The nutrition profession encompasses many levels of expertise and a wide variety of career possibilities.
Nutritionists and dieticians have very similar job roles and there is considerable overlap in what they do. In general, dieticians tend to be more clinical and more involved with working with people with diet-related medical conditions. Nutritionists are more likely to work in research, the food industry, community projects and preventative health. However, you do find nutritionists who work in hospitals and dieticians who work in the food industry. Dieticians and nutritionists normally have degree level qualifications.
In addition to nutritionists and dieticians there are nutrition advisers, health trainers, personal trainers, wellness coaches, slimming group leaders and weight loss coaches who all practice nutrition to varying degrees and can have a number of possible qualifications.
Most members of the general public will only get referred to a nutritionist or dietician if they have a relatively serious health problem, yet there are millions of people in the UK who are overweight and suffering the consequences of a poor diet. Nutrition advisers are often much more accessible to the general public and have all the skills needed to advise and motivate individuals on how to eat better, move more, lose weight and improve their health.
When embarking on a career in nutrition it is important to choose a course with a reputable training company. Many companies sell poor quality training courses in nutrition that are not evidence-based and not recognised by any official awarding body. We are proud to have our courses independently recognised by the Association for Nutrition and awarding organisations such as the Royal Society of Public Health. This means that our students can have full confidence that their training is of the highest quality and will fully equip them for working in the nutrition arena.
