ProVeg Czechia, an NGO that advocates for plant-based diets, recently launched a certified course in plant-based nutrition. The course lessons are rooted in the latest research in nutrition, with each lesson including practical guidance on how to apply the newly acquired knowledge.
After passing the final test, graduates receive a certificate of qualification and the opportunity to be featured in ProVeg’s database of certified nutrition experts. The course has just graduated 137 people, its fifth cohort since the course began.
“With the popularity of plant-based diets on the rise, there is an increased need for more experts who can provide nutritional information about plant-based eating,” said Martin Ranninger, Director of ProVeg Czechia.
“After the course, there was an increased likelihood of participants encouraging their clients to eat a more plant-based diet, with positive attitudes towards plant-based diets having increased from 34% to 76.6% of those who completed the course,” he added.
Lectures from the experts
Course participants attended 11 lectures delivered by a panel of experts, including medical professionals, nutrition therapists, nutrition advisors, and professional athletes.
The primary objective of the course is to equip individuals with in-depth knowledge of what comprises a healthy and nutritious plant-based diet. Participants evaluated their level of knowledge before and after the course in a questionnaire, revealing a remarkable shift in perceptions and growth in expertise.
“Most of the participants assessed their knowledge of the health benefits of a vegan diet as average at the beginning of the course and very high after successful completion. Their perceived level of knowledge also increased in other areas, such as the composition of a completely plant-based diet and the environmental benefits,” noted ProVeg’s Veronika Baťová, who facilitated the course and who is also a nutrition specialist.
“I must say that I was pleasantly surprised by the large amount of information that was presented clearly and comprehensively during the course. The course provided me with valuable advice, especially in supplementation. Everything was explained clearly and concisely, with many real-life cases and insights from the lecturers’ practical experience, which I highly appreciate. I can only recommend the course,” said nutritionist Barbora Chmelíková.
The certification of participants is a rigorous process, ensuring that every member added to the database possesses the expertise required for providing sound advice. The course’s consistently high attendance bodes well for the future and the expansion of the expert database, another important step on the way to transformation of the global food system.
