What is the Difference Between a Dietitian and a Nutritionist?
Written by Isabel Vasquez RD, LDN
Many people may use the words “dietitian” and “nutritionist” interchangeably. However, what too many people don’t realize is that a registered dietitian and a nutritionist are not necessarily the same thing. As a registered dietitian, I hear people get confused between these two terms all the time.
All registered dietitians are nutritionists, but not all nutritionists are registered dietitians. As a consumer/patient/client (or as an aspiring nutrition professional), it’s important to understand the difference so you can make an informed choice about who to work with and whose content to consume.
In this blog, learn the differences between a registered dietitian and a nutritionist, what they’re each licensed to treat, and how to know which is the right fit for you.
What’s The Difference Between A Dietitian And A Nutritionist?
Education Requirements to Become A Dietitian
A registered dietitian is recognized by the credentials RD, for registered dietitian, or RDN, for registered dietitian nutritionist. RD and RDN can be used interchangeably. Our team here at Your Latina Nutrition is made up exclusively of registered dietitians.
To become a dietitian, you have to attend an accredited bachelor’s or master’s degree program where you complete specific coursework including organic chemistry, anatomy and physiology, medical nutrition therapy, community nutrition, food science, and more.
Upon completing this coursework, you must complete an unpaid dietetic internship, which entails 1200 hours of supervised practice. The coursework and internship are offered through in-person or online programs.
After that, you have to pass the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) exam. Starting in 2024, dietitians-to-be will need to have a master’s degree to sit for the exam. Once you pass, you’re a registered dietitian!
Depending on the state you are going to practice in, you may also need to obtain a state license to practice dietetics in that specific state; the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) has a map (albeit, a confusing one) that outlines licensure requirements by state.
To maintain your RD/RDN credential, you also have to complete ongoing continuing education credits.
As you can see, it’s a long, arduous, and expensive process. It cements your knowledge of nutrition, leading RDs to be the most reliable health practitioners when it comes to nutrition.
However, it also results in many lower-income folks or folks from marginalized backgrounds being kept out of the profession. In fact, only 6% of licensed nutrition professionals are Hispanic/Latino, according to CDR.
Education Requirements to Become A Nutritionist
Nutritionists, on the other hand, don’t necessarily receive any formal training. Some states protect the term “nutritionist” while others don’t.
Depending on the state, nutritionists may simply be individuals with an interest in nutrition who decide to call themselves a nutritionist and begin offering nutrition advice.
Other times, nutritionists are people who have a degree in nutrition but didn’t pursue the RD route of completing a dietetic internship and sitting for CDR’s exam.
Certified Nutrition Specialists (CNS)
Some nutritionists may have a Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS) certification. CNSs are often medical professionals from other disciplines, such as doctors or nurses, who want to obtain further knowledge and a certification in nutrition.
They, too, must undergo specific nutrition-related coursework and sit for an exam; however, this process is less intensive than that of RDs.
The CNS credential is managed by the American Nutrition Association (ANA), a different governing body than CDR, the one that manages the RD credential.
What Is A Registered Dietitian Licensed To Treat?
As registered dietitians, we are qualified to practice medical nutrition therapy—giving individualized dietary recommendations tailored to an individual’s medical conditions. We can be reimbursed by insurance companies for our services.
Many dietitians work in clinical settings, such as hospitals. However, there are lots of other settings where dietitians can work.
For example, at Your Latina Nutrition, we offer private practice nutrition counseling through insurance and intuitive eating coaching for Latinas. As you can see, I also write articles offering health and nutrition education to the public.
Dietitians can also work in hospital or school food service settings, long term care facilities, corporate wellness settings, community health centers, and in academia doing research or teaching.
Dietitians can also pursue specialties in sports nutrition, eating disorders, nutrition support, diabetes, oncology, and more.
These specialty certifications are indicated by additional credentials such as CSSD (certified specialist in sports dietetics), CEDRD (certified eating disorder registered dietitian), CNSC (certified nutrition support clinician), CDCES (certified diabetes care and education specialist), and CSO (certified specialist in oncology nutrition). These certifications typically require a certain number of hours of practice in the specialty area and additional training and supervision.
What Is A Nutritionist Licensed To Treat?
Technically, a nutritionist may not be licensed to treat anything. As mentioned above, the rules about who can claim to be a nutritionist vary depending on the state, so in some states, someone can declare themselves a “nutritionist” without any formal or evidence-based training.
Nutritionists may be personal trainers, health coaches, or others whose training doesn’t include nutrition or if it does, it isn’t necessarily evidence-backed.
Those with a degree in nutrition who chose not to pursue an RD credential may work as nutrition educators in community health care centers. They can do this because they are providing general nutrition education but not medical nutrition therapy, which only RDs can legally provide.
They may also work in public health settings, like for their local government, or in nutrition policy.
Some nutritionists work as nutrition writers, writing nutrition articles or creating content for health-focused media outlets.
Some states allow nutritionists with a CNS credential to get licensed as nutrition professionals if they meet education and experience requirements.
Dietitian vs. Nutritionist: Which One Should You Work With?
As a registered dietitian, I always want to make sure clients are protected.
Unfortunately, there is so much misinformation spread on the internet by unqualified individuals offering nutrition and weight loss advice. With the prevalence of social media, the spread of pseudoscience has never been higher.
I hear a lot of stories of clients being told to restrict an entire food group or skip meals for far too long by unlicensed “nutritionists” or other unqualified individuals. This has the potential to not only harm someone’s physical health but also their mental health.
Someone may engage in restrictive eating behaviors as a result of this misinformation that can lead to more stress and fear around food. In some cases, it could even lead to an eating disorder. For example, dieting is associated with increased risk of developing anorexia nervosa, per a 2016 study in Psychiatry Research.
When to Work With A Registered Dietitian
If you’re looking for in-depth nutrition care and you can access it, I’d always recommend seeing a registered dietitian. This is especially true if you have a medical condition that you want help managing through nutrition. Your insurance may even cover a certain number of sessions.
For example, here at Your Latina Nutrition our team of Latina registered dietitians is in-network with a bunch of insurance providers. We offer 1:1 virtual nutrition counseling sessions. Learn more about working with us here.
To find a registered dietitian, look for the RD or RDN credentials after their name.
When to Work With A Nutritionist
If you’re in a group education setting, working with a nutritionist may be okay. However, be wary if they offer you individualized nutrition advice.
As you now know, nutritionists have varying levels of education. So, if you’re speaking with a nutritionist, it’s worth asking them about their education history so you know how qualified they are to give you nutrition advice.
Final Thoughts
It’s important to be informed about the qualifications of the healthcare provider you are working with. Registered dietitians undergo extensive training and education and must complete continuing education credits to maintain their credential; whereas nutritionists’ education varies.
With nutrition being such a trendy topic filled with unqualified individuals spreading misinformation, it’s especially important to be sure you are safe and being taken care of by someone qualified and knowledgeable.
When in doubt, you can always ask someone directly about their qualifications and nutrition education history.
Click here to learn more about working with our team of Latina dietitians through your insurance.
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What is a HAES Dietitian? Plus, What to Expect Working With One.
