What Does a Nutritionist Do?

Published on: January 11, 2024

Nutrition professional sitting at a table and holding an apple.

The demand for knowledgeable and skilled nutritionists continues to grow. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job outlook for nutritionists and dietitians is expected to grow 7 percent between 2022 and 2032 alone. That's faster than the national average for all other occupations.

If you're passionate about nutrition and health—and if you like the idea of being able to help others improve their wellness through nutrition and diet planning—then a career as a nutritionist may be right for you.

So, what is a nutritionist and what does a nutritionist do? Where do nutritionists work and how do you go about qualifying to work in this rewarding field? Let's dive in so you can better understand whether this is the right career path for you.

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The Importance of Nutrition in Health

The link between diet/nutrition and overall health is strong. A healthy diet can have a significant impact on a person's wellness, providing the fuel and nutrients the body needs to grow and function properly. On the other hand, poor nutrition can be detrimental to a person's health, increasing the risk of developing several diseases or complications, such as obesity, heart disease and diabetes.

What Is a Nutritionist?

A nutritionist advises people on their eating habits, food choices and overall diet to help them achieve their health and wellness goals. Nutritionists may work in several settings, ranging from hospitals and nursing homes to medical offices, universities and even private clients.

Responsibilities of Nutritionists

The responsibilities of a nutritionist can vary depending on the given nutritionist’s job description. In general, nutritionists often carry out some common job duties:

Assess Dietary Needs

One of the most important jobs of a nutritionist is to assess a person's unique dietary needs based on their current health and their short- and long-term goals. A nutritionist must consider many factors when assessing dietary needs, including the person's age and level of activity, as well as any underlying medical conditions or dietary restrictions.

Create Personalized Nutrition Plans

Nutritionists create customized nutrition plans based on a client's dietary needs, lifestyle and goals. For example, a client with type 2 diabetes may need a nutrition plan to help manage blood sugar. Nutritionists may create nutrition plans for individual clients or larger groups or populations. For instance, a nutritionist who works in a nursing home may focus on nutrition plans for seniors and aging populations.

Educate Clients on Healthy Eating Habits

Another important aspect of a nutritionist's job is educating clients on their nutrition and eating habits, ensuring they understand how their eating habits and food choices can impact their overall health. Nutritionists may provide individualized education to private clients, or they may coordinate diet and nutrition classes at nursing homes, hospitals and other facilities to improve public health.

Offer Guidance on Weight Management

Many clients who see nutritionists are interested in weight management or weight loss, so this is another area where nutritionists often specialize. Nutritionists can offer valuable guidance to clients on weight loss and weight management strategies related to diet and nutrition.

Keep up With the Latest Research and Trends

The field of nutrition is ever-changing, with new research and innovations emerging daily. Nutritionists need to stay on top of the latest industry research and trends to best serve their clients. Attending workshops, seminars and other professional development events is essential in this dynamic field.

Where Do Nutritionists Work?

Most medical facilities will employ at least one nutritionist to provide dietary guidance and education to clients. This is especially true in hospitals, nursing homes and other specialized medical facilities where nutritional guidance may be needed for a population. It is also common for nutritionists to be employed by food service businesses to ensure that their menu offerings are diverse enough to accommodate a wide range of dietary needs.

Private clients may also hire nutritionists to assist with their dietary and wellness goals. This is most common for clients who want to lose weight or adjust their diets to manage a health condition better.

Specializations for Nutritionists

Within the field of nutrition, there are quite a few specializations as well. These specializations allow nutritionists to narrow their focus to areas of the field that interest them most.

Clinical Nutrition

Clinical nutritionists tend to focus on the relationship between a person's diet and their overall health and wellness. This is perhaps the most broad and common specialization within the field. Clinical nutritionists most often help clients with very specific dietary needs to help them manage underlying conditions, such as celiac disease or diabetes.

Sports Nutrition

In this area of nutrition, professionals focus on helping athletes create diet/nutrition plans that will help them achieve their goals, reduce the risk of injury and improve overall performance. Sports nutritionists may also help injured athletes or athletes with medical conditions overcome symptoms and enhance their recovery.

Pediatric Nutrition

Pediatric nutritionists work with children to provide nutritional support and guidance. They may assist with anything from helping a child maintain a healthy weight through diet or even helping manage an underlying medical condition with the right food choices.

Geriatric Nutrition

Geriatric nutritionists work with older populations, applying principles of nutrition to help manage or slow the effects of aging. A geriatric nutritionist may work in a nursing home to help seniors make healthy food choices and support their overall health.

Community Nutrition

The field of community nutrition is more focused on providing education and similar resources to members of a community or population. Those working in community nutrition may be responsible for carrying out local dietary classes and workshops to improve public health.

A Day in the Life of a Nutritionist

The "typical" workday of a nutritionist will vary greatly depending on the nutritionist's area of specialization and where they work. However, for a nutritionist working in a clinical setting, the day may begin by meeting with patients one-on-one in a hospital to discuss and assess their individual dietary and health needs.

From there, nutritionists may work to develop customized dietary plans for clients, meeting with patients to assess their progress and even communicating with other healthcare providers about each patient's unique needs. In some cases, nutritionists may also teach classes or lead workshops to enhance patient education about their food choices.

Education and Training Required to Become a Nutritionist

If you're interested in working as a nutritionist, you will typically need to have at least a bachelor's degree in nutrition, health or a related field. Many states also require nutritionists to be licensed or certified, so follow your state's guidelines for becoming a certified nutrition specialist.

Upon completion of a degree program, most aspiring nutritionists will need to complete a residency or similar hands-on training where an experienced nutritionist or dietician can supervise them for a certain number of field hours. From there, you may begin working independently in the field. However, most states require continuing education and professional development to keep your license or certification active.

The work of a nutritionist can be challenging yet gratifying, especially when you're able to see your clients reap the benefits of improved health and wellness from a nutrition plan you helped create.

At Husson University Online, we're proud to offer a wide range of degree and certificate programs to suit your career goals. Because our programs are available in a flexible online format, you don't have to put the rest of your life on hold to pursue your degree. Learn more about our degree and certificate options or start your online application today!