Nutritionist VS Registered Dietician Nutritionist
What is the difference between a nutritionist and a registered dietician nutritionist?
Did you know March is National Nutrition Month? The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics started this campaign to spread awareness of nutrition and the important role Registered Dietitian Nutritionists play in utilizing dietary interventions to improve health.
Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs) go through rigorous training, supervised practice, and credentialing examination to obtain their certification. From there they are able to practice Medical Nutrition Therapy, using their knowledge of food and body science to facilitate healthy changes.
In this day and age, there’s a lot of information circulating about nutrition and the best diet for any given condition. With everyone claiming to know what’s best it can be very confusing! It’s often hard to decipher fact and fiction. First, it’s important to note the vast difference between “Nutritionists” and “Registered Dietitian Nutritionists.” While there are no regulations around the label “nutritionist,” there are many years of study, practice, and continued education behind a Registered Dietitian or RDN.
That being said, even RDNs can vary in how they practice. That’s because the world of nutrition is incredibly complex and with the perpetual new research, it’s impossible to be an expert in all specific areas of study. Additionally, there are RDNs who took what they learned in school and have not adapted much—they practice the basics in one area of specialty. There are also RDNs who are incredibly knowledgeable but lack counseling skills to properly relate to patients, build a trusting relationship, and navigate the hard yet courageous work of change.
For some, a dietitian who can work on some basic lifestyle changes is what they need most. For others, they might find that the basics just aren’t cutting it and to fully address their health issues they need someone who can take a different approach, looking at some of the nitty gritty, concerning hormones, autoimmune conditions, chronic symptoms, gastrointestinal complications, and/or disordered eating. March 11th is Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Day so make it a nutritious day and consider what a RDN could do for you!
To read more about what RDNs can do for you: https://www.eatright.org/food/resources/learn-more-about-rdns/10-reasons-to-visit-an-rdn
