Nutritionist vs Dietitian…what’s the difference?

Several times in the last week reporters, business representatives and individuals have all asked the same question: what’s the difference between a dietitian (RD) and a nutritionist? One went as far to tell me I should write about it because the difference is not well known.

The difference is big and simple, and there are differences at the state level. In California, one is not required to have any training or course work to be a “nutritionist”. Other states require licensing but that is still different than that of a registered dietitian.

A dietitian must complete (at the undergrad or post-grad level) a series of cumulative courses. At their conclusion, the candidate applies for an internship at an accredited institution (hospitals). Upon acceptance and completion, the candidate sits for their boards; once the boards are passed then the candidate is a registered dietitian and may provide services under their license. They must accumulate yearly credits toward a five-year plan that allows for the renewal of the license every 5 years.

A registered dietitian ONLY is able to provide medical nutrition therapy. This gets tricky because while heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease are recognized as medical diseases, overweight and some preconditions are not. So a nutritionist working with someone who has diabetes is clearly in the wrong according to the regulations, one working with an overweight pre-diabetic isn’t necessarily in the wrong.

So are all nutritionists less qualified and all dietitians better? Not necessarily. My advice is always to investigate the training of the individual with whom you are interested in working. Perhaps they have thirty years working with individuals and have an excellent track record, keep current by attending courses, and demonstrate a good knowledge of interactions between foods, medications, and supplements. Conversely, there are dietitians who perhaps aren’t current and don’t practice personalized nutrition; this dietitian may not be a good match for you seeking a more thorough, customized approach. Its important if you are interested in insurance reimbursement to note that only dietitian services are reimbursed (and then only according to plan and diagnosis).