Dietitian / Nutritionist
Quick Facts
What They Do
A Dietitian or Nutritionist provides clients with advice on healthy eating, and helps to plan nutritional menus. Works with individuals who have specific dietary needs, such as hospital patients, or oversees food programs in schools, hospitals, and other large organizations. May work in a community setting or non-profit, governmental, or public health organization, offering nutritional advice to specific groups of people.
Core Tasks:
- Assess nutritional needs, diet restrictions, and current health plans to develop and implement dietary-care plans and provide nutritional counseling.
- Evaluate laboratory tests in preparing nutrition recommendations.
- Counsel individuals and groups on basic rules of good nutrition, healthy eating habits, and nutrition monitoring to improve their quality of life.
- Advise patients and their families on nutritional principles, dietary plans, diet modifications, and food selection and preparation.
- Incorporate patient cultural, ethnic, or religious preferences and needs in the development of nutrition plans.
- Consult with physicians and health care personnel to determine nutritional needs and diet restrictions of patient or client.
- Record and evaluate patient and family health and food history, including symptoms, environmental toxic exposure, allergies, medication factors, and preventive health-care measures.
- Develop recipes and menus to address special nutrition needs, such as low glycemic, low histamine, or gluten- or allergen-free.
- Coordinate diet counseling services.
- Develop curriculum and prepare manuals, visual aids, course outlines, and other materials used in teaching.
- Plan, conduct, and evaluate dietary, nutritional, and epidemiological research.
- Plan and conduct training programs in dietetics, nutrition, and institutional management and administration for medical students, health-care personnel, and the general public.
- Write research reports and other publications to document and communicate research findings.
What to expect as a Dietitian / Nutritionist
55% of people achieve this level of education.
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5200 openings for Dietitian / Nutritionists
Career Progression
in United States (Nation)
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