Vermont has long been known
for being one of the healthiest states in the country, with healthier habits being practiced by most residents. This might be true among Vermont’s adults, but a report in 2019 by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation discovered that Vermont’s childhood obesity rate has been steadily creeping up over the past few years. Over 15 percent of Vermont children ages 10 to 17 qualified as obese in 2017 and 2018. In 2016, that rate was just 12 percent. This increase gives Vermont the dubious distinction of being the state in New England with the highest childhood obesity rate.
What is fueling this increase? Registered dietitians and those in the know say that childhood obesity rates in all states have been inching up over the past few years, as society has moved away from more active lifestyles and embraced cheaper, more convenient and less nutritious foods. In Vermont, the problem also includes being able to find and afford healthier food options. Residents of Vermont spend $4694 per person every year on food in their homes, the highest amount in the nation, per the Bureau of Economic Analysis. They also spend more on eating food outside of their homes than any other state in the nation.
Registered dietitians in Vermont are specially trained and educated professionals who can help adults and children learn to find healthier foods and make better, more nutritious choices. If you think that this sounds like an intriguing occupation, read on.
Education Necessary to Become a Certified Vermont Dietitian
Statutes governing Vermont dietitians say that all who wish to become state certified must meet the mandates of the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR). This organization requires that you have a bachelor’s degree in dietetics or a related field, and 1000 hours of supervised dietary practice. (As of January 2024, that degree requirement changes to a master’s degree). You cannot graduate from just any school with a degree, however. The dietetic program from which you graduate must be accredited by the Accreditation Council on Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) of the American Dietetic Association. The ACEND-accredited program from which you graduate may be in any state. In Vermont, there are two such programs:
- Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Food Science – Didactic Program in Dietetics; at University of Vermont, Burlington – This program just provides the didactic (coursework) part of the education program, meaning that you must follow it with a Dietetic Internship (DI).
- Master of Science in Dietetics – Coordinated Program, University of Vermont, Burlington- This program combines the coursework you need with the dietetic practice you also need into a coordinated program.
Examination Required of Vermont Dietitians
The CDR and the state of Vermont also decree that you succeed on a registration examination, the CDR’s Registration Examination for Dietitians. Study the Registration Examination for Dietitians Handbook for Candidates to learn more about this important examination. You will take the exam at a Pearson VUE center, at a cost of $200. Once again, you may take the test at any Pearson VUE center in the U.S. or Canada, which is important as Vermont’s only test center is in Burlington.
At the conclusion of the test, you will learn your score and whether or not you have successfully passed. If you do pass, the CDR will send your registration card by mail in a few weeks.
Becoming a Certified Vermont Dietitian
After succeeding on the CDR exam, you are ready to file an application to become a certified dietitian in Vermont. Even though you are already a registered dietitian, this step must be accomplished before you can legally work in the state. You will log on to the Vermont OPR Online Services Platform to begin your application. You are also expected to pay the $100 application fee online and provide any requested documentation. Allow five business days for processing of your online application.
Upon certification as a dietitian in Vermont, you will learn that your certification will expire on May 31 of every even year. At that time, you must pay an online renewal fee of $100. You must fulfill 30 hours of continuing education during each renewal period. This is in addition to the 75 hours of continuing education the CDR requires every five years for renewal of your registration.
Salary of Vermont Dietitians
As of May 2021, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that dietitians in Vermont make an annual median wage of $61,940. Dietitians working in the Southern nonmetropolitan area of the state earn the greatest wages in Vermont, at $66,790 annually. Dietitians in the Burlington and South Burlington area earn $62,670 per year. Dietitians working in the Northern nonmetropolitan area earn an annual mean wage of $60,390.
Employment of Vermont Certified, Registered Dietitians
Sometimes it is easier to get a feel for what is required of dietitians in a state, as well as how much they make, by looking at job openings. Here are some recent ones posted in Vermont:
- Registered Dietitian, Nutrition Services – The University of Vermont Health Network, Middlebury
- Salary: $60,800 to $77,000 annually
- Need minimum of bachelor’s degree
- Need one year experience in clinical dietetics
- Need to have Registered Dietitian credentials
- Need to have Certified Dietitian in Vermont status
- Registered Dietitian – Northwestern Medical Center, Saint Albans
- Salary: $53,900 to $68,300 yearly
- Need minimum of bachelor’s degree
- Need three years clinical experience, including supporting clients with diabetes
- Need to have Registered Dietitian credentials
- Need to have Certified Dietitian in Vermont status
- Registered Dietitian/Diabetes Educator – North Star Health, Springfield
- Salary: $45,100 to $57,100 annually
- Need minimum of bachelor’s degree
- Need one year experience in clinical dietetics
- Need to have Registered Dietitian credentials
- Need to have Certified Dietitian in Vermont status
- Need CDCES certification or be in the process of getting it
- Registered Dietitian Nutritionist – Whole Health Nutrition, LLC, Colchester
- Salary: $30 to $39 hourly
- Need minimum of master’s degree
- Prefer three years’ experience in nutritional counseling
- Need to have Registered Dietitian credentials
- Need to have Certified Dietitian in Vermont status
- Registered Dietitian- Sodexo, Brattleboro
- Salary: not specified
- Need minimum of bachelor’s degree
- Need to have Registered Dietitian credentials
- Need to have Certified Dietitian in Vermont status