A recipe for career success – dietetics is a boom market

“Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are.”

– Anthelme Brillat-Savarin

At no time in history have we been as fascinated by food and nutrition as we are right now. The average citizen has become so conscious about what they eat and how diet affects our well-being that careers in medicine have become a boom market for job-seekers. Particularly for dieticians and nutritionists.

In fact, this sector of employment is set to grow by a huge 15%, if not more, between 2016 and 2026. This is because of a range of factors:

Global warming. The growing numbers of vegetarians and vegans are inspired by ecological trends. However, they often need professional advice to balance their diet and eat what their bodies need.
Disease. Cancer and diabetes are on the rise and their victims usually require a dietician to keep their daily intake on track.
Food additives. Shoppers are analysing ever ingredient label and spurning those products that don’t agree with their healthier agenda. This means that they’re replacing their traditional choices with new ones, but still must maintain their nutritional needs.
Aging population. We’re living longer and this has created greater demand for ongoing care as the years take their toll.

Dieticians and nutritionists will continue to be needed in the years to come – it’s predicted that we will be living until age 150 by 2060! So, now’s the time to ride this healthy wave to a new job.

As a career choice, there are many kinds of dietetics jobs out there. There’s even the possibility to be self-employed or work freelance. With rates of pay up to £29 per hour, you can make a good living if you think this kind of work will suit you:

Become an expert on how food and nutrition complements a healthy lifestyle and manages diseases.
Give professional advice on diet so that people can achieve their health-related goals.
Choose where you work. There are vacancies in hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, cafeterias and as a roving specialist who visits clients at home.
If you have a degree in chemistry, biology or biochemistry, you’re off to a good start. Learning about metabolism and biometrics will also aid your progress.
As a dietician you could also become a:
- Health Educator. This is another growth sector and is based in organizations, educational institutions and medical facilities.
- Food Service Manager. You don’t need the same degree of schooling to do this and would oversee kitchen operations and delivery of food from larder to plate.

The food revolution is happening now; you can’t read the paper without coming across another food story. No matter what happens, we all need to eat, and the current movement is firmly towards healthier diets and weight loss. If you have the interest, skills and are willing to train, this could be the best career for you.

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