Should you study nutrition?
Dietitians and nutritionists are specialists in food as well as nutrition. The only difference is that a dietitian is registered with the health care board while a nutritionist is not. These professionals advise clients on the best way to eat in order to achieve their desired nutrition goals. Examples of such goals are losing weight and managing a chronic condition such as diabetes.
The clients of a nutritionist may include people who fall into a low-income bracket and do not have very much money to spend on food. A sizeable segment of dietitians and nutritionists are employed by hospitals to offer medical nutrition therapy and support.
How much do nutritionists earn?
In 2018, there were approximately 70 900 employed nutritionists. The average annual salary for nutritionists was $60 370 in May 2018. The employer who paid the most to nutritionists were outpatient care centers. This was followed by hospitals (state, local, and private), government as well as nursing and residential care facilities.
Why the nutrition industry is growing
Employment opportunities for dietitians and nutritionists are projected to grow by 11% from 2018 to 2028. This is much faster than the average for other occupations. In the past couple of years, interest in the role of food and nutrition – to promote health and wellness – has increased. This is particularly as a part of preventative health-care in medicine.
As per statistics released by the Centers for Disease Control in the United States (US), more than one-third of US adults are obese. Many chronic diseases, such as diabetes and heart disease, are related to obesity. The importance of diet in stopping and healing illnesses is now well known. Thus more nutritionists will be needed to give care to people with these conditions.
Furthermore, as the baby-boom generation becomes older and looks for ways to stay healthy, there will be greater demand for nutrition services. In addition, there will be a requirement for nutritionists in grocery stores to assist consumers in making healthy food choices.
What will your subjects will you study in a nutrition course?
If you do decide to study a nutrition course, here are the subjects that need to be covered:
Fundamentals of nutrition
- How to design an eating plan for clients.
- How to read and interpret food labels.
- How to advise clients on nutritional supplements.
Fundamentals of the GI
- How to explain to clients what GI is.
- How to tell the difference between foods which are ‘low GI’ and ‘high GI’.
- Discover how to manage metabolic diseases using the GI Index.
Specialized populations nutrition
- How to discover what unique nutritional needs are of special populations.
- How to advise special populations on their nutritional requirements.
- How to identify the symptoms of female athlete tri-ad syndrome.
Sports nutrition
- How to explain the science behind eating and sports.
- How to put together an eating plan for sportsmen and -women.
- How to determine the effects of drugs on sports.
Youth and nutrition
- How to uncover what the optimal nutritional needs of children are.
- How to assess if a child is being nourished correctly.
- How to design an eating plan that is correct for a particular child.
If advising clients on what they should eat in order for them to be able to attain their health and fitness goals sounds interesting to you then you should check out your nearest fitness nutrition college to see what nutrition courses that they offer!