involved in the Hungarian version of EPODE Project collaborating with Association of Hungarian Dieticians (2014-17).

Members of the Department’s staff are involved in the PhD education as tutor teachers.

Tutorial fields of Doctoral School are:

Food production by fermentation for patients with food allergy and intolerance
Nutrition science analysis and dietoterapic interventions
Innovation in public catering
Disease specific nutrition therapy and communication method
Examination of nutrition and nutritional status of elderly

Research

Investigation of biologically active component of vegetable and fruit during cultivation, post harvesting, food technology and food preparation
Determination of colour characteristic of foodstuff
Determination of polyphenol content and antioxidant capacity in foodstuffs
Determination of mycotoxin contamination in foodstuffs
Monitoring of allergen contamination of equipment, tools and food preparation process
Role of food labeling in order to improve informed and safe food choice of people with special dietetic needs
Relationship between nutritional habits, nutritional status and quality of life in different diseases
Monitoring different groups’ nutritional status and nutrients intake for the purpose of health preservation and to identify risk factors of diet-related diseases
Assessment and analysis of the fluid consumption habits, attitudes and product choice preferences and education of the theme for the purpose of health preservation
Teaching correct dietary habits in children’s catering, development of eating behaviors
Kethogen diet therapy in the prophylactic treatment of migraine headache in adolescents
Screening malnutrition risk and analyzing body composition in different population

Members of the Department’s staff are actively involved in the boards of different professional organizations in the field of nutrition, such as the Hungarian Society of Nutrition, the Association of Hungarian Dieticians, the Hungarian Food Allergy and Food Intolerance Databank, the College of Health Dietetics and Human Nutrition Council, the National Association of