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3 Health occupations > Dietitians and Nutritionists (NOC 3132)

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Dietitians and Nutritionists (NOC 3132)


Description

Dietitians and nutritionists plan, organize, conduct and supervise programs in nutrition, diet and food service. They are employed in a variety of settings including hospitals, extended-care facilities, public health centres, the food and beverage industry, educational institutions, sports organizations and government, or they may be self-employed.

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Example Titles

  • administrative dietitian
  • clinical dietitian
  • community dietitian
  • consultant dietitian
  • dietitian
  • nutrition and dietetics researcher
  • nutritionist
  • public health nutritionist
  • registered dietitian (RD)

      >> View all titles

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Classified Elsewhere

  • Dietary technicians (in 3219 Other Medical Technologists and Technicians (except dental health))
  • Director of dietetics (in 0311 Managers in Health Care)
  • Food Service Supervisors (6212)
  • Home economists (in 4164 Social Policy Researchers, Consultants and Program Officers)

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Duties

Dietitians and nutritionists perform some or all of the following duties:

  • Develop, administer and supervise nutrition and food preparation and service programs in hospitals, nursing homes, schools, company cafeterias or similar settings
  • Evaluate nutritional status of individuals and provide nutrition counselling and consulting to health professionals, dietetic interns, community groups, government, media and individuals
  • Aid in the prevention and/or treatment of inadequate nutrition
  • Plan, evaluate and conduct nutrition education programs and develop educational materials for various audiences
  • Practice on an individual basis or as a member of an interdisciplinary team to determine nutritional needs of patients and to plan normal and therapeutic menus
  • Study and analyze current scientific nutritional studies and conduct research to improve the nutritional value, taste, appearance and preparation of food.
  • Dietitians and nutritionists may specialize in such areas as administrative dietetics, clinical dietetics, community dietetics, public health dietetics or research dietetics.

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Skills

Dietitians and nutritionists need the following skills and abilities:

Essential skills:

  • be able to relate well to a wide range of people and gain their confidence,
  • ability to work independently and as a member of a team,
  • good problem-solving and decision-making skills,
  • emotional stability, maturity, integrity, reliability, realistic self appraisal,
  • ability to cope with stressful situations,
  • good listening and observational skills,
  • good verbal and written communication skills,
  • knowledge of computers.

Technical skills:

  • administrative skills such as basic accounting, human resources and materials
  • management may be required for physicians operating their own offices.

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Employment Requirements

  • Dietitians in Manitoba are required to hold a license with the College of Dieticians of Manitoba, the regulating body within the province for dieticians and the profession of dietetics.
  • Education needed for this certificate is the equivalent of a Bachelor degree in Human Nutritional Sciences (Foods and Nutrition Major) with a Dietetic internship from an accredited facility, or the equivalent of a Master's degree and documentation of competency from Dietitians of Canada..

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Terms & Conditions

Working conditions for dietitians and nutritionists depend on the type of facility in which they work. Most have personal offices, but may also work in food preparation areas, test kitchens, or classrooms. They work regular business hours, although some evening or weekend work may be required to give presentations, consult with clients, or attend meetings. The work may involve a significant amount of walking or standing.

About 66% of this group work full time. A small proportion (4%) is self-employed.

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Earnings

$46,400 per annum - starting

$54,300 per annum - average

$70,700 per annum - high

Earnings are reviewed annually or more frequently if new information becomes available.

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Education / Training

The University of Manitoba, Faculty of Human Nutritional Sciences, offers the following programs:

  • Bachelor of Science in Human Nutritional Sciences (B.Sc.) with Dietetics Internship [University 1 plus 3 years],
  • Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Foods and Nutrition.
  • Ph.D. in Foods and Nutrition, http//:www.umanitoba.ca/human_ecology/foods/

Brandon University and the Canadian Mennonite University offer 1-year pre-professional programs in Human Ecology:

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Career Paths

Dietitians and nutritionists usually specialize in areas such as public health (e.g., diabetic counseling), private diet and nutrition counseling, athletics, or food research.

Nutritionists and dietitians work in community health centres, hospitals, clinics or may operate their own private service. Nutritionists and dietitians are also employed in fitness and nutrition facilities.

Advancement to managerial positions may be an option as experience is gained. Positions as sales representatives for food mnufacturers or pharmaceutical companies, may also be options.

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Outlook

Employment prospects for dietitians and nutritionists are expected to be good in the period 2010 - 2014. Employment in Manitoba in 2010 is estimated at 395.

Most job vacancies will occur as a result of retirements, as the occupational group as a whole is not expected to grow significantly. Entrepreneurial opportunities are developing in research and marketing for the food industry, in sport nutrition, food journalism, and speciality diets. As the population ages, issues of diet and healthy eating will grow in importance.

Dietitians and nutritionists are fairly evenly distributed across the Province relative to employment generally. The vast majority (90%) work in the Health Care and Social Assistance sector, while very small numbers are found in other sectors such as Public Administration (5%), Retail Trade (4%) and Manufacturing (4%).

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Employment by Age Group

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Employment by Industry

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Employment by Region

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Employment by Gender

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Employment by Aboriginal Self-Identification

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Employment by Visible Minority

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Please Note - The source for above charts is the 2006 Census.



Professional Associations, Unions, and Regulatory Bodies...

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Service Canada Province of Manitoba