Food: one of the elements needed for survival, a natural instinct and behavior of humans to find, hunt, and gather. But what happens when society, technology, and innovation intervenes? The basic principle of eating to survive and promote good health becomes complicated. These complications then become further difficult to understand with the mixing of marketing and nutritional labels and food packaging. However, there are a few career paths that properly educate individuals of the mere basic principles and their evolutions throughout history who then teach and help the masses; most notably defined as a nutritionist.
Any person can self classify themselves as a nutritionist, but not everyone is qualified or well versed in the field to be able to provide adequate and reliable information. So who can be trusted? The professional field of study would classify individuals who’ve undergone years at University and in specialty programs a PhD in the field of nutritional science. Looking at this career path from a more personal perspective, the account of Dr. Muriel Bell, a biography entitled The Unconventional Career of Dr. Muriel Bell, provides for an early venture into this profession and deep dives into this labor market. During the 1920’s, the research and findings partake in dealing with proper diagnosing of thyroid disease. The lack of advanced medical technology and equipment led to a shift in observational methods. Bell took to this task and diagnosed herself and conducted studies “to carry out tests, measuring the amount of carbon dioxide in a patient’s breath to then further calculate the calories burned, known as the metabolic rate” (37). This research aspect that Bell conducted fell under the realms of nutrition and analyzed the components that made up the basal metabolism and the determinants that went into accurate calculations. Taking this back to present time, nutritionists and dietitians alike utilize a more modernized method to calculate basal metabolic rate and apply it when deriving customized diet and food plans for individuals alongside determining their daily caloric needs based on BMR, and a few other factors.
With so many commonalities and shared aspects of food, diet, health, and wellness; what is the distinction between the career path of a dietitian vs. a nutritionist? The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics describes the various credential programs and certifications available to those interested in this career path. Although it is to be noted “all registered dietitians are nutritionists but not all nutritionists are registered dietitians” (eatrightpro.org). State regulation of dietitian practices are heavily monitored and certification is mandated to be properly employed and work to treat patients. On the other hand, the field of nutritionist work is broad and certification/qualification mandates vary from state to state. The choice and specified focus for a nutritionist’s work can be tailored to a definite lifestyle or be broadened to a general and overall mindful & healthy eating. With a specialization hyper focused on a certain diet and lifestyle like Keto, Paleo, Atkins, Whole30, etc. the nature of the work would be composed heavily of food recommendations, meal plans and advice of maintaining proper levels of macro & micronutrients.
For an oversimplification of this work, imagine a patient of a nutritionist who specializes in the ketogenic diet. This patient is fatigued frequently and experiences muscle twitching and cramps. Before visiting the doctors they see their nutritionist. The two would work in tandem and discuss the symptoms to closely analyze and examine the patient’s diet. After analysis, the nutritionist is able to deduce a possible deficiency of magnesium. Due to a reduced intake of carbohydrates when on keto and a dislike of fish from personal preferences, the patient’s diet included few sources of magnesium. Although not definitive, this diagnosis based on analysis of diet, knowledge of food composition and vitamins and minerals, a nutritionist can be able to provide the patient with a recommendation to include more magnesium rich foods or take daily supplements to eliminate the symptoms. This hypothetical scenario could potentially be a real-world appointment and case problem that a nutritionist could be faced with and their diagnosis and treatment to remedy the symptoms offers a natural and medication free option for individuals and eliminates the initial assumption to see a doctor at the first sign of worry.
