Archive - Dietitians and Nutritionists (NOC 3132)

Published: 2 October 2014
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If you are interested in working as a Dietitian or Nutritionist in Canada, you will be pleased to know that the job outlook for your occupation in Canada is extremely positive.

You can use this overview of the Canadian employment prospects in your field to start planning your immigration and settlement in Canada.

dietitian-nutritionist

Important statistics for this occupation:

  • Canada is in need of health workers across the country, as demand for health services is growing faster than the labour market can meet.
  • Approximately 8% of workers in this field are immigrants, although this number is set to increase thanks to recent government initiatives.
  • 49% of Dieticians and Nutritionists work in hospitals, 14% in community service centres, and 8% in dieticians offices.
  • Canada’s aging population, as well as higher levels of obesity across the country, have generated a greater need for workers in this field.
  • Women hold more than 95% of jobs in this field.

Duties for Dietitians and Nutritionists

Dietitians and nutritionists plan, implement and oversee nutrition and food service programs. They are employed in a variety of settings including hospitals, home health-care agencies and extended care facilities, community health centres, the food and beverage industry, the pharmaceutical industry, educational institutions, and government and sports organizations, or they may work as private consultants.

Description of Main Duties

Dietitians and nutritionists perform some or all of the following duties:

  • Develop, administer and supervise nutrition and food preparation and service programs in hospitals, nursing homes, schools, company cafeterias or similar settings
  • Evaluate nutritional status of individuals and provide nutrition guidance and consulting to health professionals, individuals, dietetic interns, community groups, government and the media
  • Aid in the prevention and/or treatment of inadequate nutrition
  • Plan, evaluate and conduct nutrition education programs and develop educational materials for various audiences
  • Practice on an individual basis or as a member of an interdisciplinary team to determine nutritional needs of patients and to plan, implement and evaluate normal and therapeutic menus to maintain and enhance general health
  • Analyze current scientific nutritional studies, conduct research and evaluate program effectiveness to improve the nutritional value, taste, appearance and preparation of food
  • Work within industry in the development, testing and evaluation, and marketing of food and nutrition products or as a company representative supplying product related information to health professionals
  • Confer with other health professionals, community groups, government and the media to provide consultation and advice in areas of nutrition interpretation, intervention and policy

Example job titles for Dietitians and Nutritionists:

  • Administrative dietitian
  • Clinical dietitian
  • Community dietitian
  • Consultant dietitian
  • Dietitian
  • Nutrition and dietetics researcher
  • Nutritionist
  • Public health nutritionist
  • Registered dietitian (RD)
  • Registered nutritionist

Find out about salary ranges for Senior Managers in different Canadian cities with our Canada Salary Calculator.

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