Community dietitians work in public and home health agencies, daycare centers, health and recreations clubs, and in government-funded programs. Educator dietitians work in colleges, universities and medical centers. Research dietitians work in government agencies, food and pharmaceutical companies, and in major universities and medical centers. Consultant dietitians work under contract with a healthcare facility or in their own private practice. Business dietitians work in product development, sales, marketing, advertising, public relations and purchasing in food and nutrition related industries.
Many people refer to themselves as a nutritionist.
The term nutritionist can be misleading. A nutritionist does not have to meet all of the rigorous requirements a registered dietitian needs to. A nutritionist is not required to complete a degree, a supervised experience, a national board examination, or continuing education courses. If you are interested in finding out more about the services of a dietitian, visit our Nutrition Services and Products section. For more information on dietetics programs in the Dallas area, visit our educational programs.