A day in the life of a nutritionist can be interesting and varied. Public health nutritionists help individuals make better food choices and learn healthy techniques for cooking food. But many people wonder, “What is a typical day for a public health nutritionist?” A public health nutritionist’s duties are somewhat different from a nutritionist or registered dietitian who works in a long-term care facility or hospital.
Typically a public health nutritionist works with groups or populations to improve health through nutrition. Responsibilities may include things like promotion of healthy eating through programs and written materials, creation of meal plans, developing policies, consulting with groups and committees related to nutrition, and evaluating nutritional programs. Presentations, public speaking, and great communication skills are important in this role. Consider these common duties that public health nutritionists would perform on a typical day of work.
Speak to Groups About Healthy Eating and Cooking
Nutritionists who work in public health may engage in community health by leading nutrition programs with regular seminars or educational sessions about healthy eating and cooking in a community setting. For example, a public health nutritionist might go to the farmer’s market and show how to make healthy food choices, including fresh fruits and vegetables that are in season. The nutritionist might continue with some recipes and tips for preparing the food. A public health nutritionist may also speak to specific groups about how to choose healthy food. They may visit schools, senior centers or community centers in order to do this. Public health nutritionists work to improve community nutrition through education in proper nutrition.
Serve as an Expert for Public Health Organizations
Public health nutritionists may serve as experts for improving population health through a public health program in nutrition education. One example is the women, infants and children (WIC) nutritional program. WIC is for low-income women who are pregnant or recently had a baby. The nutritionist may serve on a committee that decides which foods are allowed under the voucher program. The nutritionist may also meet with government officials in order to inform them about the program’s successes. This often helps with maintaining the funding. Some nutritionists use program data or collect client data such as weight gain or weight loss in order to evaluate the effectiveness of large public health programs.
Create Educational Materials for the Public
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, another activity in a typical day for a public health nutritionist involves creating and updating educational materials for the public and for other healthcare professionals. For example, a public health nutritionist may create a flyer on food safety and how to properly cook chicken. The nutritionist may translate it or work with translators in order to make the information available in several languages. This is important for communities with a population of people who do not speak English and may be difficult to reach.
Develop and Evaluate Meal and Nutritional Plans for Clients
Public health nutritionists may also work one-on-one with individual clients. Their clients are often low-income individuals who visit a public health department for other types of assistance or who participate in a public health nutrition program. The nutritionist would provide dietary guidance and might develop a nutritional plan for a senior citizen who is on a fixed income and has diabetes. The client and nutritionist might meet once per week with those with chronic disease for weigh-ins and reviews of blood sugar levels. This would allow the nutritionist to evaluate the effectiveness of the meal plan and make updates to it in order to help the individual manage chronic disease.
Other Roles of Public Health Nutritionists
These nutrition practitioners may also work to develop nutrition guidelines, develop and implement education programs for the public, work to ensure food safety, or conduct independent research to understand the nutritional needs in a community. They can develop nutrition education interventions, promote physical activity, lead school nutrition programs, and evaluate programs for maternal and child health. A public health nutrition career is focused on preventing undernutrition and over nutrition, and help the population maintain optimal nutrition and health. Monitoring the impact of nutrition and wellness programs on the health of a community is an important role they fill.
What Skills Might a Successful Public Health Nutritionist Have?
Many in this public health sector must use their public speaking skills to engage the community to improve their nutrition status. In order to develop and launch public health programs, organizational skills are imperative. Math is used extensively by a registered dietitian working in the public health sector in calculating values related to food and when conducting research. As in many professions, communication skills, problem solving skills, and some determination goes a long way in being successful in this career as a health nutritionist.
How to Become a Public Health Nutritionist
Education to enter this public health nutrition career field includes a bachelor’s degree in nutrition and dietetics. Education decisions to enter the public health sector may include going on to earn a master’s degree in public health or even a doctorate degree in nutrition or public health. Bachelor’s degree education will include subjects like metabolism, biology, chemistry, sports nutrition, weight management, diet therapy, mother and child nutrition, disease prevention through nutrition, food access, nutrition science, food science and more. Real world experience in addition to an undergraduate degree in promoting healthy food helps prepare prospective public health workers for what’s ahead.
To become eligible to take the certification exam to become a registered dietitian nutritionist, students or graduates will need to complete a supervised internship. A program with an emphasis on public health or community health can help pave the way to enter this field.
Completing education and internship will lead to qualifying to take the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) exam to become a registered dietitian and qualify for many public health nutrition positions. In addition to taking the exam, some states require a state license to practice as a registered dietitian.
Public Health Nutritionist Work Environment
Public health nutritionists can work in a number of environments such as offices, classrooms and schools. So the community has access to their services, some public health nutritionists may even visit clients at home or their place of employment. These public health professionals may also spend time working at a desk where they prepare materials for the community or conduct research.
Job Outlook for a Public Health Nutritionist
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of dietitians and nutritionists is projected to grow 7 percent from 2021 to 2031, about as fast as the average for all occupations. With interest in how food and nutrition promotes wellness and disease prevention, this job will continue to have an important role in the future. More registered dietitians and nutritionists will be needed to provide care for people who have a chronic disease that are treated through nutrition, such as diabetes. As the population ages there will be increased demand for nutrition services.
How Much Does a Public Health Nutritionist Make
According to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, in May 2021 the median annual wage for for dietitians and nutritionists was $61,650. The median annual wage for all workers was $45,760. Median wage is the wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less.
Professional Organizations for Public Health Registered Dietitians
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is the nation’s largest professional organization for food and nutrition professionals. This organization supports the profession through continuing education, providing nutrition information to consumers and professionals, advocating for the profession, and promoting the profession.
The American Public Health Association (APHA), is the professional organization for public health professionals that champions the health of all people in all communities. This organization works to influence policy to improve public health. The APHA Food and Nutrition Section works in local, national, and global food and nutrition concerns and issues. They work to influence policies, programs, research, and education that is related to public health nutrition.
Public health nutritionists serve to educate the public about wise food choices and how to prepare food in a healthy way. They also help people avoid or manage chronic diseases by means of a healthy and nutritious diet. Understanding what is a typical day for public health nutritionists makes it easier for a person to select a career path that they will be passionate about for many years.
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MPH Staff, Updated October 2022