dietitian

Dietitians assess specific nutritional requirements of populations or individuals throughout their lives and translate this into advice which will maintain, reduce risk to, or restore people’s health. Using evidence-based approaches, dietitians work to empower individuals, families and groups to provide or select food which is nutritionally adequate, safe, tasty and sustainable. Beyond healthcare, dietitians improve the nutritional environment for all through governments, industry, academia and research.

Scope note

Includes people performing education activities to develop healthy and balanced food habits in people's daily lives.

Alternative Labels

dietician

public health nutritionist

specialist dietician

Regulatory Aspect

To see if and how this occupation is regulated in EU Member States, EEA countries or Switzerland please consult the Regulated Professions Database of the Commission. Regulated Professions Database:

http://ec.europa.eu/growth/single-market/services/free-movement-professionals/qualifications-recognition_en

Narrower occupations

- prepared meals nutritionist

Skills & Competences

Essential Skills and Competences

accept own accountability adhere to organisational guidelines advise food industry advise on healthcare users' informed consent advise on preparation of diet food apply context specific clinical competences apply organisational techniques communicate in healthcare comply with legislation related to health care comply with quality standards related to healthcare practice conduct nutrition research contribute to continuity of health care contribute to public health campaigns deal with emergency care situations deliver group sessions on nutrition develop policies for nutritional programs educate healthcare users on nutrition educate on the prevention of illness empathise with the healthcare user ensure safety of healthcare users follow clinical guidelines follow up nutrition care plan formulate dietetic intervention identify cause of nutritional imbalance identify nutritional properties of food identify the dietetic professional quality of care identify the health benefits of nutritional changes inform policy makers on health-related challenges interact with healthcare users intervene to reduce sub-optimal nutritional status of individuals listen actively manage healthcare users' data measure nutritional health status of patients monitor the nutrition status of the individual offer advice on diet-related concerns perform nutrition analysis prepare promotional materials on nutritition promote inclusion provide dietetic diagnosis provide health education provide treatment strategies for challenges to human health respond to changing situations in health care supervise food in healthcare support individuals on nutrition changes train medical staff on nutrition use e-health and mobile health technologies work in a multicultural environment in health care work in multidisciplinary health teams

Essential Knowledge

biological chemistry calculation of food energy chemistry clinical examinations in dietetics composition of diets counselling methods dietetics eating disorders epidemiology food allergies food authentication techniques food hygiene rules food labels food legislation food science health care legislation health care occupation-specific ethics human anatomy human physiology hygiene in a health care setting medical informatics medical terminology nutrition of healthy persons nutritional adequacy of food intake obesity paediatrics pathology pharmacology professional documentation in health care psychology rehabilitation sociology supervision of persons

Optional Skills and Competences

address public health issues advise sportspersons on diet carry out bibliographic work communicate with media maintain medical devices make recommendation on nutrition to public policy makers manage clinical risk monitor children's physical development prescribe medication promote ethical eating record healthcare users' billing information refer healthcare users use foreign languages for health-related research use foreign languages in patient care

Optional Knowledge

business management principles first aid general medicine geriatrics intensive care medicine pedagogy psychiatry public health

Skills & Competences

Concept status

Concept Uri

http://data.europa.eu/esco/occupation/8a53f8d3-d995-4c7b-a70d-d79f76bdcb3f

Status

released

Occupations

dietitian

Concept overview

Skills & Competences

Skills & Competences

Concept status