Dietitian vs. Nutritionist: What’s the Difference?

I get asked this question ALL the time.

Honestly, people ask me the difference between a dietitian and nutritionist almost as often as they ask me if they have to eat kale to be healthy. I don’t mind though – I’m just happy people recognize there’s a difference!

What is a dietitian?

Dietitians, also known as Registered Dietitians (RD) or Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDN), are food and nutrition experts. Dietitians are professionals qualified to assess, diagnose, and treat diet and nutrition related problems. You can find us working in a variety of settings such as:

• Health Care
• Business and Industry
• Community and Public Health
• Education
• Research
• Government
• Private Practice¹ 

Some dietitians specialize in medical nutrition therapy for health care facilities, sports nutrition, corporate wellness – the list goes on and on!

How do you become a dietitian?

There are a few different paths to becoming a dietitian (mine was a little non-traditional), but the education and certification requirements are the same in the end. Dietitians must complete a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution with coursework that is heavily science focused. In fact, I was in classes with pre-med students throughout most of undergrad!

As a dietetics student, coursework focuses on food and nutrition science, food service, sociology, biology, chemistry, biochemistry, microbiology, anatomy, physiology, and more! Beginning in 2024, dietitians will also be required to have graduate degrees in a related field.

Traditionally, upon graduation, dietetic students become dietetic interns and complete 1,200+ hours of supervised practice under the guidance of a dietitian (or group of dietitians) through an accredited internship program. Only after this internship is an individual eligible to sit for the national Registration Examination for Dietitians by the Commission on Dietetic Registration.²

Once you pass the exam, you’re FINALLY a registered dietitian! However, the education doesn’t stop there – registered dietitians are required to complete 75 continuing education units every 5 years.

So then, what’s the difference between registered dietitians and nutritionists?

As you’ve hopefully gathered from above, dietitians are held to rigorous academic and practice standards. Additionally, registered dietitians are the only legally recognized nutrition experts and the title of “Registered Dietitian” (as well as the RD/RDN credentials) are protected by the law.

“Nutritionist”, however, is not a protected title. This means that legally ANYONE can call themselves a nutritionist. While there are a few certification programs for nutritionists (and I think some of them do a decent job), it’s really hard to know which ones are legit because there are no formal education requirements, no regulated examination or credentialing, and no continuing education requirements. Therefore, there is no guarantee/reassurance that if you see a nutritionist you’re talking to someone who really knows their stuff.

Trust me, I’m not trying to knock all nutritionists – I know quite a few who do a wonderful job in their respective settings. However, please make sure you’re seeking your nutrition advice from a qualified health professional, especially when it comes to medical conditions and nutrition therapy. Registered Dietitians truly are the nutrition experts.

Interested in working with a Registered Dietitian? I’m not taking clients at the moment, but send me a note and let’s chat just in case 🙂

Resources:
1. https://www.eatrightpro.org/about-us/what-is-an-rdn-and-dtr/what-is-a-registered-dietitian-nutritionist
2. https://www.cdrnet.org/certifications/registration-examination-for-dietitians