What are nutritionist responsibilities? (With career options)

Updated 4 July 2023

A nutritionist is a professional with considerable knowledge of food and ways to eat to remain healthy. Nutritionists work with people of all ages and with varying health challenges to help them achieve a better quality of life and degree of wellness. If you are interested in health, wellness or nutrition, you may want to learn more about nutrition as a viable career path. In this article, we discuss nutritionist responsibilities, their career opportunities and the steps to becoming one.

What is a nutritionist?

A nutritionist is a professional who specialises in food science and nutrition, which explores how food affects the human body. They help people make informed decisions about their dietary intake and develop customised nutrition plans to meet a person's individual health needs, lifestyle and goals. Some people visit a nutritionist to lose weight, while others go to treat health conditions or gain a deeper understanding of food and nutrients.

As a nutritionist, you may work with people with diverse needs. For example, you may assist cancer patients who require specific dietary constraints because of their condition. As a nutritionist, it's your duty to identify any problematic foods and create a unique meal plan so that patients can maximise their health. Maintaining balance is vital when creating a meal plan so clients can blend healthy foods with others they may enjoy more.

Nutritionist responsibilities

Nutritionist responsibilities include the following tasks:

General assessments

A significant part of a nutritionist's role is to assess a person's dietary intake and overall health to identify areas for improvement. Your clients may come from diverse backgrounds with varying knowledge about food and health. It's important to understand a client's experiences and be respectful to ensure you gather an accurate assessment of their needs.

Personalised recommendations

Nutritionists recommend balanced and nutritious diets based on each client's goals and health needs. Clients may respond differently to nutritional changes, and each may have their own goals and experiences, which lead to unique requirements. Making recommendations for a balanced and nutritious diet using a personalised plan helps your clients achieve greater success since the nutrition profile is custom to them.

Medical condition management

As a nutritionist, you may help individuals manage medical conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease and obesity, with diet and lifestyle changes. Many medical conditions can directly relate to the foods people consume. As a result, if a client is at risk of heart disease, you can develop a meal plan encouraging a lower consumption of red meats and processed foods.

Nutrition and health education

Educating clients about nutrition and supporting them as they adopt healthy eating habits and lifestyle changes is vital to being a nutritionist. Your clients may have varying levels of food and health knowledge, so it's critical to educate them about why it's better to eat something in addition to what's beneficial to eat. If a client understands why food is beneficial for their health, they are more likely to stay with the plan you create.

Collaboration with other professionals

Nutritionists often collaborate with other healthcare professionals, such as doctors and dieticians, to provide comprehensive care to patients. You may likely work with a client's GP or a heart specialist if they have documented medical conditions. Strong communication and teamwork can help you perform this task as you convey information.

Research

Since nutrition and food science can change with new research and experiments, staying current with the latest research and developments helps nutritionists provide the most relevant recommendations. You can incorporate any new information into your practice to improve patient outcomes. Educating yourself allows you to provide the best care possible.

Career opportunities for nutritionists

The first step to starting your career in this field is determining your initial motivation for studying nutrition and what you hope to achieve. While the job market for health, wellness and nutrition positions is often competitive, you can succeed by setting appropriate goals, planning your education and acquiring the fundamental skills. As a qualified nutritionist, you can pursue careers such as the following:

consulting for nutrition and wellness companies
managing health and nutrition departments at retail stores
researching or practising as a nutritionist
working for a weight-loss facility
selling supplements or foods
teaching nutrition and wellness
working at a corporate wellness centre as a specialist

How to become a nutritionist

Becoming a nutritionist involves several steps and may take time to complete. It's helpful to start by researching the topic and gaining an appropriate education. Below are the steps you can follow to begin your career.

1. Research the career

During the research phase, learn what a nutritionist does, the types of education they receive, and what special requirements employers often look for in the positions you might want. By researching your career trajectory, you can understand the job before you start. This knowledge can help you prepare before you make major commitments to your education.

2. Get relevant education

Once you decide to become a nutritionist, the next step is to research universities that have relevant programmes. There are two nutritionists courses the government approves. These degrees are the BSc Human Nutrition and Dietetics and BSc Hons. Dietetics. You can also decide whether to pursue a postgraduate degree since it may help accelerate your career progress.

These degrees offer students the fundamental knowledge, abilities, and training necessary to succeed as a nutritional or food scientist by fusing basic sciences, food science, physiology, biochemistry, psychology, and specialised nutrition modules holistically. It's common to complete a year of work placement or practical experience in the fourth year. Here are some modules that may be a part of your college course:

chemistry
a research project
biology
nutrition research modules
molecular, public health and clinical nutrition
nutrition and communication
food regulation
nutritional biochemistry
nutrients and the role of nutrition in life stages
physiology for nutrition

3. Complete an internship or job experience

You may complete a work placement or internship at a company or organisation as part of your course. These modules count as work experience, which many universities require for graduating. It's common for programmes to help their students coordinate and find placement opportunities that fit the student and the organisation's goals.

After you graduate, you can seek employment opportunities outside your placement company. Here are some common employers for nutritionists:

public and private hospitals
children's services
prisons
manufacturing industries
local clinics and health centres
residential and daycare homes

4. Consider the special requirements

CORU is the regulator for health and social care professionals. You may find out about the Dietitions Registration Board here. Additionally, your employer may have certain immunisation requirements or background vetting procedures to follow before you can begin working.

5. Continue your skill development

Nutritionists may benefit from developing their skills in several areas. Here are some skills that may help you in your role:

Communication: communicating with clients and other professionals is at the core of your daily tasks and responsibilities. The better you can communicate, the more easily you can share complex information in a way your clients understand.
Teamwork: you may work with several people in a team or with medical professionals outside your organisation. In addition, you may consult other nutritionists, doctors or specialists to answer complex questions and discuss issues.
Empathy: as a nutritionist, you may work with clients who have experienced health challenges for several years or complex problems that affect their quality of life. Being empathetic may improve your client's experience and their chances of success.
Organisation: you may manage many different clients and maintain a busy schedule. You can manage your clients' needs and your work-life balance by having strong organisational skills.