Nutrition and Dietetics

NUTRITION AND DIETETICS

The Nutrition and Dietetics Department focuses on the relationship between nutrition and health. Work in this field helps both healthy people and patients maintain a balanced diet. The unit aims to instill healthy eating habits and also to plan the nutrition of patients being treated for conditions such as diabetes, obesity, kidney and liver failure, cancer, lipedema, lymphedema, and intestinal health problems, while protecting their health. The Nutrition and Dietetics Department of Daviva Health Group provides service with experienced dietitians through individualized nutrition programs tailored to the person and the disease.

What Is Nutrition and Dietetics?

The Nutrition and Dietetics Department is the field of health that examines nutrition in all its details and its effects on health.

Therefore, it requires knowledge and expertise in the following areas:

• The physiology of nutrition: digestion, absorption, and use of nutrients by the body
• The composition of foods
• Cooking techniques and knowledge of various gastronomic traditions
• Food hygiene and food preservation products
• Nutrition-related pathologies and their medical and dietary treatment

Nutrition refers to all processes by which the body takes in substances found in foods and converts them into energy. Personalization is its most important rule. The term "diet" today is mostly synonymous with a weight-loss diet; that is, a specific way of eating that leads to weight loss by reducing daily calorie intake. The goal of weight loss should always be to reduce body fat and weight while preserving muscle mass. In addition, since we commonly encounter irregular and unhealthy eating habits today, diet sometimes means not reducing calories, but ensuring that the calories taken in come from healthy foods and in balanced proportions.

For optimal health, various nutrients, especially those considered "essential," must be consumed in sufficient amounts and without any deficiency. In terms of energy needs, foods should be consumed in amounts that maintain optimal weight. An active lifestyle is important in this regard. The Nutrition and Dietetics Department emphasizes the importance of an appropriate diet for protecting and improving health.

Today, there are many different weight-loss diets or weight-loss nutrition plans that vary greatly from one another. Along with low-carbohydrate diets, protein diets, ketogenic diets, Paleo diets, lipedema diets, and the Mediterranean diet, intermittent fasting is also frequently used for weight loss. These are determined according to the person's body's needs.

What Does Nutrition and Dietetics Deal With?

Specialist dietitians in the field of Nutrition and Dietetics help patients maintain or improve their health, quality of life, and well-being. When nutritional support is needed, for example, if you want to lose weight in a healthy and lasting way or get back in shape, it may be beneficial to consult a dietitian. Diet plans can also be applied in cases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, or digestive system problems, as support for medical treatment in conditions such as cancer or chronic diseases, and to improve physical performance in athletes.

• Excess weight and obesity
• Type 1 and 2 diabetes
• Changes in eating habits
• Cardiovascular diseases
• High blood pressure
• Cancer
• Food intolerances and allergies
• Kidney diseases
• Metabolic diseases such as diabetes, gout, dyslipidemia
• Digestive system diseases (irritable bowel syndrome, celiac disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease, constipation)
• Pregnancy and breastfeeding period
• Malnutrition or loss of muscle mass
• Sports nutrition (physical performance goal)
• Unbalanced and inadequate nutrition
• Eating disorders (bulimia nervosa, anorexia nervosa)
• Nutritional support (It is also useful for helping improve nutritional status during hospitalization and after some surgical procedures, including obesity surgery.)

What Are the Diagnosis and Tests Performed?

The Nutrition and Dietetics specialist may need the following parameters to make a diagnosis and determine the most appropriate treatment plan.

Anthropometric Assessment

• Height
• Weight
• Waist and hip circumference measurement
• Body Mass Index (BMI)
• Body composition analysis

Biochemical Assessment

• Blood tests reveal important information about nutritional balance, health status, and eating habits.
• Protein status
• Glycemic status (fasting blood sugar, HbA1c)
• Cholesterol indicators (total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, triglycerides)
• Vitamins (vitamin D, B12, vitamin B9)
• Electrolytes (iron, calcium, magnesium)
• Kidney and liver functions

Why Is Dietitian Support Important?

The aim of the Nutrition and Dietetics Department is to teach individuals the foundations of healthy eating, guide them toward healthier and more sustainable eating habits, and improve their lifestyle. The nutrition and diet specialist offers a comprehensive plan to create and develop a personalized diet or nutrition profile for each individual.

The role of the dietitian is very important in this field. These professionals are trained to create personalized nutrition and diet plans that meet the special needs of each individual. Whether it is managing a specific health problem or adopting a more balanced eating pattern, the dietitian assesses nutritional needs and recommends personalized solutions.

Dietitians also take on an educational role by promoting a healthy lifestyle. By informing their patients about good eating habits, they help them establish lasting routines. Their expertise covers many areas; for example, sports dietitians adapt nutrition plans to optimize athletes' physical performance.