“Dietitian” or “Nutritionist”?
It's time to unpack one of the most important (& legitimate) questions I get asked.
Q: What is the difference between a dietitian and a nutritionist?
Registered Dietitian’s (RD/RDN) are the food and nutrition experts.
Requires an undergraduate science degree from an accredited university/college with nutrition-related coursework (it’s a lot of biology, chemistry, biochemistry, and medical nutrition therapy classes)
Must complete an accredited internship program with a minimum of 1,200 supervised patient care hours
For incoming RD's past 2024, a Masters Degree is required
Pass a national board examination
Adhere to regular continuing education requirements
Required to abide by state licensure laws
Nutritionists:
This is the wild wild west of labels, y'all!
No degrees or credentials are required/regulated nationally, not a protected title
Dependent upon the state licensure laws, anyone with an interest in diet/nutrition may call themselves a nutritionist
This includes individuals who have paid money for a 6/9/12+ month program or course (i.e. "certified nutrition coach", “nutritional therapy practitioner”, "integrated health nutrition provider", the list goes on)
What unregulated "nutritionists" are not allowed to do: prescribe supplements or meal plans, prescribe or suggest medications, provide exercise prescriptions, conduct psychological counseling or therapy, prescribe plans or therapy to manage disease.
In short: All dietitians are nutritionists, but not all nutritionists are dietitians.
WHY does this matter?
I care because I have seen many people harmed by receiving inappropriate nutrition advice.
Dietitian's are upheld to the standard of providing evidence-based care. You cannot be so sure if you are receiving recommendations from someone who does not have a license or the initials "RD" or "RDN" after their name.
Only RDNs are trained in medical nutrition therapy, which includes prescribing therapeutic diets. They are the only ones who have the expertise to provide specialized guidance to folks with health conditions, or complex medical situations that are managed with specific diet and meal planning (diabetes, kidney disease, eating disorders, etc.).
So you might be asking, well “when do I need to see a weight-neutral/HAES®-aligned/non-diet dietitian vs just a regular dietitian?
More on that here.
Contact Me
Haleigh Sanders is an eating disorder specialized dietitian who owns Sanders Nutrition LLC. She has an in person location in Tallahassee, FL and offers virtual services across Florida, North Carolina, Maryland, and Pennsylvania.
She offers individual nutrition therapy and would love to guide you to a better relationship with food. Click here to schedule a discovery call to receive more information about how her services can be of benefit to you. Also, you can sign up for her monthly newsletter and receive more free resources and information here.
