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Nutritionist
Hours
37.5 per week
Starting salary
£22,000 + per year
If you are interested in healthy eating and want to help improve people's wellbeing, this job could be perfect for you.
To become a Nutritionist you will need an approved degree or postgraduate qualification.
Nutritionists also need to be able to relate to people from all backgrounds. They need to inspire and motivate people. They also need a non-judgemental attitude.
WorkDesc
The work
Nutritionists carry out research and use scientific knowledge to provide information and advice about the effects of food and nutrition on health and wellbeing. They can also be known as community nutritionist, public health nutritionist and food for health adviser.
As a nutritionist, you would work closely with dieticians and other health professionals, such as pharmacists, GPs, and hospital or community diet and nutrition teams.
Your work could include:
- practical nutrition research projects
- recruiting volunteers to take part in trials
- processing and analysing biological samples
- raising awareness and educating colleagues in the health field about the benefits of healthy eating and the latest research
- aiming healthy eating campaigns at particular groups, such as young mothers or low income families
- giving talks and delivering presentations on the results of project trials
- working to make healthy food such as fruit and vegetables more easily available
- gathering statistics and judging the success of projects.
Areas you could work in include the NHS, the food industry (for example in product development) and the media.
Please note that nutritionists do not give dietary advice to individual patients or work directly with patients without supervision. This is done by a state registered dietician.
Please see the dietician job profile for more information.
HoursDesc
Hours
In the NHS you would generally work 37.5 hours a week, Monday to Friday. Part-time and flexible work may be available.
You could work at various locations such as hospitals, local health clinics and GP surgeries. You may spend time travelling in your local area to visit different centres.
IncomeDesc
Income
Salaries in the NHS can range between £22,000 and £46,600 a year.
In the food industry salaries can range from £20,000 to £50,000 a year, depending on experience and responsibility.
Figures are intended as a guideline only.
EntryRequirementsDesc
Entry requirements
Many employers will expect you to be registered with the Association for Nutrition, the professional body for the regulation and registration of nutritionists. This includes registration and regulation of public health nutritionists, exercise nutritionists and animal nutritionists.
To get on to the register you will need an approved degree or postgraduate qualification in nutrition or public health nutrition. Once you have graduated, you can apply to join the register as an Associate Nutritionist or Associate Public Health Nutritionist.
When you have gained about three years' professional experience, you will be eligible for full registration as a Registered Nutritionist or Registered Public Health Nutritionist. You can also apply for registration without an accredited BSc or MSc if you have at least seven years’ professional experience in nutrition.
See the Universities and Colleges Admission Service (UCAS) website for degrees in nutrition.
To do a nutrition degree, you will normally need at least two A levels, including biology and/or chemistry, plus five GCSEs. Check exact entry requirements with course providers, as they may accept other qualifications such as an Access to Higher Education course.
Degree courses cover a range of subjects such as:
- food science
- biochemistry and physiology
- health promotion
- nutrition at different stages in life
- the effect of nutrition on disease.
When applying for a course, and for your first job in nutrition, it may help you if you have some experience in the health service, for example as a healthcare assistant or dietetic assistant.
Some employers may prefer job applicants with a relevant postgraduate qualification.
TrainingAndDevelopmentDesc
Training and development
Throughout your career, you will need to undertake regular Continuing Professional Development (CPD) activities to keep your skills and knowledge up to date. See the Association for Nutrition and Nutrition Society websites for more information.
You could go on to specialise in sports nutrition by taking a further relevant postgraduate degree and joining the voluntary Sport and Exercise Nutrition Register (SENr). See the SENr website for details.
SkillsAndKnowledgeDesc
Skills and knowledge
To become a nutritionist, you will need to have:
- excellent communication skills
- the ability to relate to people from all backgrounds
- a non-judgemental attitude
- the ability to inspire and motivate people
- a keen interest in healthy eating
- good knowledge of the impact of diet on health
- evaluation and reporting skills
- good time management and organisation skills
- the ability to work as part of a team and with other professionals.
MoreInformationDesc
More information
Association for Nutrition 
28 Portland Place
London
W1B 1LY
Tel: 020 7291 8352
www.associationfornutrition.org
The Nutrition Society
10 Cambridge Court
210 Shepherds Bush Road
LONDON
W6 7NJ
Tel: 020 7602 0228
www.nutritionsociety.org
British Nutrition Foundation
High Holborn House
52-54 High Holborn
London
WC1V 6RQ
Tel: 020 7404 6504
www.nutrition.org.uk
NHS Careers
PO Box 2311
Bristol
BS2 2ZX
Tel: 0345 60 60 655
www.nhscareers.nhs.uk
OpportunitiesDesc
Opportunities
Opportunities for registered nutritionists in the NHS have increased due to the rise in community health initiatives. You could also find work with:
- food manufacturers
- food retail chains
- research companies
- government departments (such as the Food Standards Agency)
- the media.
With experience, you could progress into management and policy development.
You may find the following useful for vacancies and further reading (links open in new window):
Job profiles are based on the latest information supplied to us by industry bodies, such as Sector Skills Councils. Please be aware that with the introduction of the Qualifications and Credit Framework there has been, and will continue to be, changes to vocational qualifications. For more information, please check with industry bodies directly.
We do not accept responsibility for the content of external sites.
