About me

My Name is Mara Engel and I am a state-approved dietician.

I am 24 years old and my personal interests are photography and dancing. I also do some yoga from time to time.

I have always liked helping and supporting others, so I quickly realized this had to be a part of my job. I also found interest in the fields of biology and medicine. So I started looking for a career path, that combined both. I came across dietetic assistance, and what many people don't realize is that the training actually covers a huge portion of pathology and anatomy.

Qualifications

I completed my training as a dietician in September 2022 with a state examination. I also earned the VDD certificate, which has to be renewed every 3 years. In order to keep up to date, I regularly undergo further training.

VDD certificate (Association of Dietitians - German Federal Association)
Further training - “Obesity: basics, therapy concept and exercises”

Further training - Nutritional psychology “Motivating in nutritional counseling”
Further training - “Understanding the lipid profile” and “Lifestyle measures to optimize the lipid profile”

Do you know the difference between a dietician and a "Ernährungsberater"? No? Let me explain it to you.

To become a dietician, you complete a 3-year school-based training course. This consists of 3,050 hours of theory and 1,400 hours of practical training. After 3 years, the training is completed with a state examination. Only if you pass this exam can you call yourself a dietician; the job title is therefore protected by law. Dietitians carry out nutrition-related measures in therapy, rehabilitation, prevention and health promotion for individuals and groups on the basis of scientific findings. These include nutritional assessment, nutritional diagnosis, planning and implementation of nutritional intervention, monitoring and evaluation.

On the other hand, the term “Ernährungsberater” is not protected. This means that anyone can call themselves one, even without any training in this field.