Major Spotlight: Dietetics
A confused look followed by “what is that?” is often the response that I get when I tell others that my major is dietetics. Simply put, dietetics is the profession of nutrition. Dietitians have essential roles in many areas; however, many are unaware that the profession even exists. Dietetics is one example of a “found” major, meaning that many discover the major after entering college and many even discover the profession after graduating and come back for another bachelor’s degree! Dietetics is a unique and rewarding major for anyone interested in helping others to thrive and live better and healthier lives starting from their diet!
Dietetics and Dietitians Defined
As previously stated, dietetics is the profession of human nutrition. Dietetics translates and applies the science of food and nutrition to the health and well-being of individuals and groups. Professionals who actively practice dietetics are known as Registered Dietitians (RD), also known as a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN).
Myth Buster: Registered Dietitian = Nutritionist
Not at all! Registered Dietitians (RD) should not be confused with nutritionists (or health coaches). A nutritionist does not have accreditation, rather it is a self-proclaimed title, hence they have no legal protection or acceptance as an expert in the field. Often nutritionists will take a certificate course and claim to be an expert which may be detrimental to potential clients with diseases and illnesses who need proper medical nutrition therapy (MNT) that a registered dietitian is qualified and trained to provide.
RD’s are employed in a variety of settings such as hospitals, health care facilities, government agencies, companies, schools, and universities, and the list continues. The main practice areas that dietitians are often categorized into are clinical, food service, and community.
Types of Dietitians and Their Scope of Practice
Clinical dietitians work alongside doctors, nurses, and other clinicians in health care settings serving as the nutrition expert on the team. Clinical dietitians screen and treat malnutrition in patients, order tube feedings (enteral nutrition) for patients unable to eat by mouth. They also specialize in nutrition management of a variety of chronic diseases such as kidney disease, heart disease, and intestinal diseases.
Food Service dietitians work in foodservice operations such as schools and universities, restaurants, jails, etc. Dietitians in this area help create recipes, ensure the operation follows government regulations, promote nutrition and allergen safety in the operation, manage staff, and many more. Foodservice operations often overlap with many areas in the foodservice operations. One day I hope to practice as a school or child nutrition dietitian.
Community dietitians are perhaps the most diverse of all the areas of practice. Community dietitians can do anything from educating pregnant women to lobbying congress to change nutrition government policies to appearing on talks shows and social media to represent sound nutrition advice. One thing all these areas have in common is educating the public on nutrition, which is the one job that characterizes community dietetics.
Myth Buster: Food Science and Nutritional Science are the same.
Not quite! While food science examines the science of the properties of food and everything involved such as preservation techniques, nutritional science examines the impact of food on human health.
Why You Should Give Dietetics A Try
Dietetics is growing at a 14% faster average than other health care professionals according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor. Growing demand for dietitians is apparent and is evidenced by a rise in chronic diseases and the growing social media trends such as viral TikToks supporting supplements or diet fads. It is also very rewarding to create positive health outcomes and help others completely change the quality of their life by helping them change what and how they eat. Dietetics is a field of diverse opportunities and career prospects, giving you the opportunity to bring joy and improve the quality of life for many!
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About the author
Kerri-Ann Henry
Kerri-Ann Henry is a 4th year Dietetics student at the University of Florida. She plans to pursue a career as a school nutrition dietitian and use her role to bring awareness to dietitians and help bring nutrition education to community spaces. She enjoys spending time with friends and family, learning, cooking, art and keeping up with global cultural awareness. Kerri-Ann is also a Pearson Campus Ambassador at the University of Florida.
