Employment Opportunities & Working in Germany

Registration as a dietitian in Germany is obligatory when working with patients and clients.  Positions in the food industry and in research may not require registration in dietetics.  Registered dietitians in Germany work in a wide range of fields and are eligible to receive specialized training, in, for example, diabetes, enteral feeding, paediatrics etc.  In 2007, approximately 14,000 dietitians worked in hospitals and nursing homes.  EFAD research in 2003 showed that the working fields of dietitians in Germany did not differ from the working fields of dietitians across Europe. 

Dietitians in Germany are considered to be health professionals, like nurses, physiotherapists, midwives, etc, and federal law protects these professions.  Each health profession has its own legal framework.  Dietitians are governed by the 'Dietitian Law', which also regulates the content of educational programmes and professional registration.