What does a dietitian do?

Dietitians use food and nutrition to help patients manage acute and chronic health concerns. As diet and nutrition experts, they advise patients about what to eat to address health issues or maintain a health-based lifestyle. They're responsible for the following tasks:

- Assess patients’ health concerns and nutritional needs: Dietitians spend substantial time talking with patients to assess the health issues they want to address and identify any areas of nutritional concern. Some dietitians specialize in working with certain types of patients, such as the elderly or those with cancer.

- Develop customized diet plans for patients: After meeting with patients, dietitians create meal plans that take their clients’ specific nutritional needs and budgetary requirements into consideration. They advise patients about how to adopt and maintain their new diets.

- Track patients’ progress: Once they have helped patients begin a new diet plan, dietitians meet with their clients routinely to track their progress. Depending on patients’ results, dietitians may suggest changes or additions to help their clients succeed.

- Research the effects of nutrition on health: As experts on health and nutrition, dietitians follow the latest research in their field. Most read industry publications and attend conferences regularly.

- Educate about diet and nutrition: Many dietitians also contribute to the field by publishing or sharing through presentations their own scientific research on health and nutrition. Those who work as community dietitians regularly develop educational material about achieving and maintaining a health-based diet.