Nutrition and Dietetics Career Scope: Jobs, Placements, Salary 2024, Top Recruiters/Companies

Dietetics and Nutrition is a specialisation of the Science stream which deals with diet, nutrition, and food nutrients and gives an insight into the microbiology of food and their nutrients which are important for a healthy lifestyle. Candidates who have pursued this course provide nutritional charts to their clients and help them with their fitness journey as they customise their nutrition intake according to their client's health requirements.

In today's world, there is an increased awareness of health and fitness, therefore, the scope of dieticians and nutritionists is getting bigger and brighter. If you are a candidate who is interested in getting food knowledge and helping people with their fitness and healthy lifestyle, then you can go through this article to know more about Dietetics and Nutrition. 

Why choose Dietetics and Nutrition course?

• According to the Bureau of Labour Statistics, the employment rate and pace of growth are expected to grow at the speed of 7% till 2031. They have also sourced the number of job openings for each year, which stands at 56,000. 

• Amidst the Healthcare domain and jobs, Dietetics and Nutrition rank 21. Statistics and data by BLS also prove that the expansion of this industry would result in 21,000 more jobs. 

• Hospitals are where nutritionists work the most. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), in 2020, approximately 22,630 nutritionists worked in general medical and surgical hospitals and approximately 7,300 nutritionists worked in outpatient domains. Other common places to find dietitians and nutritionists include health professional offices and local government offices as well. 

• Moreover, in today's world where health issues and chronic diseases are on an incline, the need of the hour craves for Dietitians and Nutritionists thereby creating an environment of success and enrichment for those who are endorsing in this industry. 

Top Careers in Dietetics and Nutrition

In today’s world, people are now becoming aware of their healthy and fit lifestyle. Certified dieticians and nutritions get the opportunity to work with hospitals, business organisations, the sports sector, etc. Following given are some of the job profiles that a candidate can opt for after pursuing the Dietetics and Nutrition course. 

• Registered dietician- In order to become a registered dietician, candidates must make sure they have completed their Class XII. Then, they can pursue Pursue B. Sc./B. A. in Nutrition or B. Sc. in  Food Technology, and then a PG Diploma in Nutrition or an M. Sc. in Food and Nutrition.
• Sports nutritionist- The responsibility of a sports nutritionist is to provide nutritional guidance to sports athletes. To become a sports nutritionist, a candidate can go for a Bachelor in Sports Science, a Master of Sport Science of B. Sc. (Food Science and Nutrition) and a Master in Sports Nutrition.
• Public health nutritionist- Public health nutritionists work closely with the people of society and help others by educating them on the public policy on food and its nutrition. After XII, candidates can pursue B. Sc. in Nutrition and Dietetics and then M. Sc. in Nutrition and Dietetics.
• Food safety auditor- The food that is being produced for the consumers must go through an auditing process to ensure that it is safe and free from all the hazards for common people to consume. In order to become a food safety auditor, candidates must make sure to have a bachelor's degree in food science or any related field. They must have three years of experience working in food production or quality insurance. They must also have 30 semester hours of core science education.
• Dietitian: A dietitian is a trained professional who helps people improve their health by making changes to their diets. They work in teams with other professionals in hospitals and clinics, dealing with the various health issues of patients of all ages.
• Nutritionist: A nutritionist is a healthcare professional who specialises in assessing individual nutritional needs, determining dietary restrictions, and helping to create and implement diet plans. They may also provide nutritional counselling.

• Food Processing Manager: Food processing managers are responsible for overseeing the manufacturing and processing of food products at food production companies. Their job entails directing and supervising the activities of staff in these industries to ensure high-quality products with maximum profits for company management.

Scope of Dietetics and Nutrition in India

Due to the increased amount of awareness of fitness and health in today's world, more and more people are becoming curious about fitness and leading a healthy lifestyle. This makes the future of a Dietitian brighter in the coming days. Candidates who have pursued Dietetics and Nutrition can work in the following sectors/industries.

• Hospitals - Clinical dietitians offer medical nutrition therapy to patients who are admitted to hospitals. They analyse and evaluate the result of implementing nutrition programmes for a patient's dietary needs.

