When seeking a health professional, we want to know that the person we are seeing is qualified, practising in a safe manner and providing us with the most appropriate care that we require. We often hear confusion about what nutritionists and dietitians do, with the titles frequently being used interchangeably. The professions however, can be very different and it is important to make an informed choice on who will be the most appropriate professional to help you manage your diet and any specific medical conditions. Here Antonella Rossino, RD discusses the differences between a nutritionist and dietitian in more detail.
“Dietitians are qualified and regulated health professionals that assess, diagnose and treat dietary and nutritional problems at an individual and wider public-health level. They use the most up-to-date public health and scientific research on food, health and disease which they translate into practical guidance to enable people to make appropriate lifestyle and food choices” -- British Dietetic Association (BDA)
A dietitian will have to have undertaken a degree course, passing practical placements in order to qualify and practice. A dietitian can work in a variety of settings including NHS, private sector, catering, education, food industry and even in the media. Within the NHS, a dietitian often works as part of a multidisciplinary team and can see patients in the acute, community and public health setting. Within those areas a dietitian can specialise in a number of roles including paediatrics, critical care, home enteral feeding (tube feeding), gastroenterology and eating disorders. As well as seeing patients they are often involved in advising on local and national policies to do with health and food.
The title ‘dietitian’ is protected by law; in order to use the title you must be registered with the Health & Care Professions Council and follow strict codes of practice including keeping up-to-date with continuing professional development (CPD) and following evidence-based practise. Dietitians are represented by a professional body and trade union called the British Dietetic Association (BDA). A dietitian can also register as a nutritionist however a nutritionist cannot register or call themselves a dietitian.
A nutritionists in contrast, is qualified to work with people providing information about food and healthy eating. They cannot give advice on special diets for medical conditions nor can they work with patients that are acutely ill in hospital or those that require therapeutic intervention in the community unless supervised by a dietitian. They mainly work across non-NHS organisations such as in the private sector, public health, charities, health policy, government and in the sport and exercise industry.
The ‘nutritionist’ title is not protected by law. Individuals who have degrees accredited by the Association for Nutrition (AfN) can register with the UK Voluntary Register of Nutritionists (UKVRN) to become a Registered Nutritionist (RNutrs). Accredited courses will enable a nutritionist to have sound knowledge and understanding of nutrition science and enable them to provide evidence-based practice. RNutrs must also be able to continually demonstrate they are competent to practice.
If you would like some general advice about how to improve your diet then an RNutr will help support you do this. A dietitian can support you by providing safe and evidenced-based information if you require more detailed advice on nutrition and treatment for specific medical conditions.
For further information about either profession, you can visit the below professional body websites:
At Stove we provide consultations with experienced and registered dietitians, if you have a particular health concern or would like some general advice on healthy eating then book your consultation today!
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