State and Regional Data
Regardless of whatever field an individual wants to work in as a nutritionist, it is always vital to conduct research and make sure that where they reside can support their professional objectives. Nutritionists are in a growing market all throughout the United States, although there are a few states, cities, and municipalities that recruit and pay more than others. California, for example, is recognized for its health-conscious culture. As a result, California is the state with the highest employment rate as well as the highest compensation in the country (U.S Bureau of Labor Statisitics). In California, the median household income is $66,529. The typical home value is $568,500, and the median gross rent is $1,614. The median hourly wage for a nutritionist in California is $39.52, with an annual salary of $82,200. While there are other forms of transportation available, driving is the most preferred in the United States. According to U.S. Census Bureau data from 2016, 76 percent of California commuters drive alone, while 9 percent carpool. Frequent automobile use necessitates constant gas purchases and California’s average gas price is $4.69 per gallon (gasprices.aaa.com). San Diego is one of America’s most attractive and diversified cities with pristine sandy beaches, a pleasant year-round temperature, and a health-conscious populace. The cost of living in San Diego is crucial to know while looking for a job so that individuals may budget appropriately and select the ideal place to call home. San Diego has a regional median house cost of $725,000 and a monthly rental cost of $2,195 (CoreLogic). Another factor of San Diego’s cost of living to consider is healthcare. San Diego’s healthcare costs are around 64 percent more than those in other regions of the country, making it one of the most expensive cities in the country for healthcare (zumper.com). The typical household income of San Diego, reported by the United States Census Bureau, is $79,673. In San Diego, CA, the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment is $2,195. In San Diego, a nutritionist’s median hourly compensation is $37.95, with an annual salary of $78,940 (careeronestop.org). The cost of living in California, particularly in San Diego, has an influence on the research since higher-earning regions have a higher cost of living.
Job Outlooks
When considering a career, it is important to check the job outlook for that industry. The potential compensation is determined by a number of criteria, including the degree of education, industry, experience, and employment location. Per the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), most nutritionists and dietitians’ wages varied from $35,240 to $80,950 with the median being $57,910. With such a wide spectrum to consider, it is understandable that the education and where one works and lives might have a significant influence on overall pay. In the field of nutrition science, the BLS does not give a particular association between compensation and education. However, as seen in the graph below from the Bureau of Labor Statistics from 2015, greater levels of education are associated with higher weekly wages and lower unemployment rates in practically all occupations across the country.
Dietitians and nutritionists are projected to accelerate by 11 percent between 2020 and 2030, faster than the average for all occupations. Nutritionists are expected to have a 16 percent increase in employment, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Over the next ten years, an average of 5,900 vacancies for dietitians and nutritionists are expected (bls.gov). Food and nutrition’s function in promoting health and preventative care, particularly in medical settings, continues to grow in popularity. Nutrition is well-known for its role in health promotion and prevention. People becoming more health-conscious and the need for further study into the effects of nutrients on the body are credited with the increase in employment. Additionally, society has increased its efforts to prevent childhood and adult health concerns by seeking new methods to keep healthy demands. More dietitians and nutritionists will be required to treat those who have or are at risk of acquiring health challenges. Whether there are considerations of online nutrition science degree programs or entering the professional field, there are many job and pay prospects to consider. Nutrition science is one of the few disciplines that provides individuals with a good salary while also assisting our society to make better, healthier decisions.
How to Become a Dietitian or Nutritionist
As mentioned above any person can self-classify themselves as a nutritionist, but not everyone is qualified. The terms dietitian and nutritionist are often used interchangeably but are in fact different as a registered dietitian is a skilled healthcare professional who is an expert in the field of nutrition and dietetics (What is a Registered Dietitian?). Unlike Dietitians, some states require nutritionists to obtain an occupational license from a Board of Nutrition, while other states allow individuals to practice as nutritionists without any previous education, training, or work experience (Dietitian vs Nutritionist). Referring to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), dietitians and nutritionists usually need a bachelor’s degree or higher in dietetics, food and nutrition, or other related programs to enter the occupation. Dietitians and nutritionists typically perform hundreds of hours of supervised training usually during an undergraduate or graduate program in the form of an internship. Generally, employers prefer to hire candidates who have a professional credential such as registered Dietitian or Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN). Beginning in 2024, education requirements for RND credential will increase to a master’s degree or higher. Nutritionists can earn the Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS) credential which shows advanced levels of knowledge in the field (How to Become a Dietitian or Nutritionist). All these nutrition and dietetic classifications work with patients to help achieve the patients personalized health goals.
