Dietitians and Nutritionists
Human Advantage 77%
Significant human skills needed
AI Automation Risk Low Risk
2.7 / 10
This occupation requires complex human judgment, social interaction, and creative problem-solving that are difficult to automate.
Plan and conduct food service or nutritional programs to assist in the promotion of health and control of disease. May supervise activities of a department providing quantity food services, counsel individuals, or conduct nutritional research.
Also Known As: Administrative Dietitian, Clinical Dietician, Clinical Dietitian, Clinical Nutritionist, Community Dietitian, Consultant Dietitian, Diet Consultant, Diet Counselor +25 more
Core Tasks
- Assess nutritional needs, diet restrictions, and current health plans to develop and implement dietary-care plans and provide nutritional counseling.
- Evaluate laboratory tests in preparing nutrition recommendations.
- Counsel individuals and groups on basic rules of good nutrition, healthy eating habits, and nutrition monitoring to improve their quality of life.
- Advise patients and their families on nutritional principles, dietary plans, diet modifications, and food selection and preparation.
- Incorporate patient cultural, ethnic, or religious preferences and needs in the development of nutrition plans.
- Consult with physicians and health care personnel to determine nutritional needs and diet restrictions of patient or client.
- Record and evaluate patient and family health and food history, including symptoms, environmental toxic exposure, allergies, medication factors, and preventive health-care measures.
- Develop recipes and menus to address special nutrition needs, such as low glycemic, low histamine, or gluten- or allergen-free.
- Coordinate diet counseling services.
- Develop curriculum and prepare manuals, visual aids, course outlines, and other materials used in teaching.
- Plan, conduct, and evaluate dietary, nutritional, and epidemiological research.
- Plan and conduct training programs in dietetics, nutrition, and institutional management and administration for medical students, health-care personnel, and the general public.
- Write research reports and other publications to document and communicate research findings.
Supplemental Tasks (15)
- Select, train, and supervise workers who plan, prepare, and serve meals.
- Make recommendations regarding public policy, such as nutrition labeling, food fortification, or nutrition standards for school programs.
- Manage quantity food service departments or clinical and community nutrition services.
- Monitor food service operations to ensure conformance to nutritional, safety, sanitation and quality standards.
- Inspect meals served for conformance to prescribed diets and standards of palatability and appearance.
- Purchase food in accordance with health and safety codes.
- Develop policies for food service or nutritional programs to assist in health promotion and disease control.
- Organize, develop, analyze, test, and prepare special meals, such as low-fat, low-cholesterol, or chemical-free meals.
- Advise food service managers and organizations on sanitation, safety procedures, menu development, budgeting, and planning to assist with establishment, operation, and evaluation of food service facilities and nutrition programs.
- Prepare and administer budgets for food, equipment, and supplies.
- Plan, conduct, and evaluate nutrigenomic or nutrigenetic research.
- Coordinate recipe development and standardization and develop new menus for independent food service operations.
- Plan and prepare grant proposals to request program funding.
- Test new food products and equipment.
- Confer with design, building, and equipment personnel to plan for construction and remodeling of food service units.
Education & Training
Job Zone 5 Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
Education: Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Experience: Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
On-the-Job Training: Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
Education Level Distribution
Percentage of workers in this occupation with each education level.
Technology & Tools
Hot Technologies
Software (34)
Tools & Equipment (14)
Where This Career Leads
Career progression organized by specialty track and experience level.
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Zone 5
Dietitians and Nutritionists You are here
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