The Difference Between a Dietitian and a Nutritionist

In English there are two separate terms: dietitian and nutritionist. Even professionals themselves can often be confused between these two terms.

What Does a Dietitian Do?

In the United States and many other countries, a dietitian is a board-certified food and nutrition expert. They are highly trained in nutrition and dietetics, food science, nutrition and their effects on human health. Through extensive training, dietitians gain expertise in providing evidence-based medical nutrition therapy and nutrition counselling tailored to meet an individual's needs. They are qualified to practise in a range of settings, including hospitals, outpatient clinics, research institutions or local communities, to name a few.

What Is Needed to Become a Dietitian

To earn the Registered Dietitian (RD) or Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) credential, a person must complete criteria set by governing bodies such as the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) in the United States or Dietitians Australia.

In addition, in some countries people earn the title "registered nutritionist", which is synonymous with "registered dietitian" and must be approved by a governing body. These are the professional organisations that oversee the field of dietetics in their own countries. To clarify, the RD and RDN credentials can be used interchangeably. However, RDN is the newer designation. Dietitians can choose which credential they prefer to use.

To earn these credentials, dietitian candidates must first earn a bachelor's degree, or equivalent credits, from an accredited programme at a university or college.

From 1 January 2024, all dietetics students in the United States are also required to hold a master's degree to be eligible for the RD board exam. In addition to coursework, all dietetics students in the United States must apply and be matched to a competitive internship programme accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). Similar internships may be required in other countries. Internships typically expose the student to 900-1,200 hours of unpaid supervised practice across 4 practice areas, and, beyond these hours, depend carefully on competencies or specific areas of study completed through in-depth projects and case studies. In addition, the student usually has to pass an exit exam that mirrors the content of the board exam before completing the internship. Successful completion of these requirements makes them eligible to take a board exam. Finally, a dietetics student who passes the board exam in their own country can apply to become a registered dietitian.

Conditions Dietitians Provide Nutrition Care For

Dietitians are qualified to manage nutrition therapy in a variety of acute and chronic conditions. The type of condition they work with depends mostly on the setting of their practice. This means they can support people with nutrition problems that may result from cancer or its treatment, and work with a patient on nutrition to help reduce the risk of diabetes developing. In hospitals, they care for a range of people, such as those who are clinically malnourished and those who need nutrition through feeding tubes. Dietitians also work with people who have had bariatric (weight loss) surgery or who have kidney problems, because these individuals may have many dietary restrictions and can benefit from personalised care to fully meet their body's needs. Eating disorder dietitians have received additional training and education to support people with eating disorders. They work with a team of psychotherapists and doctors to help individuals recover from these disorders. Eating disorders include chronic starvation (anorexia nervosa) and binge eating and vomiting (bulimia).

What Does a Nutritionist Do?

In some countries, although their educational background is very similar to a dietitian's, people may choose "nutritionist" as their title instead of "dietitian". In the United States, the title "nutritionist" can cover individuals with a wide range of credentials and training in nutrition. In more than a dozen states, certain qualifications must be met before a person can call themselves a nutritionist. In addition, accredited certifications grant titles such as Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS). In most states, those who hold these certifications are authorised to practise medical nutrition therapy and other aspects of nutrition care. In many states, such as Alaska, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania, RDs and CNSs are granted the same state licence, often called the Licensed Dietitian Nutritionist (LDN) licence. In states that do not regulate the use of this term, anyone who is interested in diet or nutrition can call themselves a nutritionist. These people may apply their interest in nutrition to anything from running a food blog to working with clients or patients. However, uncertified nutritionists generally lack the expertise and training for medical nutrition therapy and nutrition counselling, so following their advice can be considered harmful. Before consulting a nutritionist, you may want to check whether your state regulates who can use this title.

What Is Needed to Become a Nutritionist

In US states that do not regulate the term, no degree or credential is required to become a nutritionist. You only need to be interested in the field. In states that require a licence, a CNS or RD credential may be required. Those who hold the CNS credential are health professionals, such as nurses or doctors with advanced health degrees, who seek additional courses, complete supervised practice hours and pass an exam overseen by the Board for Certification of Nutrition Specialists.