Food technologist or nutritionist

Earnings (Yearly Median): $88,3500 for food scientists and technologists; $69,680 for dietitians and nutritionists (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2023)

Employment and Outlook: As fast as average growth for food scientists and technologists; much faster than average growth for dietitians and nutritionists (BLS, 2018–28)

O*NET-SOC Code(s): 19-1012.00; 29-1031.00

Related Career Cluster(s): Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources; Health Science; Business, Management & Administration

Scope of Work

Nutritionists investigate and apply science to the understanding of health and nutrition for the benefit of others. Often, they manage food services in hospitals, schools, and similar institutions, while also conducting research and promoting sound eating habits. Some of the most common areas of specialization within the field of food technology and nutrition include clinical, pediatric, administrative, and consultant nutrition.

A nutritionist can help to restructure a patient’s eating and exercise habits to minimize the effects of diet-related conditions such as heart disease, high cholesterol, diabetes, hiatus hernia, and ulcers. For healthy patients, counselors might provide guidance directed at minimizing the risk of cancer, obesity, or high blood pressure, or they might help target individual problems such as food allergies. Counselors may even provide specific artificial nutritional guidance to patients unable to consume food normally.

Over the last three decades, increased interest in fitness and nutrition has caused an increase in job opportunities in fields such as food manufacturing, advertising, and marketing. In such positions, nutritionists might present information to clients in the form of literature for distribution, while also reporting on the nutritional content of certain recipes and recommending amounts of dietary fiber or vitamin supplements to be taken.

Education and Coursework

One must acquire at least a bachelor’s degree to become a nutritionist. However, high school students interested in preparing themselves for a potential career in nutrition should make sure to include courses in biology, chemistry, health, mathematics, and communication in their schedules. At a collegiate level, students can major in dietetics or even food systems service management. In these majors, students can expect to receive instruction in courses related to food, nutrition, chemistry and biochemistry, biology and microbiology, anatomy, physiology, and institution management. Aspiring nutritionists and food technologists are also encouraged to study aspects of business, statistics, psychology, sociology, and economics as well.

Through graduate programs, students can pursue more specific fields of study, including molecular nutrition or animal nutrition. Graduate programs in nutrition often culminate in a PhD in nutrition, but they often vary widely in specialization and emphasis. As an example, the graduate program at Hunter College in New York City focuses on urban public health and also offers a dietician internship. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill offers a postdoctoral training program in cancer health. Other popular courses of study include nutrition for athletes, nutritional programs for schools and communities, and healthcare regulations.

Career Enhancement and Training

While some states only require certification or registration for aspiring dietitians and nutritionists, a majority of states require both national and state licensure. The most common way to become licensed is to earn the Registered Dietitian (RD) credential, awarded by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. The certification process is comprehensive and involves the completion of an internship in nutrition counseling or food service management under the supervision of a registered dietitian. This is followed by a national exam administrated by the ADA and an ongoing schedule of courses or professional seminars every five years to remain up to date on advances in nutrition research.

Another group of nutritionists are employed as medical doctors. Aspiring candidates should pursue postgraduate training in nutrition and network with other expert clinicians. It is also helpful to join nutritionist organizations such as the American Society of Clinical Nutrition and to pursue accreditation from the American Board of Nutrition.

Top-tier nutritionists with years of experience may move up to positions as associate director, assistant director, director of a dietetic department, or another management role. Those workers may procure advanced degrees or experience in allied health, human resources, or healthcare administration. Others may seek self-employment or advance to sales positions as representatives for equipment, pharmaceutical, or food manufacturers.

Daily Tasks and Technology

For clinical nutritionists employed at hospitals, clinics, and prisons, daily work revolves around close client contact. Much of clinical nutritionists’ work involves consultations with healthcare professionals where they plan and implement nutritional programs for individuals. Each program is unique. After an initial screening, the nutritionist might start by presenting the client with a trial diet and exercise regimen to sample for a few weeks. In the interim, the nutritionist is available to answer questions that may arise, before conducting a follow-up interview and pressing for any necessary revisions. They may also provide guidance in shopping, reading labels, and preparing meals.

At the management level, nutritionists and food technologists do similar work but on a larger scale, overseeing meal planning and preparation for large groups. In addition, they may hire and train food service workers, while also creating a budget to buy and maintain food supplies and equipment. Further tasks performed by managing nutritionists include enforcing sanitation regulations and preparing reports. Community nutritionists counsel groups at clubs, agencies, and health maintenance organizations (HMOs). Working with families, they structure nutritional plans, provide instruction for shopping visits, and create individual manuals for proper food preparation.

Nutritionists work with a number of tools, including , which measure the Nutritionists work with several tools, including calorimeters, which measure the calories in different foods; glucose monitors, which test blood sugar; and skinfold calipers, which estimate body fat by measuring the thickness of a skinfold. They also use analytical and medical software.

