Careers in nutrition are pretty widely varied, but for the purposes of this post we will look at these many career options in two categories; Private and Public.
Private Practice
Do you have an entrepreneur bug in you? If you do, one of the most exciting aspects of becoming a nutritionist is the opportunity to take your knowledge and build a business of your own. When looking to go this route you would be wise to supplement your nutrition education with a good amount of business knowledge as well.
Nutrition Counselor
Most people looking to take their career in nutrition down the entrepreneur route will become nutrition counselors. The goal here is to attract, through marketing efforts, clients that are looking for the health benefits that a personal nutritionist could offer them. In this capacity, you would meet with your clients and together establish goals that will help lead them toward what their ultimate nutrition goal is. The most common types of clients will be those looking to lose weight, athletes determined to create a diet that will help them excel in their sport of choice, and clients that are looking to manage a chronic illness.
A Few (of Many) Things to Consider
If you want to be able to refer to yourself as a Dietitian in your private practice then you have to put in the work to become an RD. Reason being is that this term is protected by state government and reserved for those who have passed the uniform requirements. Using the term “Nutritionist” is not so heavily regulated. Not all, but most states require you to have some type of license to refer to yourself as a nutritionist. And just an obvious point to consider; when it comes to people’s health we seek out the best. You may not have a bundle of success if your nutrition background solely includes coursework from some guy named Bob passing out nutrition certificates on the Internet.
Product Creator
It is also possible to create some type of product with the nutrition knowledge you have acquired. Books are becoming much more easily published thanks to the internet and internet publishers. It’s important to note that an informational product such as this is typically most successful when done by someone with extensive formal education and work experience.
You can also create a food product if you have a little bit of chef in you. Don’t believe us? Check out our post on Erin Holmes, who used her experience and knowledge to launch a company selling healthy snacks.
Public Practice
Hospitals and Healthcare Facilities
Nutritionists, but more specifically Registered Dietitians, can find themselves landing a job with hospitals. Something interesting that may not have crossed your mind before looking into careers in nutrition is that doctors many times, and justifiably so, can be biased in the nutrition recommendations they give out. For example, a cardiologist may be more inclined to tell someone to avoid saturated fats while a gastroenterologist may stress the importance of fiber. They are obviously correct in saying certain foods may potentially better or worsen a condition. However, hospitals make use of Registered Dietitians to make sure that the focus of a patients nutrition is a balanced diet.
Public Health
Many people believe that what will most greatly improve health on a global scale in the near future is surprisingly not the discovery of cures for diseases, but the implementation of population-based health programs. While the careers in nutrition we have discussed up to this point have focused on the individual, a public health nutritionist focuses on ways to benefit communities as a whole. The focus in public health is not so much the treatment of existing nutrition related illnesses, but the prevention of them through good health. Nutritionists in public health may find employment with organizations focused on community health.