What is the difference between a Nutritionist and a Dietitian?

It boils down to whether you’re potentially breaking the law or not (yes, there is such a thing as illegal nutrition advice!).

Nowadays when you search online for nutrition information, it is tough to know whether or not you are getting solid, data-driven recommendations. In the era of the paid influencer and the “TikTok attention span”, you deserve to know which healthcare practitioners have the education and training to be able to give sound health advice & which do not.

I’m not one for a lot of fluff so let’s get right to the point: anybody can call themselves a “nutritionist” without any training or expertise whatsoever, but to earn the title of “Dietitian” takes a LOT of work.

According to the Commission on Dietetic Registration requirements(1), earning the credential of Registered Dietitian means the individual has:

• Earned a Bachelor of Science *AND* Master of Science degree from an accredited program at a college or university (3-6 years of schooling);

• Completed an unpaid Dietetic Internship supervised practice program (typically 12-18 months, sometimes longer);

• Passed the CDR Dietetic Registration Exam;

• Passed the state-level licensure exam(s) which carry their own set of requirements; and

• Maintain your registration by completing 75 continuing education hours(2) every 5 years (state licenses may carry additional requirements).

While “nutritionists” may know about how calories affect your overall body fat levels, they lack the understanding of exactly how that food breaks down in the body, where the key nutrients get absorbed and travel to, which nutrients interact with which medicines, and much more. The credential “Registered Dietitian” carries with it the intimate knowledge of food science, metabolism, nutritional biochemistry, nutrigenomics, pharmacology, functional medicine and much more, along with training in effective psychological and counseling strategies to promote behavior change.

In fact, in some states it is *illegal* to call yourself a “nutritionist” without a degree in nutrition, food science or the like. These laws aim to protect patients from receiving inappropriate recommendations that could be life-threatening. For example, I once overheard a personal trainer recommend potassium supplements for muscle cramps, which is *incredibly dangerous* and could easily cause a heart attack!

Although some states have taken action to protect patients(3), sadly most have not. That means “buyer beware” with nutrition advice you find on the internet! Visit theana.org/advocate to find out the regulations in your state.

At Salud Wellness, you can rest assured that all nutrition advice is straight from a Registered Dietitian and medically reviewed by our Chief Medical Officer to ensure that you are getting the absolute best information possible.

Cheers to your health!

#nutrition #dietitian #registereddietitian #rdn

REFERENCES:

1. 5 Steps to Become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist. Eatrightpro.org. 2022. Accessed October 31, 2022. https://www.eatrightpro.org/about-us/become-an-rdn-or-dtr/high-school-students/5-steps-to-become-a-registered-dietitian-nutritionist

2. Maintaining your credential—at a glance. Cdrnet.org. 2022. Accessed October 31, 2022. https://www.cdrnet.org/maintain

3. State Regulation of Nutrition Practice. American Nutrition Association. Accessed October 31, 2022. https://theana.org/advocate