With more and more emphasis being placed on healthy eating, you probably hear about dietitians and nutritionists more frequently. Though some people (incorrectly) use the term interchangeably, there are a few big differences between these two job titles.
I am a registered and licensed dietitian. A dietitian has to go through structured coursework in a degree program and then complete a 6-10 month internship. Within the internship, you have to complete at least 1200 practice hours in various areas of dietetics. Being accepted into an internship is a very competitive process, and not everybody gets selected on their first attempt. It actually took me three rounds of applying (and praying) before a program finally selected me. After the internship, you must complete and pass an exam to receive your certification. Once you pass, you are a registered dietitian (RD). In many states, you then have to become a licensed dietitian (LD) in order to practice in the state, so you have to apply for that every two years. And to keep your “registered dietitian” status, you have to complete continuing education credits to make sure you stay up to date on current trends.
A nutritionist is basically anyone who feels they have enough knowledge to call him/herself a nutritionist. There is no base level of knowledge that has to be proven. So, someone could, in theory, read a couple books and then start practicing as a nutritionist. The term is not regulated. There are various certification programs that offer certificates for nutritionists, but these programs are not a requirement.
There are many nutritionists who are competent, effective, and knowledgeable. Just make sure to research their background to ensure you are working with a true professional who understands the complexity of the human body. When someone is a registered dietitian, you at least know that they are degreed, have completed practice hours, and have also taken an exam to prove a base level of knowledge in nutrition. Also, in many states, only a registered dietitian is legally allowed to prescribe individualized diets, especially in disease states like diabetes, hypertension, etc. A nutritionist can give general nutrition advice (ex. eat at least 5 servings of fruits and veggies a day, watch your sodium intake, etc.), whereas a dietitian can tell someone exactly how many calories they need, how many grams of protein/carb/fat they should be eating for their goal, etc. Many people who are not dietitians still give individualized advice and could be penalized if they were turned in.
So, every registered dietitian is a nutritionist, but not every nutritionist is a registered dietitian!
Written by:
Joy Diggs, MS, CPT, RD, LD
Written by:
Joy Diggs, MS, CPT, RD, LD
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