The steps to become a registered dietitian nutritionist or certified nutritionist varies depending on level of credentials but follow similar paths. Regarding education, there are many choices when obtaining a degree when selecting what to study in college. How To Become a Nutritionist: RD Vs. CNS Pathway lists majors or programs widely accepted for a career in nutrition which are chemistry, biochemistry, physiological dietetics, food science, sociology, nutrition, and microbiology. Majors and programs that include research, natural science and critical thinking are strongly encouraged. Along with education, either before or after graduation work experience hours are required under direct supervision of a certified nutritionist which is known as the internship phase (RD Vs.CNS Pathway). The number of hours of experience required is different per certification and varies from 1200 clinical hours which is the requirement for an RDN and 1000 hours which is the requirement for a CNS (WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?). The last requirement to become a registered dietitian nutritionist after completing educational and work experience requirements is completion of an exam conducted by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics Education (ACEND). After, the Commission on Dietetic Registration administers designation of RDN credentials to participants. To maintain the credentials of RDN a completion of continuing education is required of 75 education credits every five years which varies from state to state (RDN CERTIFICATION). All the requirements completed to become RDN can be accomplished but doing the job well requires important qualities which include: analytical skills, compassion, listening skills, organizational skills, problem-solving skills, and speaking skills which are all skills required by the majority of high skilled careers (How to Become a Dietitian or Nutritionist).With the number of requirements needed to become a RDN, employers and patients will generally choose the applicant with the highest level of knowledge in the field.
Nutritionists
A nutritionist is a career where the expert advises people to achieve specific health goals. Nutritionists can also work with people that intend to live a healthy lifestyle. The report analyzes different aspects of the labor forces and changes in the market for nutritionists.
Earnings and Wage Projections
The current earnings are expected to rise over time based on the current data. Employment is projected to expand by 11 percent between 2020 and 2030. The growth is expected to be higher than an average career due to the high demand for nutritional guidance. The data shows that many people tend to transfer occupations or exist the labor force to create new opportunities for upcoming nutritionists. The changes indicate that 5900 new opportunities are expected to rise annually for the next few decades (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2020).
Comparable Markets
Comparable markets to a nutritionist are registered nurses and rehabilitation counselors.
Registered nurses are much like nutritionists as their profession is to help others. A registered nurse can specialize in a plethora of different areas such as addiction nurses or primary care nurses. Nurses generally are assistants to a doctor and prepare the patient to be seen. This can be anything from recording medical history, administer tests, explain treatment plans or how to prevent injury, infection and disease. Nurses can also be responsible for prescribing medications and treatments.
Nurses like nutritionists are well educated and require extensive training. A bachelor’s degree is the minimum requirement of a nurse and requires studies in anatomy, psychology, biology and several other sciences. Every nurse will eventually specialize in the exact area they want to fall into which will influence which classes they will complete before becoming registered.
To become registered, nurses must be licensed in the state they plan to practice in. This means they must graduate from an approved nursing program as well as pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX_RN). This is similar to the RD and RND exam for nutritionists. In addition to this examination Nurses are typically required to know Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and Basic life support (BLS).
Also like a nutritionist, nurses must be able to analyze their patients based on their personal qualities. This can be anything from their medical history, genetics, diseases they may have or overall health. In order to be successful in this profession you also must be properly educated as your patients well being and sometimes even lives can be in your hands. In addition you must be meticulous, mentally capable, understanding and easy to communicate with. This is very similar to the requirements of a nutritionist. Nurses often make more than a nutritionist at a median pay of $75, 330.
Rehabilitation counselors are also closely related to nutritionists. Rehab counselors help disabled people to heal from their disability or adjust to a permanent disability. This can be due to an injury, disease or illness. Counselors are responsible for taking a patient’s specific qualities such as type of disability, age or overall health, in order to create a plan to rehabilitate them or help them manage their limitations. For example this can be through exercises, connecting them to programs, providing medicine as well as comfort them in their time of need.