Earnings and Employment Outlook

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), food scientists and technologists’ annual salaries ranged from around $48,480 to approximately $135,430, with a median of $82,090 in May 2023. Between 2022 and 2032, the growth in demand for food scientists and technologists was expected to be at least as fast as the average for all occupations.

According to the BLS, nutritionists’ salaries ranged from $44,910 to $98,830, with a median of $69,680 in May 2023. The level of one’s base pay can depend on a number of circumstances, such as employer, level of certification, and geographic location. Between 2022 and 2032, the employment growth for nutriionists was expected to be faster than average.

As reported by the BLS, in May 2023, 27 percent of nutritionists held jobs at hospitals, collecting a median annual salary of $72,320 Those working at nursing and residential care facilities earned a comparable, if slightly lower, yearly salary. Dietitians and nutritionists employed by outpatient care centers brought in more, with a median salary of $77,740.

Nutritionists hired into the corporate sector typically earn greater starting salaries than those who work in the public sector. As of May 2023, the highest salaries came from the computer systems design industry, which had a median salary of $89,370, according to the BLS. Also in the top tier was nondurable goods merchant wholesalers, which had a median wage of $93,990 in May 2023.

Growing interest in health and wellness, an increase in the aging population, and new research on the significance of diet in preventing illness all contribute to the mounting need for nutritionists in the United States. According to the US Department of Labor and the BLS, employment of nutritionists should rise much faster than the average for all occupations through 2032, with a growth in demand of 7 percent.

Related Occupations

• Public Health Researchers: In the public sector, a public health researcher works to construct advocacy programs around topics such as nutrition and disease prevention. In the private sector, they conduct experiments and oversee clinical trials.

• Health Educators:Health educators promote wellness through education. Many work in health care facilities, universities, and public health departments. Others lead campaigns on public health issues, such as aging, nutrition, and weight loss.

• Food Scientists:Food scientists use chemistry and other sciences to study the fundamental principles of food. They examine nutritional content and develop new methods of selecting, preserving, processing, packaging, and distributing foods.

• Home Health Aides:Home health aides help people who are disabled, chronically ill, or cognitively impaired to accomplish daily tasks such as bathing, shopping for groceries, and preparing meals.

• Food Service Managers:Food service managers handle the daily operations of businesses and institutions that prepare and serve food and beverages to customers, clients, or patients.

Future Applications

The trend toward good nutrition and fitness continues to intensify in both public and private sectors. Corporations involved in the production, processing, and marketing of food products have an increased sense of competition with regard to meeting evolving nutritional standards. This commitment will increase the need for nutritionists and dietary specialists to fill a number of positions. Changing standards in the last decade alone have led to increased customer awareness. Consumers are willing to seek out healthy foods more than ever before, whether for weight loss, disease management, disease prevention, or general fitness.

On the public end, the federal government has renewed its commitment to strong nutritional standards in the name of preventative health care. In 2012, the US government released new standards for school meals across the country. In an aim to limit calories, lower sodium levels, and present students with a greater variety of fruits and vegetables, these standards were instituted to improve school nutrition for the first time in fifteen years. However, as some schools struggled to meet goals set in the standards and some declines in school lunch participation were reported as students failed to adjust to the changes, the US Department of Agriculture adjusted the standards by early 2019.

With this renewed interest, the role of the nutritionist should transform and intensify, increasing the need for workers in the field.

Bibliography

“Agricultural and Food Scientists.” Occupational Outlook Handbook, Bureau of Labor Statistics, United States Department of Labor, 17 Apr. 2024, www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/agricultural-and-food-scientists.htm. Accessed 28 Aug. 2024.

“Dietitians and Nutritionists.” Occupational Outlook Handbook, Bureau of Labor Statistics, United States Department of Labor, 17 Apr. 2024, www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/dietitians-and-nutritionists.htm. Accessed 28 Aug. 2024.

“Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2023: 19-1012 Food Scientists and Technologists.” US Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment Statistics, United States Department of Labor, 3 Apr. 2024, www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes191012.htm. Accessed 28 Aug. 2024.

“Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2023: 29-1031 Dietitians and Nutritionists.” US Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment Statistics, United States Department of Labor, 3 Apr. 2024, www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes291031.htm. Accessed 28 Aug. 2024.

“Summary Report for: 19-1012.00 - Food Scientists and Technologists.” O*NET OnLine, National Center for O*NET Development, 9 Aug. 2024, www.onetonline.org/link/summary/19-1012.00. Accessed 28 Aug. 2024.

“Summary Report for: 29-1031.00 - Dietitians and Nutritionists.” O*NET OnLine, National Center for O*NET Development, 9 Aug. 2024, www.onetonline.org/link/summary/29-1031.00. Accessed 28 Aug. 2024.