This area provides information about nutrition jobs, the role of nutritionists and their specializations.
What is a Nutritionist?
A Nutritionist is a health specialist with a focus on food and nutrition science, on diseases related to nutrition, preventive nutrition and clinical use of nutrients to improve patient responses to diseases.
Dietitians and Nutritionists are similar but not the same. Dietitians must be registered. There is no legal protection for the term nutritionist, nor is there a prescribed course of study for all to follow. Dietitians in community settings often have a nutritionist title. Their focus is healthy eating and wellness for all ages. Dietitians perform meal planning and food science tasks and work with kitchen staffs to create appropriate menus.
Nutritionists focus on a particular patients diet to create a nutritional supplement program. Their goal is to prevent disease, enhance treatment of a disease, or treat specific disorders that respond to nutritional therapy. A holistic approach is favored among most nutritionists.
What Do Nutritionists Do?
Nutritionists work directly with individuals and families to develop nutritional care plans. They may review a person's medical history or laboratory tests, and physical examination findings to assess how to improve a patient's health. They often work closely with other health professionals.
Nutritionists use diet changes and specific types of nutritional supplementation based on an individual patient's needs. Nutritionists work to prevent and treat illnesses by promoting healthy eating habits and recommending dietary modifications. Nutritionists may offer advice on diet-related concerns such as weight loss or cholesterol reduction. Other nutritionists perform screenings for their clients.
What do qualifications do Nutritionists need?
Both dietitians and nutritionists need at least a bachelors degree in dietetics, foods and nutrition, food service and systems management or similar human services areas of study.
Nutritionists need to work well with many different people and maintain good communication with other professionals. Maintaining good records is essential.
A graduate certificate in nutrition education may suit nutrition professionals or teachers. Both sets of courses provide additional expertise in nutrition and career enhancement.
What areas do Nutritionists cover in their courses?
Undergraduates study human nutrition and foods, biological and physical sciences, social sciences and public health. They may also take courses in institution management, chemistry, biochemistry, and physiology, mathematics, statistics, computer science, psychology, sociology, or economics.
Advanced education and degrees include courses such as:Sports Nutrition
Computers in Nutrition Education
Managing Life Threatening Food Allergies in Schools
Amino Acid Therapy
Optimizing Seasonal Detoxification
Assessing & Overcoming Mercury Toxicity
Diet/Glycemic Control, Gluten Sensitivity Issues
Bio-Identical V. Synthetic Hormones.
What areas of specialization may Nutritionists choose?
Areas of specialization appear to focus on individuals, particular age groups or community work or specific patient care areas, such as the dietary needs of cystic fibrosis, or diabetes or Parkinsons patients.
Public health nutritionists work in community and social service agencies and assess the nutritional needs of populations, identify community nutrition problems, and develop health promotion strategies and nutrition education programs.
Nutritionists working in home health agencies may teach clients to improve grocery shopping skills or to prepare food for the elderly or for individuals with special needs, and children.
Where do Nutritionists work?
Nutritionists work in places such as public health clinics, home health agencies, and health maintenance organizations or nursing care facilities. Some work for wellness programs, sports teams, supermarkets, and other nutrition-related businesses. Nutritionists may work in advertising, marketing or manufacturing. Some are self-employed.