A global obesity epidemic is exploding around us. One billion adults clinically obese. Sugar addiction, diabetes, morbid obesity, a perfect storm of all the horrors of poor nutrition.

At the same time, 100 million children are starving, even as we read this. (Check out the world map at www.starvation.net.)

How can this be? So many fat, so many starving? How did our world flip upside down? Who knows what to do?

You know why. You know because you are a Nutritionist.

It kills you to watch what people buy in a grocery store. Because you know that, in the USA, five dollars will buy a big box of sugary donuts and a quart of sugary cola. Or that same five dollars will buy enough rice, beans, greens, and fruit to feed a family of four.

You know that energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods (with high levels of sugar and saturated fats, combined with reduced physical activity), have led to massive obesity. Where? North America, the United Kingdom, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, the Pacific Islands, Australasia and China. It’s global. And not just industrialized societies; this increase is often faster in developing countries.

Your life-saving work is cut out for you. And it is a monumental task. One of incredible urgency.

Obesity and overweight pose a major risk for serious diet-related chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension and stroke, and many cancers. Premature death, often following years of pain and chronic disease.

But the thing that really gets you is the increasing incidence of child obesity, and child starvation. And you don’t have to travel to see it. Look in any school, anywhere.

You have earned your degree in Nutrition, and you are going to use it to fight these trends. You earned your Bachelor’s degree in nutrition. Other Nutritionists studied food science, diet, or service systems management. Dietitians work closely with you and share many of the same duties.

You work in hospitals, nursing care facilities, outpatient care centers, and in the offices of physicians or other health practitioners. You plan food and nutrition programs, supervise meal preparation, and oversee the serving of meals.

Dieticians and other Nutritionists prevent and treat illnesses by promoting healthy eating habits and recommending dietary modifications. For example, you often teach a patient with high blood pressure how to use less salt when preparing meals, or create a diet reduced in fat and sugar for an overweight patient.

Clinical dietitians provide nutritional services to patients in hospitals, nursing care facilities, and other institutions. Some clinical dietitians specialize in managing the weight of overweight patients or in the care of renal (kidney), diabetic, or critically ill patients. In addition, clinical dietitians in nursing care facilities, small hospitals, or correctional facilities may manage the food service department.

Community dietitians counsel individuals and groups on nutritional practices designed to prevent disease and promote health. Working in places such as public health clinics, home health agencies, and health maintenance organizations, community dietitians evaluate individual needs, develop nutritional care plans, and instruct individuals and their families.

Dietitians working in home health agencies provide instruction on grocery shopping and food preparation to the elderly, children, and individuals with special needs.
Increased public interest in nutrition has led to job opportunities in food manufacturing, advertising, and marketing. In these areas, dietitians analyze foods, prepare literature for distribution, or report on issues such as dietary fiber, vitamin supplements, or the nutritional content of recipes.

Management dietitians oversee large-scale meal planning and preparation in health care facilities, company cafeterias, prisons, and schools. They hire, train, and direct other dietitians and food service workers; budget for and purchase food, equipment, and supplies; enforce sanitary and safety regulations; and prepare records and reports.

Consultant dietitians work under contract with health care facilities or in their own private practice. They perform nutrition screenings for their clients and offer advice on diet-related concerns such as weight loss and cholesterol reduction. Some work for wellness programs, sports teams, supermarkets, and other nutrition-related businesses. They may consult with food service managers, providing expertise in sanitation, safety procedures, menu development, budgeting, and planning.

Becoming a dietitian or nutritionist usually requires at least a bachelor’s degree in dietetics, foods and nutrition, food service systems management, or a related area.

Graduate degrees are highly valued. College students in these majors take courses in foods, nutrition, institution management, chemistry, biochemistry, biology, microbiology, and physiology.

Other suggested courses include business, mathematics, statistics, computer science, psychology, sociology, and economics. High school students interested in becoming a dietitian or nutritionist should take courses in biology, chemistry, mathematics, health, and communications.

Dietitians and nutritionists held about 57,000 jobs in 2006. More than half of all jobs were in hospitals, nursing care facilities, outpatient care centers, or offices of physicians and other health practitioners. State and local government agencies provided additional jobs—mostly in correctional facilities, health departments, and other public-health-related areas. Some dietitians and nutritionists were employed in special food services, an industry made up of firms providing food services on contract to facilities such as colleges and universities, airlines, correctional facilities, and company cafeterias.

Other jobs were in public and private educational services, community care facilities for the elderly (which includes assisted-living facilities), individual and family services, home health care services, and the Federal Government—mostly in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Some dietitians were self-employed, working as consultants to facilities such as hospitals and nursing care facilities or providing dietary counseling to individuals.

Dietitians and nutritionists without a bachelor’s degree will face very tough competition for jobs. Dietitians with specialized training, an advanced degree, or certifications beyond the particular State’s minimum requirement will experience the best job opportunities. Those specializing in renal and diabetic nutrition or gerontological nutrition will benefit from the growing number of diabetics and the aging of the population.

Median annual earnings of dietitians and nutritionists were $46,980 in May 2006. The middle 50 percent earned between $38,430 and $57,090. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $29,860, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $68,330.

According to the American Dietetic Association, median annualized wages for registered dietitians in 2005 varied by practice area as follows: $53,800 in consultation and business; $60,000 in food and nutrition management; $60,200 in education and research; $48,800 in clinical nutrition/ambulatory care; $50,000 in clinical nutrition/long-term care; $44,800 in community nutrition; and $45,000 in clinical nutrition/acute care. Salaries also vary by years in practice, education level, and geographic region.

As incomes rise and populations become more urban, and diets high in complex carbs give way to more varied diets with a higher proportion of fats, saturated fats and sugars, the need for Nutritionists and Dietitians will raise much faster than many other health specialities.

Workers in other occupations who may apply the principles of dietetics include food service managers, health educators, dietetic technicians, and registered nurses. Licensure, certification, or registration requirements vary by State.
Large shifts towards inactivity (less physically demanding work nod less physical activity, with the increasing use of automated transport, more technology in the home, and less active leisure pursuits) will drive the need for nutrition and diet experts.

In the USA, a new national health plan would certainly increase demand for healthier lifestyles, due to the huge economic health burden of obese citizens.

To become a Dietitian, or Nutritionist, you will need to earn (at least) a Bachelor’s degree. As of 2007, there were 281 bachelor’s degree programs and 22 master’s degree programs approved by the American Dietetic Association’s Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education.

If you want to enter a field of great need, and if you want dedicate your life to the fight— against the obscene twins obesity and starvation— go earn your degree, in Nutrition.

For a list of academic programs, scholarships, and other information about dietetics, contact:

• The American Dietetic Association, 120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2000, Chicago, IL 60606-6995. http://www.eatright.org

For information on the Registered Dietitian exam and other specialty credentials, contact:

• The Commission on Dietetic Registration, 120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2000, Chicago, IL 60606-6995. http://www.cdrnet.org