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Nutritionists apply their scientific understanding of food, health and nutrition to help individuals and groups make the right choices about what they eat

As a nutritionist, you'll provide scientific, evidence-based nutritional advice in a variety of settings to improve health and wellbeing and to promote a healthy diet and lifestyle. You'll often work within community settings or local authority public health teams, focusing primarily on health promotion.

While nutritionists may occasionally work within health service nutrition and dietetics departments, they don't diagnose, manage or treat medical conditions. In these settings, you will support acutely ill or hospitalised patients with their nutritional management under the close supervision of dietitians or other regulated health professionals as part of a multidisciplinary team.

Types of nutritionist

You'll usually specialise in one (or two) of the following areas:

• animal nutrition
• food nutrition
• healthcare-medical nutrition
• nutrition science
• public health nutrition
• sports and exercise nutrition.

Nutritionists are employed across both the public and private sectors in academia, charities, healthcare, industry and policy, or in a freelance role. Roles often involve research, education, product development or community engagement.

Find out more about .

Responsibilities

Depending on your area of work, you'll typically need to:

• create, deliver and evaluate practical and educational food-based programmes to promote and encourage healthy lifestyle changes
• support individuals, communities and workforces in making informed, achievable improvements to their food choices and general health
• advise sports professionals on how diet can enhance their performance, support recovery from injury and achieve optimum body size and build for their sport
• plan and deliver presentations and workshops on topics such as health promotion and education, behaviour and lifestyle change, weight management and nutrition for performance
• provide nutritional guidance for food production and help to secure approval for health claims on packaging
• plan, develop and analyse menus for a range of settings, including schools, sports teams on tour, residential care homes and workplace restaurants
• provide targeted nutritional advice aimed at specific groups, such as infants, pregnant women and older adults
• work in specific areas of nutrition such as bone health and salt or sugar reduction
• communicate nutrition messages through various media channels such as articles in the press and on websites, social media, blogs and podcasts, as well as through webinars, online tutorials and events
• undertake literature reviews, product assessments and market research to inform your practice
• write reports, create educational resources and contribute to academic or professional publications
• conduct dietary surveys, food studies and trials to develop and enhance the evidence base
• advocate for improved public health and nutrition, and lead or contribute to policy development and implementation.

Salary

• Starting salaries for nutritionists are in the region of £24,000 to £32,000 for public sector and £26,000 to £37,000 for private sector roles.
• With experience, you can earn between £34,000 and £68,000.
• Senior roles, such as principal lecturer or chair of public health, can be in the region of £46,000 to £95,000.

If you work for the NHS your salary will be set by . For newly qualified nutritionists this usually means starting on a salary of £31,049 to £37,796 (Band 5), rising to between £38,682 and £46,580 (Band 6) with experience.

Income for self-employed nutritionists is extremely variable. For example, fees for those working with individuals are typically £75 to £175 for an initial consultation, then £60 to £150 for each follow-up session. Some will offer 3 to 12-month packages with consultations and resources, which often range from £500 to £4,000. You may charge £30 to £100+ for a recipe analysis and £60 to £250+ for a diet analysis report.

You'll usually work either on an hourly, day or project rate, depending on the type of work you do (for example, with individuals, for industry, local authorities, research, reviews or writing), or a combination of both if you have a mixed portfolio of work. You could also combine part-time employment with part-time freelance work.

Income data from the . Figures are intended as a guide only.

Working hours

If you take on an employed position, you'll usually work a standard week (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm), although you may need to be flexible and work some evenings or at weekends. If working on a freelance basis, you'll typically work flexible hours that will regularly include evenings and possibly weekends.

Opportunities are available for part-time work, job share and full-time work, as well as on a self-employed consultancy basis. Career breaks may be an option depending on the employer.

What to expect

• If you work in the community, you may need to travel within the local area to children's centres, nurseries and schools, GP surgeries and community centres.
• Research work can be based in laboratory, community, clinical or classroom conditions.
• Jobs are available throughout the UK and overseas.
• Freelance and consultancy work is an option in both the public and private sector once you've gained experience.
• If you're working as a sports nutritionist, you may need to travel to accompany sports professionals on training camps and tournaments.

Qualifications

There are no specific entry requirements to become a nutritionist. However, employers usually expect you to be registered with the Association for Nutrition (AfN), who hold the UK Voluntary Register of Nutritionists (UKVRN).

Registration with the AfN as an associate nutritionist (ANutr) shows you have met the high standards required for nutrition science knowledge and understanding, and are committed to the AfN's standards of ethics, conduct and performance.

Currently, there are two ways to register as an associate nutritionist (ANutr). You can complete an AfN-accredited undergraduate or postgraduate degree in nutrition or a related bioscience. You're then eligible to apply for direct entry to the UKVRN as a Registered Associate Nutritionist (ANutr) for up to three years from completing your accredited degree.

Once you've gained around three years of post-degree professional experience, you can apply for Registered Nutritionist (RNutr) registration.

The other way is by submitting a portfolio of evidence (portfolio entry) if your degree isn't accredited by the AfN, showing that you have the required level of nutritional knowledge and understanding.

However, from 1 January 2026, the portfolio route will only be available to graduates from non-UK degrees (via the incoming International ANutr Portfolio Pathway). UK Graduates from non-accredited degrees, and those who didn't register within three years of graduating from an accredited UK degree, will be able to apply once they've gained enough post-graduation experience to meet the competencies for RNutr registration.

