You'll usually need a degree or postgraduate qualification approved by the Association for Nutrition.

Approved courses include:

• food and nutrition
• biochemistry
• physiology
• public health
• health promotion

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

• 2 or 3 A levels, or equivalent, including biology or chemistry
• a degree in a relevant subject for postgraduate study

You might want to get some paid or volunteering experience in the NHS. It could help you get a place on a university course.

You could also consider work experience in:

• food safety
• animal welfare
• food poverty charities
• sports and fitness
• food manufacturing
• university research laboratories

You can find more volunteering opportunities through The National Council for Voluntary Organisations and Do IT.

You'll need:

• sensitivity and understanding
• knowledge of biology
• knowledge of training and educating
• to be thorough and pay attention to detail
• the ability to work well with others
• the ability to work on your own
• thinking and reasoning skills
• patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
• to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

You'll need to:

• pass enhanced background checks

Your exact day to day tasks will vary depending on where you work.

Generally, as a nutritionist you might:

• complete research to learn more about a certain area of nutrition
• recruit volunteers to take part in your research
• process and analyse biological samples
• provide scientific advice on healthy eating
• work with hospital patients, supported by doctors, dieticians and nurses
  

You could work in an NHS or private hospital, in the community, at a GP practice, at a health centre or in a laboratory.