Students from NTEC accredited courses gain clinical skills to practice as a Registered Nutritional Therapy Practitioners providing personalised nutrition and lifestyle recommendations in a one-to-one setting, or they can benefit from their education in nutrition and lifestyle medicine science to work in a non-clinical role as a nutritionist.
Personalised Nutrition in Clinical Practice
Registered Nutritional Therapy Practitioners may work within a team of other health professionals in a practice or on their own, renting rooms by the day or hour. They work with clients on a one-to-one basis conducting assessments of client’s health, ordering and analysing functional testing and delivering nutrition and lifestyle recommendations. An initial appointment usually lasts between 60-90 minutes and follow-ups are typically around 45-60 minutes. The frequency of visits depends on individual circumstances but are typically 4-6 weeks apart. Client’s may seek the help of a Registered Nutritional Therapy Practitioner for chronic health conditions or for health optimisation.
Products
Those working in the role of a nutritionist may have a particular product that they might want to bring to the market. This can include and not be limited to health foods, supplements, magazines or books. Nutritionists may contribute to the development of health foods or supplements. Supplement and testing companies also have BANT practitioners providing technical support and to offer advice on interpreting tests and using supplements.
Retreats
Some nutritionists or nutritional therapy practitioners offer health retreats that combine different services. These can happen in the UK and worldwide and include a variety of disciplines such as massage, yoga, fitness, nutrition education and nutritional therapy. BANT practitioners might run the event themselves with their own clients or be asked to come and offer nutritional therapy services on an existing retreat.
Journalism
Many practitioners harness their previously gained skills in media and/or PR and contribute nutrition sciences and healthy eating articles for publication in different professional and public-facing magazines and websites.
Teaching
Teaching nutritional science is another option. Advanced studies may lead to a position as a lecturer for nutrition science to nutritional therapy students, or educating the public, or other health professionals about nutrition-related topics.
Corporate Wellness
More corporations are interested in providing their employees with ways to increase vitality, and reduce sickness and stress in the workplace. A nutritionist might be asked to present a workshop such as stress or blood sugar balancing to educate the employees to make the right nutritional choices. Alternatively, Registered Nutritional Therapy Practitioner could run MOT health checks on employees and provide personalised nutrition consultations in-house.
Social Enterprises and Volunteering
Some choose to focus on local communities by starting or joining a social enterprise adventure, where options are varied, or by volunteering with a community group or charity in the local area that could benefit from nutrition-related support.