Food is a basic necessity. It’s what keeps us all healthy, alive and functioning. It is something that brings people together in numerous festivities and occasions and drives us all to work and earn at the end of the day. So, it would be easy to say that our life revolves around food.
The food industry is quite vast and it keeps expanding each year, with newer additions to food choices being made almost on a daily basis. There were times when fat-free food was all the rage, then came the sugar-free, gluten-free stuff and now the vegan diet has taken the world by storm.
You are what you eat and everyone wants to eat right. But how does one decide what kind of food is the best suited for them? The answer to this complex question is rather simple, a degree in nutrition can help people get a better understanding of food and diet and implement it in their lives and the ever-growing industry.
Contrary to popular belief, the field of nutrition has a lot has a lot to offer as one is spoilt for career choices after getting a degree in nutrition. To further cater to your curiosity regarding the all the possibilities in this field, we have rounded up for you some of the most exciting careers in nutrition.
Clinical Dietitian
Clinical Dietitians primarily work with doctors to better the eating habits of patients with intricate health issues. They are used to develop MNTs also known as Medical Nutrition therapies for various complex diseases. Dietitians develop diet and nutrition programs custom-made to an individual’s aims and personal needs. They also work with policy makers to help the government by creating health strategies for the country’s population. Apart from working with individual clients they also work with educators such as school teachers to inform students about their profession and healthy eating habits.
Management Dietitian
Management dietitians tend to collaborate with institutions that depend on significant food-service operations to feed employees, patients or the general public. They help to manage and optimize the working of these facilities.
Their work can comprise of menu planning, recipe tasting, finalizing a budget and food sourcing all with the aim of staying true to the latest standards and references for optimal health and nutrition.
Community Nutritionist
They work for community nutritionists is limited to schools, recreational centers, governmental agency programs and health maintenance organizations. In these settings, the needs of a specific subgroups require the most care that is children and the elderly are targeted in programs that address their specific nutritional problems. For example, if the department of agriculture and health of any country presents improved dietary recommendations based on the latest scientific data, it’s the responsibility of the community nutritionists to educate the public and implement plans of action for attaining the new goals.
Personal Nutritionist
Personal nutritionists counsel private clients through private consulting or at a fitness center on how proper nutrition can help them attain their fitness goals. Fitness centers are usually looking for nutritionists who can prepare personalized meal plans for weight loss.
They can also use biometric tools to measure changes in body fat and muscle-to-fat ratios to deliver a better guidance for people.
Public Health Nutritionist
Public health nutritionists work for the government or nonprofit organizations to deal with big questions related to making sure that the entire population has their nutrition needs fulfilled, especially the ones at a high risk of malnourishment due to poverty or other socio-economic factors.
Health or Wellness Coach
Wellness coaches work for an employee assistance program that aids the corporate client to provide personalized sessions for employees about their wellness. They can also organize biometric surveys, advise people about health issues and guide them about where to go for more information.
Food Chemist
Food chemists can use their mutual information of chemistry and nutrition to examine food products or to produce different new recipes or food products.
Food Scientist
Food scientist usually work to come up with hypothesis and carry out research to discover the link between dietary habits or certain food products and similar significant effects on those who eat them.
Food Technologist
Food technologists take control of the growth and industrial engineering of food products and the different processes they go through.
Quality Control Specialist
Quality control specialists examine and judge various food products for their quality, consistency, safety and nutrition.
Sports Nutritionist
Sports Nutritionists are used to give advice to athletes on how to make the most of their diets for better health and to accomplish the topmost athletic performance.
Research Chef
Research chefs are used to produce the entrées that various researchers study to
assess the health effects that certain dietary habits and cultures have on a
population of people.
University Professor
It is famously said that those who can’t do, teach but teaching is a rather noble profession and a university professor in the field of nutrition could be quite fun as one develops course work, gives lectures and grades student performances. It could also be a bit challenging as the professor has the responsibility to guide the next generation of nutritionists through this learning phase of their careers and ultimately shaping them up to be the enlightened individuals that they are.
These are most of the various fields where any person could excel with a degree in nutrition. Good luck!
References: https://www.nutritioned.org/careers.html
https://www.publichealthonline.org/nutrition/
