Nutritionists are medical professionals in food and nutrition and work one-on-one to develop an optimal nutrition plan for their body type, age, and health conditions. They explain the right foods to eat, how different foods impact the body, and what foods to avoid. Individuals can benefit from working with a nutritionist to help achieve a healthier lifestyle through education and healthy choices.

Working With A Nutritionist

Nutritionists work with individuals to enhance their knowledge about general nutrition, food, and health. Their focus is on food behavior, which includes developing and implementing meal plans to improve the individual’s or family’s nutrition. Nutritionists work in:

• Clinical settings – hospitals, nursing homes, long-term care facilities, fitness and health, and chiropractic clinics.
• Government – local health departments.
• School districts –  regarding school nutrition standards.
• Private business – independent work in combination with other medical professionals.
• Research – with various health and/or sports organizations.

Benefits

Working with a nutritionist will determine what factors are challenging an individual’s eating habits and triggers and find ways to overcome those barriers. Benefits include:

• Nutrition plans are based on nutritional needs, current health, and lifestyle.
• Nutrition plans cut down on grocery bills.
• Shopping with a specific list cuts down on the extra foods being purchased.
• Proper nutrition can help manage chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease, combined with a primary care doctor or specialist treatment.
• Nutritionists can help individuals dealing with food allergies or who have been diagnosed could require a diet change.
• Nutritionists can help motivate when struggling to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Responsibilities and Daily Activities

Nutritionists help individuals reach various goals, like weight loss, healthier eating habits, and stress management, and can be responsible for the following:

• Evaluating health needs.
• Screening for nutritional risk.
• Discussing nutrition and eating habits.
• Providing educational resources.
• Developing personalized nutrition plans.
• Talking about nutritional issues with individual families.
• Discussing nutrition plans with primary doctors and other healthcare teams.
• Equipping individuals with food behavior modification tools.
• Adjusting plans as needed.
• Monitoring progress.
• Treating conditions and disease management through nutrition.

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Functional Nutrition

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References

Carrard, Isabelle et al. “Un outil pour évaluer les comportements alimentaires: ESSCA” [A tool for assessing eating behaviors: ESSCA]. Revue medicale suisse vol. 12,511 (2016): 591-6.

Golan, M, and A Weizman. “Reliability and validity of the Family Eating and Activity Habits Questionnaire.” European journal of clinical nutrition vol. 52,10 (1998): 771-7. doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1600647

Greenwood, Jessica L J, et al. “Healthy eating vital sign: a new assessment tool for eating behaviors.” ISRN obesity vol. 2012 734682. 22 Jul. 2012, doi:10.5402/2012/734682

Kelley, Claire P et al. “Behavioral Modification for the Management of Obesity.” Primary care vol. 43,1 (2016): 159-75, x. doi:10.1016/j.pop.2015.10.004