Sunday, October 23, 2016

What To Know About Oakland Nutritionist

By Dorothy Anderson


A nutritionist is a professional who specializes in advising clients on matters relating to impact of food and nutrition on health. These professionals go by different terms depending on context, employment setting, and country. Some of the commonly used terms are nutrition scientist, dietitian-nutritionist, and sports, clinical, or public health nutritionist. Oakland nutritionist is highly specialized in this field so that they can offer good advice that can help one achieve what they need.

At minimum, one needs to be a holder of a bachelor degree to qualify as a nutritionist. Preferably, one should have a degree in food and nutrition. However, one can still work as a nutritionist if they hold a degree in related fields. Related fields include anatomy, Microbiology, Community nutrition, Biology, psychology, Biochemistry, clinical nutritional care, chemistry, biology, and food science.

Those who are interested can advance their academic levels up to the master or PhD level. Typically, bachelor degrees need four years to finish. One must also complete a few years of internship during or after training. In most cases, nutritionists have background practice in other fields, including nursing, physician assistant, and general practitioner. Specialization is also possible in this field, with the main areas of specialization including nutrition through lifecycle, weight management, sports nutrition, diet and disease, and wellness.

One cannot start practicing if they do not have certification and a license. The process of obtaining certification and licensure vary from one state to another. Certification is needed in some states with annual renewals while in others one has to sit for a licensure exam. They also have to prove that they have the necessary skills and knowledge. Knowing the requirements in the state one intends to practice is vital.

One can start making applications for jobs after obtaining a license and certification. The daily routine of a nutritionist is characterized by many responsibilities. These practitioners also have to collaborate closely with other health professionals such as pharmacists, general practitioners, and dietitians. Health and food industry are the main industries where nutritionists are employed. Some work in the media industry too.

Some of the responsibilities of nutritionists include conducting research in the field of nutrition. Here, they may be part of a team that is engaged in some form of research. Research nutritionists are usually employed in research facilities or academic institutions such as colleges and universities. They may need to recruit volunteers to participate in clinical trials after research.

Nutritionists process and analyze biological samples, raise awareness on benefits of healthy eating, give talks, deliver presentations, gather statistics, and aim healthy eating campaigns at specific groups. They stay abreast with latest research in the field of nutrition so that they can educate people. These professionals also participate in programs that aim at ensuring that people have easy access to healthy foods such as vegetables and fruits.

The work of nutritionists is done from Monday to Friday, with an average of 37 hours per week. Some of the skills one needs include excellent communication skills, keen interest in healthy eating, good evaluation skills, good reporting skills, good people skills, and a non-judgmental attitude. One should be able to deal with different people in different situations.




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