Diet and Nutrition

What it is

Keiy, 25 Dietitian

Jobs in nutrition prevent and treat illness by recommending healthy eating habits and address a patient’s overall health through diet and nutrition. For example, a clinical dietician in a hospital might advise a patient with high blood pressure to eat a diet with less salt or a patient with diabetes to reduce sugar intake.

What it's like

Sarah, 26 Dietitian

Jobs in nutrition can be in hospitals, nursing care facilities, outpatient service facilities or other centers for healthcare. Dieticians can advise large systems such as schools and hospitals on their overall plans for diet and nutrition. In addition, dieticians can specialize in specific areas. Clinical dieticians, for example, identify a patient’s diet and nutrition needs, develop and implement related programs and evaluate the results. They work with other doctors to coordinate dietary and nutritional needs with other aspects of a patient’s healthcare. Dietetic technicians assist dieticians in developing these programs.

Most dieticians and nutritionists work in office and medical environments, but some jobs in nutrition require people to work in kitchens. Most jobs in nutrition are full time, and some can require weekend work. To learn more about what working in nutrition is like, see what Keiy and Sarah have to say about their work as dietitians.

What it takes

Diet and nutrition jobs can require two years of training for an associate’s degree or can require a bachelor’s degree, depending on the exact job title and the facility.

To learn more about diet and nutrition jobs, check out the job options to the right.

Jobs in this field

• Dietetic Technician

  Salary range: $23,818 – $38,292 Minimum training:Associate's degree Job description:Dietetic technicians help dieticians provide food service and nutritional programs. More

• Dietitian

  Salary range: $47,522 – $69,957 Minimum training:Bachelor's degree Job description:Dietitians provide nutritional services for patients, promote sound eating habits through education, and conduct research in institutions such as hospitals, schools and nursing care facilities. More

• Nutritionist

  Salary range: $47,522 – $69,957 Minimum training:Bachelor's degree Job description:Nutritionists provide nutritional services for patients in institutions such as hospitals and nursing care facilities. More