LMIData
Related industry information
Industry summary
The health sector is represented by Skills for Health Sector Skills Council, which comprises three sub‐sectors:
- National Health Service (NHS)
- Independent Healthcare Sector (such as private and charitable healthcare providers)
- Third Sector (healthcare) (such as small local community and voluntary groups, registered charities, foundations, trusts, social enterprises and co‐operatives)
The health sector is made up of hospitals, doctors’ surgeries, dental practices, the ambulance service, nursing homes, residential care homes, complementary medicine and a huge range of other health related activities, from sight tests in opticians to research in medical laboratories. Most people in the health sector work in the publicly funded National Health Service (NHS), which includes:
- primary care (organisations which the public goes to first) – Doctors/General Practitioners (GPs), NHS Walk in Centres, NHS Direct, Out of Hours Emergency Care
- secondary care (organisations which the public are referred onto) – Ambulance Trusts, NHS Trusts/hospitals, NHS Foundation Trusts/hospitals, Mental Health Trusts, Care Trusts (provide joint health and social care activities)
NHS policy in England is directed from the centre by the Department of Health. Local organisations, known as Primary Care Trusts (PCTs), are in charge of providing and commissioning services, controlling the majority of the budget. PCTs are overseen by 10 regional organisations called Strategic Health Authorities (SHAs).
The independent sector includes companies and charities that offer hospital and specialist services usually after referral from a doctor. Operations and other work are carried out in private hospitals, independent treatment centres, mental health units and hospices.
Key facts:
- The health sector is the largest employer in the UK, representing 5.5% of the working age population of the UK and 7.3% of the working age population that are currently in employment.
- It is estimated that the sector employs over 2 million people, including:
- over 1.5 million people in the NHS (72%)
- over 0.5 million people in the Independent Healthcare sector (26%)
- almost 40,000 in the voluntary sector (2%)
- 56% of the workforce has a higher education qualification (or equivalent).
- The age profile for the sector shows an older than average workforce, which is due in part to the fact that it takes some professions a long time to train and can mean that people enter the sector later.
There is a varied list of jobs in the sector ranging from a diverse number of clinical roles, to support and infrastructure staff, for instance: Allied Health Professionals (AHPs); Ambulance Staff; Dental Staff; Doctors/Medical staff; Nursing staff; Midwifery Staff; Healthcare Scientists; Health Informatics Staff; Management; Wider Healthcare Team; Complementary Therapists.
National and regional data
High proportions of the health sector workforce are located in:
- London
- South East
- North West
East Midlands - The health sector employs 131,515 people, which accounts for 7% of all employment in the region.
- The East Midlands employs 8% of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 29% of all employment across the sector or 41,200 employees.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 133,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
East of England - The health sector employs 164,720 people, which accounts for 7% of all employment in the region.
- The East of England employs 9.8 % of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 30% of all employment across the sector or 52,300 employees.
- Vacancies in the health and social work sector account for 14% of all industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 103,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
London - The health sector employs over 249,524 people, which accounts for 6% of all the employment in the region.
- London employs 15% of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 33% of all employment across the sector or 78,500 employees.
- Vacancies in health and social work account for 12% of all industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 146,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
North East - The health sector employs 89,201 people, which accounts for 8.7% of all employment in the region.
- The North East employs 5.3 % of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 25% of all employment across the sector or 23,800 employees.
- Vacancies in the health and social work sector account for 12% of all industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be almost 46,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
North West - The health sector employs 251,960 people, which accounts for 8% of all employment in the region.
- The North West employs 15% of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 23.5% of all employment across the sector or 59,200 employees.
- Vacancies in the health and social work account for 11% of all industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 133,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
South East - The health sector employs 264,071 people, which accounts for 7.1% of all employment in the region.
- The South East employs 15.7% of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 23.5% of all employment across the sector or 59,200 employees.
- Vacancies in the health and social work sector account for 12% of all Industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 164,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
South West - The health sector employs 182,187 people, which accounts for 8.2% of all employment in the region.
- The South West employs 10.8 % of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 30% of all employment across the sector or 60,700 employees.
- Vacancies in the health and social work sector account for 12% of all Industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 105,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
West Midlands - The health sector employs 168,746 people, which accounts for 7.2% of all employment in the region.
- The West Midlands employs 10% of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 25% of all employment across the sector or 43,000 employees.
- Vacancies in the health and social work sector account for 9% of all industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 108,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
Yorkshire and the Humber - The health sector employs 182,848 people, which accounts for 8.2% of all employment in the region.
- Yorkshire and the Humber employ 10.9 % of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 24% of the total health care workforce or 42,000 employees.
- Vacancies in health and social work account for 11% of all industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 97,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
Northern Ireland - The health sector employs 61,300 people.
- Northern Ireland employs 3% of the total health sector workforce.
- 81% of the workforce is female.
- 26% of the workforce is aged 35‐44 years.
- 96% of the workforce is white.
- 10% of the workforce reports a disability.
- 48% of the workforce is in Associate Professional and Technical occupations.
- 23% of organisations in the health and social work sector report vacancies.
Scotland - The health sector employs 201,500 people.
- Scotland employs 10% of the total health sector workforce.
- 78% of the workforce is female.
- 30% of the workforce is aged 45‐54 years.
- 95% of the workforce is white.
- 14% of the workforce reports a disability.
- 39% of the workforce is in Associate Professional and Technical occupations.
- 23% of organisations in the health and social work sector report vacancies.
Wales - The health sector employs 114,900 people.
- Wales employs 6% of the total health sector workforce.
- 74% of the workforce is female.
- 34% of the workforce is aged 45‐54 years.
- 94% of the workforce is white.
- 18% of the workforce reports a disability.
- 40% of the workforce is in Associate Professional and Technical occupations.
- 27% of organisations in the health and social work sector report vacancies.
[N.B. Data derived from Labour Force Survey, 2008‐2009, Annual Business Inquiry, 2007, and Northern Ireland Census of Employment, 2007]
Career paths
Further sources
NHS Careers has sections on:
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