A demographic profile of Canadian public health nutritionists

The purpose of this study was to obtain a comprehensive demographic profile of public health nutritionists employed in provincial and municipal/regional departments of health in Canada in 1988. One hundred and fifty three (78%) of all eligible Canadian public health nutritionists responded to a mailed questionnaire. Almost all (98%) respondents were female, with a mean age of 35.8 +/- 7.2 years. Most nutritionists (83%) worked full time, and had been employed in public health for a mean of six years and nine months. Seventy percent of respondents had worked in another profession(s) or other area(s) of nutrition prior to entering public health. Although 65% were members of the management team or represented by a nutritionist on the management team, 25% of nutritionists were not regarded as members of senior management in their health agency. While the majority of nutritionists in Ontario (84%) had completed a graduate degree, this was the case for the minority of respondents from British Columbia (35%), the Prairies (32%), Quebec (33%), and Atlantic Canada (27%).