The Master of Public Health (MPH) in Nutrition was the first degree offered by the Department of Nutrition. Since the first three students received their MPH degrees in 1951, the program enrolls cohorts of about 40 residential students per year. Beginning in 2018, The Nutrition and Dietetics concentration at The Gillings School of Global Public Health at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is one of the first in the country to be an ACEND-accredited Future Education Model program. The program is recognized throughout the United States for the excellence of its training in public health nutrition. The Commission on Dietetic Registration will require a minimum of a master's degree to take the credentialing exam for registered dietitians beginning on January 1, 2024.<br><br>Nutrition is recognized as one of the most important environmental determinants of health throughout the life cycle. It is a key factor in successful pregnancy outcomes, in the physical and mental development of infants and children, and in promoting health throughout the lifespan. Current research stresses nutrition and diet as critical factors in the prevention and treatment of most chronic diseases, including obesity, heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes, and osteoporosis. The safety, quality, quantity, and distribution of local, national and world food supplies are major public policy issues.<br><br>Completion of the MPH with a concentration in Nutrition and Dietetics provides the graduate with a strong background in the science and practice of public health along with a sound knowledge of the science of human nutrition and food science. Students complete the degree as well as all related internship training within two years and are then eligible to sit for the CDR exam to become a Registered Dietitian.<br><br>The mission of the Nutrition and Dietetics concentration in Public Health Nutrition is to prepare registered dietitians to be leaders in nutrition and dietetics through effective classroom education and practical community and clinical experiences both locally and globally.