In order to become a rehabilitation counselor you must complete the minimum of a bachelor’s degree but most counselors receive their master’s degree. Those with only a bachelor’s degree will be limited. A master’s degree will further their education on understanding disabilities and how to help rehabilitate them but will additionally teach students medical and psychological practices. Most degrees will require supervised training as well.
Registered rehab counselors will also need to obtain the proper licenses and certifications to practice. This is in the form of a counselors license which can take roughly 3,000 hours of supervised training to receive. On top of this counselors may have to receive additional certifications in their state or as required by their employer. A common license required for high level counselors is the Certified Rehabilitation Counselor Certificate. This includes further classes to be taken, a written examination, adequate work experience and a renewal of the certificate every 5 years.
Like nutritionists, rehab counselors must be easy to communicate with, compassionate, patient and well educated. They must have a passion for helping people and be able to adapt to different situations. The median pay of rehabilitation counselors is significantly low at about $37,350 per year.
Work Environment
The work environment for nutritionists is diverse as they can work in different settings. The demand for guidance in the type of food one should take high and from other places. Some of the places where a nutritionist can work are clinics, hospitals, hostels, nursing homes, and local governments. For instance, people in hospitals or nursing homes have health complications such as obesity and diabetes requiring specific types of food. Data records show that nutritionists and dieticians worked in approximately 73,000 jobs in 2020 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2020). Thirty-one percent of the nutritionists worked in hospitals, 13 percent in government, 10 percent in outpatient, and the rest as shown in the chart below.
There are different types of dietitians depending on the job or task that needs their attention. The first type is a clinical dietitian who provides nutrition therapy for patients at nursing care facilities, hospitals, or manages a correctional facilities food service department. After is community dietitian which develops programs to promote good health for public health clinics, fitness centers, and corporate wellness programs. Next is corporate dietitians who work in food manufacturing, advertising, and marketing or report issues with nutritional content on food packaging. The fourth type is management dietitian which oversees large-scale planning and preparation in health care facilities, company cafeterias, and schools. They budget for food purchase, and equipment, along with enforcing sanitary regulations. The last type would be the consultant dietitian. They work under contract with hospitals or own their private practices. They advise for diet related concerns and consult with food service managers providing expertise in fields such as sanitation, safety procedures, menu development, and planning (Dietitian Nutritionist). The work environment of a nutritionist can vary depending on opportunities available and other factors such as knowledge in a particular area or experience.
State and Regional Data
The Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) provides data on the roles of nutritionists in different sectors. Nutritionist are expected to plan and conduct nutritional programs to help achieve healthy and control disease. Diet is an important part in control of diseases as it determines the types of nutrients found in a person’s body. Some nutritionists manage sections in organizations that control quantity of food services or food research. California is the state with the highest published employment rates and annual mean wage. California is the state of interest with a location quotient of 0.99 and 7,780 employments (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2020). Florida is the state with the lowest published employment rates with annual mean wage of $61,630.
The cost of living at $141.9 for a worker in Santa Rosa, CA living in the own house and with no child care expenses. A nutritionist working in the preferred regions; Santa Rosa, CA earns $45.74 per hour (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2020). The housing, insurance and transportation are expenses that affect the rate and effectiveness in the analysis of the wage. The provided data is subject to error due to variations in the transport and housing cost for employees that have to pay rent. The means of transport to work are diverse and thus affect the balance between the expenses and the hourly wages.
Median Income
The median income foe nutritionists per year in May 2020 was $63,090 per year or $30.33 per hour (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2020). The median income applies for nutritionist that have at least a bachelor’s degree in related course. The nutritionists should also have supervised training before acquiring the state license.
The post Food: one of the elements needed for survival, a natural instinct and appeared first on PapersSpot.
