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29-1031.00 - Dietitians and Nutritionists


Plan and conduct food service or nutritional programs to assist in the promotion of health and control of disease. May supervise activities of a department providing quantity food services, counsel individuals, or conduct nutritional research.


Key Facts
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Bright Outlook
1
Career Details
Green Job
Career Details
Current Employment
66,700
Estimate
Forecasted Employment
77,600
Estimate
Change in Employment
+11,000
Estimate
Change in Employment %
+16.4%
Estimate
Tasks
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Tasks
The tasks listed below can be performed to prepare you for a career in this field.
Core
  • Assess nutritional needs, diet restrictions, and current health plans to develop and implement dietary-care plans and provide nutritional counseling.
  • Consult with physicians and health care personnel to determine nutritional needs and diet restrictions of patient or client.
  • Advise patients and their families on nutritional principles, dietary plans, diet modifications, and food selection and preparation.
  • Counsel individuals and groups on basic rules of good nutrition, healthy eating habits, and nutrition monitoring to improve their quality of life.
  • Develop curriculum and prepare manuals, visual aids, course outlines, and other materials used in teaching.
  • Coordinate diet counseling services.
  • Plan, conduct, and evaluate dietary, nutritional, and epidemiological research.
  • Plan and conduct training programs in dietetics, nutrition, and institutional management and administration for medical students, health-care personnel, and the general public.
  • Write research reports and other publications to document and communicate research findings.
  • Evaluate laboratory tests in preparing nutrition recommendations.
  • Incorporate patient cultural, ethnic, or religious preferences and needs in the development of nutrition plans.
  • Record and evaluate patient and family health and food history, including symptoms, environmental toxic exposure, allergies, medication factors, and preventive health-care measures.
  • Develop recipes and menus to address special nutrition needs, such as low glycemic, low histamine, or gluten- or allergen-free.
Supplemental
  • Monitor food service operations to ensure conformance to nutritional, safety, sanitation and quality standards.
  • Coordinate recipe development and standardization and develop new menus for independent food service operations.
  • Develop policies for food service or nutritional programs to assist in health promotion and disease control.
  • Inspect meals served for conformance to prescribed diets and standards of palatability and appearance.
  • Prepare and administer budgets for food, equipment, and supplies.
  • Purchase food in accordance with health and safety codes.
  • Select, train, and supervise workers who plan, prepare, and serve meals.
  • Manage quantity food service departments or clinical and community nutrition services.
  • Advise food service managers and organizations on sanitation, safety procedures, menu development, budgeting, and planning to assist with establishment, operation, and evaluation of food service facilities and nutrition programs.
  • Organize, develop, analyze, test, and prepare special meals, such as low-fat, low-cholesterol, or chemical-free meals.
  • Make recommendations regarding public policy, such as nutrition labeling, food fortification, or nutrition standards for school programs.
  • Plan and prepare grant proposals to request program funding.
  • Test new food products and equipment.
  • Confer with design, building, and equipment personnel to plan for construction and remodeling of food service units.
  • Plan, conduct, and evaluate nutrigenomic or nutrigenetic research.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Knowledge
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Knowledge

The items listed below are organized into sections that contain knowledge useful for pursuing a career in this field. Each section also contains a "Percentage of Importance" statistic that shows how relevant an item is to the occupation.
 Biology
  • 88%
    Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
 Medicine and Dentistry
  • 85%
    Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
 English Language
  • 83%
    Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
 Therapy and Counseling
  • 81%
    Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
 Customer and Personal Service
  • 80%
    Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
 Psychology
  • 77%
    Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
 Education and Training
  • 76%
    Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
 Mathematics
  • 73%
    Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
 Computers and Electronics
  • 68%
    Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
 Chemistry
  • 68%
    Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
 Sociology and Anthropology
  • 66%
    Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.
 Food Production
  • 63%
    Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
 Administration and Management
  • 57%
    Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
 Clerical
  • 56%
    Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
 Communications and Media
  • 56%
    Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
 Sales and Marketing
  • 53%
    Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Tools
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Tools
The tools listed below include machines, equipment, tools, and software that is useful for individuals who are interested in this career.
 Blood pressure units and related products
  • Automated blood pressure cuffs
  • Manual blood pressure cuffs
 Electrical measuring and testing equipment and accessories
  • Bioelectric impedance machines
 Computers
  • Desktop computers
  • Laptop computers
  • Personal computers
  • Personal digital assistants PDA
 Patient point of care testing supplies and equipment
  • Glucometers
  • Ketone meters
 Weight measuring instruments
  • Hydrostatic weighing machines
  • Upright scales
 Temperature and heat measuring instruments
  • Metabolic carts
 Medical exam size measuring devices
  • Skinfold calipers
 Indicating and recording instruments
  • Wearable fitness monitors
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Technology
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Technology
The technologies listed below include machines, equipment, tools, and software that is useful for individuals who are interested in this career.
 Industry specific software
  • Allergenic diet software
  • Aurora FoodPro
  • Axxya Systems Nutritionist Pro
  • BioEx Systems Nutrition Maker Plus
  • Compu-Cal Nutrition Assistant
  • Cronometer
  • ESHA Research The Food Processor
  • Ketogenic planning software
  • Lifestyles Technologies DietMaster Pro
  • MNT Northwest MNT Assistant
  • Monash University Low FODMAP Diet App
  • Mosby's Nutritrac
  • MyFitnessPal
  • Nutrient analysis software
  • PICS DietMate Professional
  • Statistical software
  • SureQuest Systems Square 1
  • The Nutrition Company FoodWorks
 Data management and query software
  • CyberSoft NutriBase
  • Database software
  • DietMaster Systems DietMaster
  • ValuSoft MasterCook
 Business function specific software
  • Google DriveHOT
  • Microsoft OfficeHOT
 Content authoring and editing software
  • Graphics software
  • Microsoft ExcelHOT
  • Microsoft PowerPointHOT
  • Microsoft WordHOT
  • Spreadsheet software
  • Word processing software
 Information exchange software
  • Microsoft OutlookHOT
  • ReadyTalk
 Network applications software
  • Skype
  • Web browser software
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Certifications
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Certifications
The certifications listed below are useful to pursue if you are interested in a career in this field.
 Specialty
 Advanced
 Core
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Licensing
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Licensing
The licensing information below is organized into sections and is useful for pursuing if you are interested in a career in this field.
No specific licensing information is listed for this occupation in the area you have selected.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Related Programs
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Online Programs related to this career, offered by participating institution(s), are listed below.

Clicking on the Degree programs in the list below will take you away from the Careers page.
INSTITUTION
PROGRAMS
J Sargeant Reynolds Community College
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Mountain Gateway Community College
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Northern Virginia Community College
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Virginia Peninsula Community College
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Wytheville Community College
 Programs