What are the pros and cons of being a nutritionist?

The pros and cons of being a nutritionist relate to helping people, job security, and limited scope of practice. Here are the top pros and cons of being a nutritionist:

Pros:

• Helping people

One of the best aspects of being a nutritionist is the ability you have to help people by making a positive impact on their health. Nutritionists are sometimes referred to as food scientists.

They specialize in the health effects of food and often supervise dietary changes to a patient's medical treatment. Their main goal is to improve the patient's health by educating them on what they should eat and devising meal plans for them.

• Salary

Nutritionists make very good salaries and it is a job that is in high demand. The average annual salary of a nutritionist in the United States is $63,090. The most well-compensated nutritionists earn $77,000 and above per year, while the least well-compensated nutritionists earn around $51,000 per year.

• Minimal education relative to the field

Most nutritionists have bachelor's degrees, and some of them also have advanced degrees in the field; however, this is not a requirement. Areas of focus in school include food science, chemistry, biology, dietetics, and biochemistry when studying to become a nutritionist.

• Varied tasks and responsibilities

Some common tasks for nutritionists include doing hands-on work with patients to regulate their eating schedules, educating patients and the public about the importance of a healthy diet, and assisting athletes with meal plans and other wellness strategies to improve performance.

Cons:

• Limited scope of practice

One major downside of being a nutritionist is that in some jurisdictions nutritionists can not become licensed healthcare professionals. This can limit the spectrum of their practice and their ability to provide specific types of medical advice and certain forms of treatment. This issue is one that should be evaluated on a state-by-state and jurisdictional basis.

• Difficult clients

• Staying current in the field

The field of nutrition is constantly evolving and this can make it challenging for nutritionists to stay up-to-date on current nutrition trends, methods, and best practices.

Nutritionists often have to spend a good deal of time reading research related to their field, which can be difficult with a full client load. This also sometimes makes it necessary for them to take their work home too.