The nutrition specialist is the health professional who is called a nutritionist. Among their functions is to provide assistance both to healthy people and people with health problems in order to advise on the proper consumption of food. The nutritionist also has an important role in the care of hospitalized patients. This professional plans, prescribes, analyzes, and supervises the patients' diet. To exercise the profession of nutritionist, it is necessary to have completed an undergraduate course in nutrition schools and be registered with the Conselho Regional de Nutricionistas [Regional Council of Nutritionists] (CRN).