• Community dieticians - These dieticians provide health guidance to a specific part of a community. Candidates who become community dieticians work closely with community health clinics, gyms, or home health agencies.
• Corporate - Corporate dietitians usually work in the food industry, marketing and advertising. Such dieticians take control of food surveys, provide food guidance for any publication, and write reports which include the nutritional value of dishes, dietary fibre, vitamin supplements, etc.
• Sports - Such professionals take care of the food and water intake of the country's athletes. It also covers coming up with appropriate nutritional guidance which covers organic substance intake for an athlete.

• Research: Research is another domain that has been strengthened owing to Dietetics and Nutrition. Together Healthcare researchers, Dieticians and Nutritionists have contributed a lot to human health, food, Nutrition and well-being.

• Government Domains: Individuals with a degree in Dietetics and Nutrition can also contribute to the government domains and they have been hired in the same as well. Many Dietetics and Nutrition graduates have been hired in government hospitals to work and Research food/diet/nutrition-oriented subjects and diagnose health/diet/lifestyle-related problems. They are also hired by legal organisations like FSSAI which regenerates Food Licensing.

• Academics - Management Studies: The ongoing demand for a perfect lifestyle and smooth health has led people to engage themselves in acknowledging the insights into Dietetics and Nutrition. Individuals with a degree in the same can move ahead by enrolling themselves and carriers of their subject and can disseminate their information by working as teaching professionals, lecturers and professors. 

Average Salary of Dietetics and Nutrition

As they are promoted to higher responsibilities, candidates with experience may earn large income increases in the industry. Here is a list of some of the most well-known job profiles in India along with their average yearly salary.

Top recruiters for Dietetics and Nutrition graduates

The following is a list of the top recruiters that employ Dietetics and Nutrition graduates.

• Nestle 
• Cadbury 
• Unilever 
• GSK 
• Eli Lilly 
• Novartis 
• Food & Nutrition Board (FNB)
• FNB, Ministry of Women and Child Development

Top Placement Colleges for Dietetics and Nutrition Course

Universities/colleges place a lot of emphasis on placements. It is the responsibility of leading colleges in India to ensure that the most promising career opportunities are available to students. Choosing a college that offers a specific combination of placements and academics is critically relevant when it comes to a practical and diverse profession such as that of a dietician or nutritionist. Following is a list of notable colleges offering diplomas and courses in Dietetics and Nutrition with high placement opportunities. 

How to Get a Good Job after Dietetics/Nutrition course: 

• Learning never stops. After you complete your undergraduate degree and start a career, there is always more to learn. This is particularly true in the field of Nutrition and Dietetics where science constantly evolves. If you want to maintain credibility within this industry, it's important that you stay up-to-date on what is happening within the healthcare, nutrition, wellness and fitness industries.  
• When writing a resume for a position as Dietician or Nutritionist, it's important to include all of your skills and abilities. This includes anything you're good at - and also includes any weaknesses or areas on which you’re working on.
• To gain a comprehensive understanding of what it takes to be a Dietician/Nutritionist, you should attend events that focus on hands-on experiences such as live projects, webinars and seminars. Additionally, read science-backed research articles/journals that revolve around food, nutrition and dietetics. 

• Building a network during your job search is beneficial, as it can help you connect with professionals in many different fields. A dietitian/nutritionist would be well-served by affiliating themselves with psychologists, doctors, gynaecologists and researchers – all of whom have valuable insights to share. 

Top Indian cities to get lucrative jobs after Dietetics and Nutrition

The scope of a profession depends highly on which location it is situated. A location plays a very big and vital role in an individual's life. These elements have an impact on average income as well. The top Indian cities with the highest demand for dieticians in high-paying positions are listed below.

Life After Dietetics & Nutrition

The life of dieticians mostly revolves around their patients' lives. These professionals assist their patients in healthy living, losing weight, managing diets, improving medical conditions, etc. They work closely with their patients to understand their body needs and their lifestyles to curate such diet guidance which helps them lead a healthy and better lifestyle.

According to CareerExplorer, registered dieticians rate their content 2.9 out of 5 stars which puts them at 26% at the bottom.

The course of Dietitics and Nutrition majorly comprises giving dietary guidance to the patient while giving importance to medical, dietary and human bioscience needs. There is a large scope for dieticians abroad as well.

Healthy eating and living are becoming more and more popular, which has spurred tremendous growth in this area. A dietetics and nutrition education at a reputable university is an excellent idea if you're interested in developing a lucrative profession in this area.