Nutritionists and dietitians inform and guide people about the diet they should take to improve general health, avoid certain diseases or to keep the existing ailments in control. Dietitians assist people in planning their meals depending upon their age, sickness or work routine. Nutritionists counsel individuals and groups, organize the food service systems in hospitals, schools, hotels etc. Dietitians specialize in education, research, administration and clinical/community dietetics.

Administrative dietitians take up large-scale meal planning and take up the entire responsibility of selection, training, budgeting, equipment purchase, checking safety regulations, maintaining records and so on in school canteens, etc.

Clinical dietitians are associated with healthcare institutes, hospitals and nursing homes. They prepare diet charts of patients and monitor the results of dietary therapy.

Research dietitians study the effects of various types of diet on the body chemistry and conduct specialised research in nutritional needs in various different conditions and environments like space travel.

To become a nutritionist or a dietician one has to complete both graduation and Msc in Nutrition and Dietetics. To enter this field a science background is essential at the school level

Besdies hospitals, schools ,colleges and industrial or institutional canteens, dietitians can join various government departments or as programme consultant to organisations like UNICEF, WHO, NPCCED. Dietitians and nutritionists, working in hospitals and clinics generally have regular work hours but may be required to work on over weekends. They advise patients on appropriate diet based on the illness. Working hours are usually irregular in commercial organisations. Research work is carried on in the laboratories while in most other assignments, the office is located near food preparation areas. Lot of food manufacturing companies employ nutritionists and dietitians to check the nutritional quality of the food products, for new product development and for marketing advice. After gaining experience, a dietician would be promoted to assistant and then chief director of the dietary department of a company or institution. A professional dietician in the food industry can rise to become a manager of a restaurant.