Promote Healthy Lifestyles with a Nutrition Degree

American adults in this country are overweight, and the Center for Disease Control estimates the number to exceed 67%. Nutritionists can be helpful to fight the battle of the bulge, and to become one, you will need a nutrition degree. Nutrition students in Montana recently rolled out local produce to promote a healthier lifestyle.

A table loaded with plump tomatoes, fragrant onions and crisp green beans attracted curious glances from passersby, with a few stopping to sample and purchase the produce grown at the MSU Towne's Harvest Garden, a 2.5-acre farm run by the Friends of Local Foods, a student group formed in 2006 to tout the benefits of locally grown grub. Business picked up when classes let out, with students and teachers alike tucking turnips and cucumbers into their backpacks.

"This is such a great idea," said Kat Smith, a sophomore studying photography. She stopped at the stand to pick up some dinner items. Originally from Stanley, Idaho, a town of about 100 people, Smith said there weren't a lot of opportunities to eat fresh food at home.

"I'm all about fresh produce, local people," she said. "I'd come every week."

Tuesday's stand was a test run for what Alison Harmon, assistant professor of foods and nutrition, hopes to be a weekly happening in September and during the summer. The group is still waiting for explicit permission for their operation from the university higher-ups, but Harmon said she hopes the administration recognizes the value of the stand.

Graduates who earn a nutrition degree online ultimately become nutritionists or dietitians. Their work revolves around planning the preparation of nutritious meals, and plans for better health. People in this field often work in hospitals, nursing homes, or even schools.