AfN-accredited courses are available in areas of nutrition such as:

• food, nutrition and health
• human nutrition
• nutrition
• nutrition and exercise
• nutritional sciences
• public health nutrition
• sports nutrition.

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To work as a professional sports nutritionist, you could study for an undergraduate degree in nutrition, sport and exercise science or biological sciences, followed by a Masters degree in Sport and Exercise Nutrition (or the other way round). With the right qualifications, you can join the voluntary Sport and Exercise Nutrition Register (SENr), which is held by the British Dietetic Association, as an SENr Graduate Registrant. .

If you have an HND or equivalent in nutrition, you may be able to work in the community or healthcare sector at Band 3 or 4 as a nutrition assistant, for example. To progress further, you'd need substantial experience or additional qualifications.

Skills

You'll need to have:

• a strong aptitude for science, particularly biology, chemistry and human physiology
• excellent verbal, written and presentation communication skills
• passion for nutrition, with enthusiasm, empathy and a genuine interest in improving health and wellbeing
• the ability to inspire, encourage and motivate individuals and groups
• effective teamwork skills and the ability to collaborate with a range of professionals
• confidence working independently, with the ability to manage multiple tasks and priorities
• time management and organisational skills
• data research, evaluation and reporting skills
• critical thinking and analytical skills to evaluate evidence and apply it in practice
• cultural awareness and sensitivity when working with diverse individuals and communities
• self-motivation and a good head for business, particularly for freelance or consultancy work
• digital and media literacy, especially for health promotion and public engagement
• knowledge of food regulations, nutrition policies and labelling requirements in the UK
• commitment to continuing professional development (CPD) and ethical, evidence-based practice.

Work experience

Entry into the profession is competitive, so getting relevant work experience can help you stand out and show your commitment. You'll need to be proactive and keep persevering when looking for opportunities.

Some nutrition degree programmes offer placement years in areas such as healthcare, the food industry or academic research. These placements not only provide valuable hands-on experience but also help you build a professional network that could support your career progression after graduation. Some large companies may offer work placements or summer internships.

Experience working in the community is also useful, especially in roles that involve health promotion or supporting vulnerable groups. Volunteering with local food banks, school meal programmes, public health campaigns or charities focused on nutrition and wellbeing can help you develop key skills. These experiences are particularly relevant if you want to work in public health nutrition or community-based roles.

Experience in the broader food sector can also be beneficial. Roles in food technology, product development, quality assurance or food safety, for example, provide an insight into the food production process and can be particularly useful if you're interested in nutrition science, food industry roles or regulatory work. Retail and hospitality experience may also help you understand consumer behaviours and food environments.

Joining as a student member provides a range of benefits, such as reduced rates for events, publications and conferences, as well as access to networking opportunities.

Find out more about the different kinds of work experience and internships that are available.

Employers

Nutritionists are employed by a range of public and private sector organisations in areas such as:

• charities and international aid - emergency relief or development projects in low-income countries
• education and research - universities, research councils and bodies
• food industry - manufacturers and retailers, working on the policy and legislation involved in the consumption and marketing of food
• food policy development - local, national and international agencies campaigning for nutrition causes
• government - local, national and international
• media and communications - newspapers, magazines and other media outlets that focus on nutrition awareness
• public health - working for health service trusts, primary care organisations and local health authorities
• specific client groups - organisations set up to support specific client groups, e.g. breakfast clubs for school children
• specific food areas - tackling areas such as salt or sugar reduction, working to reduce particular health issues
• sports - clubs and health and fitness centres, associations and professional bodies
• weight - management and weight loss organisations and those dedicated to tackling obesity.

Working as a self-employed nutritionist is also an option and support can be found from professional network organisations such as (Self Employed Nutritionists' Support and Enlightenment) and .

Look for job vacancies at:

• - for jobs in research and lecturing.
• and

Professional development

As a registered associate nutritionist (ANutr), you'll usually work under supervision as part of a team. You'll receive support from experienced nutritionists in the form of mentoring and won't normally undertake wholly independent practice at this stage.

After around three years of relevant professional experience (out of the last five), you can apply to transfer your status on the UK Voluntary Register of Nutritionists (UKVRN) to registered nutritionist (RNutr).

To achieve RNutr status, you must meet competency requirements in a maximum of two of the following six specialisms:

• animal
• food
• healthcare-medical (available only to those also registered with the GMC)
• nutrition science
• public health
• sports and exercise.

Continued professional development (CPD) is essential for maintaining registration and progressing in your career. The Association for Nutrition (AfN) endorses a range of CPD activities delivered by organisations such as the and . These include courses, conferences, and networking events.

View the list of .

For roles in research or academic settings, a postgraduate qualification such as a research Masters or PhD is typically required.

With further experience, you may apply for Fellowship of the Association for Nutrition (FAfN), which recognises at least five years of continuous registration and a significant and sustained contribution to the profession.

Career prospects

The direction your career takes will depend on your individual interests. Once you're a registered nutritionist (RNutr), you can practise independently with individual clients or groups of people in your chosen area (or areas) of specialism.

With experience, there are opportunities for registered nutritionists to work at a senior level within the health service, academia and the commercial sectors. In public health nutrition, for example, you could lead a team of nutritionists, providing advice on nutrition to government.

Within research and academia, your career path is likely to be similar to that of other research scientists. Post-PhD careers might include research assistant/executive in a research institute, public body or in academia.

For experienced nutritionists in all sectors, there may be opportunities to work in community projects all over the world.

With experience, setting up your own business and working on a consultancy basis is a possibility.