Dietitians and Nutritionists

The career as Dietitians and Nutritionists in a nutshell means help people to stay healthy and eat right as per their age, health condition and other requirements of the body. If you are interested in a satisfying and rewarding career helping people learn to eat right and stay healthy then this career offers plethora of areas to work and prosper.  

Nutritionists provide guidance in how much and what we should be eating. They also explain as well as study the relationships between diet and health. There are several specialties within the occupations:

Clinical nutritionists- They provide nutrition services for patients suffering from diseases affected by nutrients and nutritional status.

Community or public health nutritionist- They focus on programming to meet the health and wellness needs of communities and populations.

Management nutritionists- They plan meal programs in food service settings such as cafeterias, hospitals, or food corporations. Some duties you could be responsible of include: buying food, carrying out business-related tasks, planning meals, overseeing kitchen staff and other dietitians, or other management related tasks.  

Academic Qualifications for Dietitians and Nutritionist

Candidates desiring to seek admission to the course in Bachelor course in Nutrition & Dietetics are required to have a pass in the Higher Secondary Examination or Plus two in science subjects covering physics, chemistry, home science and biology. Besides a B.Sc in Nutrition & Dietetics, other preferable fields of graduation are Home Science, food science and technology, Medicine, Hotel management or Catering Technology. 

Role of Dietitians and Nutritionists

  • Explain and assess patients nutrition issues and health needs.
  • Develop meal plans, taking both cost and clients’ preferences into account.
  • Evaluate the effects of meal plans and change the plans as needed.
  • Promote better nutrition by giving talks to groups about diet, nutrition, and the relationship between good eating habits and preventing or managing specific diseases.
  • Keep up with the latest nutritional science research 

Skills Required to be Dietitians and Nutritionists

Interpretation Skills- Dietitians must keep themselves up to date with the latest nutrition research and should be able to interpret scientific studies and translate nutrition science into practical eating advice.

Management skills- Dietitians and nutritionists should have the ability to stay organized.

Behavior reading skills- Dietitians and nutritionists should  understand people behavior  in order to better understand the factors that govern food choices and health behaviors.

People skills- Dietitians and nutritionists must listen carefully to understand clients’ goals and concerns. They also have to be emphatic to help clients confront and overcome dietary struggles.

Communication skills- Good communication helps Dietitians and nutritionists to explain complicated topics in a way that people with less technical knowledge understand. 

Scope of Dietitians and Nutritionists in India

In India, clinical dietitians can find employment in hospitals, nursing care facilities and other health care facilities. Community dietitians can work with wellness programmes, public health organisations, and other health maintenance organisations.Organizations involved in food manufacturing like Dabur also use services of a dietitian for research of new products. Dietitians are also employed by corporates and media organisations to plan out diet charts for healthy living. Some dietitians also specialise in obesity and diabetes.

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