What You Need to Know About the Differences Between a Registered Dietitian and a Nutritionist
In the age of social media, it’s become a challenge to figure out who the nutrition experts are. Celebrities, influencers, or anyone with six-pack abs can claim that since a diet or exercise routine helped them lose weight or build muscle, then it can help you do the same. Our society is heavily influenced by diet culture; therefore, most people equate wellness and nutrition with looking a certain way or engaging in the customs commonly associated with it. We also live in the information age which means that anyone with access to Dr. Google can pull up something in less than three seconds (literally) that will support their personal beliefs around nutrition and wellness. It doesn’t have to be, and it usually isn’t, factual.
Well, what does this mean for you? Well, for starters, it means that you must be aware of who the experts are and who they aren’t so you can make an informed decision on who you choose to work with. If you are informed and still choose a “nutrition expert” based on their influencer or celebrity status, then that’s your choice. Hopefully your decision was informed.
Registered Dietitians have education requirements and credentialing standards that must be met before they’re able to become a dietitian. There are no such requirements for nutritionists. In fact, the term nutritionist isn’t regulated which means that anyone can call themselves a nutritionist including personal trainers and nutrition enthusiasts. According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, all RDNs must:
Earn a bachelor's degree from an accredited program that includes course work in biology, chemistry, nutrition science, sociology/human behavior, and food service.
Complete a ACEND-accredited supervised practice dietetic internship program.
Sit for and pass the Commission on Dietetic Registration's dietetic registration exam.
Obtain licensure in your state of practice, if applicable.
Maintain continuing education. Currently, 75 continuing education credits are required every five years.
Most dietitians have specialties or niches. Just like there are multiple disciplines or specialties within the field of medicine, there are also specialties with the field of nutrition and dietetics. Being a dietitian means that we have the foundational training in nutrition and medical nutrition therapy. Additional training is available in pediatric, renal, sports, diabetes, oncology, and integrative and functional nutrition to name a few. Our scope goes way beyond weight loss. When choosing a dietitian, for a specific reason, ask the right questions to ensure they’re a good fit for you.
Registered dietitians are trained to take part in the diagnosis and treatment of nutrition-related conditions. We have education and hands-on experience (this is true even of entry-level dietitians because of the internship requirement) in interpreting lab values, assessing food/nutrient interactions, and identifying nutrition-related conditions based on a clinical picture.
The bottom line is that in today’s information age, it can appear that anyone is knowledgeable in the field of nutrition. Just remember that the main difference lies in our training and experience. Our knowledge of nutrition is expansive due to our training, whereas nutritionists may have no training or experience.
So, when choosing your nutrition expert, do your research first. Then select the person who has the most experience and knowledge in the area that you are interested in getting help with.