So you’re trying to amp up your nutrition. But you might struggle to find the right help, especially with specific medical conditions.
Your search can get even more confusing. Dieticians and nutritionists are different names for the same job, right? So why do they advertise their roles differently?
That’s because they’re not the same job at all. Both better health through nutrition services, but through different ways.
Keep reading to learn the differences between a dietician vs nutritionist. We’ll cover what sets these two apart, helping you choose the right service.
Education
Dieticians and nutritionists operate in the same industry. But though they have similar goals, they undergo very different training.
Nutritionist Training Requirements
There’s a huge demand for nutritionists in many settings. Regardless, nutritionists usually need less specialized nutritional training:
- Bachelor’s degree or higher in a related scientific field
- At least 3 hours of coursework
on biological-related fields
- Someone with a degree higher than a Bachelor’s may not need to complete even 3 hours of coursework
- A passing grade on a professional certification exam
- Continual completion of updated training every 2 years after initial accreditation
Dietician Training Requirements
Dieticians also need to tick off several education requirements. But as opposed to nutritionists, they usually undergo more intensive accreditation:
- Bachelor’s degree or higher
- Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND)-approved coursework
- Completion of around 1200 internship hours through an ACEND practice program
- A passing grade in Commission
on Dietetic Registration-administered national jurisprudence exam
- Does not apply to all states
- Licensure to practice
- Only applies to a fraction of states
- Continual completion of
professional development credit after initial accreditation
- The nutritional science field develops fast, so dieticians need constant re-education
Education makes up a huge difference between a dietician and a nutritionist. Both need specific nutritional training, but dieticians usually need more specific dietetic training.
Job Description
Understand whether a nutritionist or a dietician can serve your specific needs. This matters especially if you’re experiencing a specific medical condition.
What is a Nutritionist?
Nutritionists center food behavior. They educate clients on nutrition and incorporate meal plans to improve general health.
- Individuals
- Whole families
- Clinics
- Governmental health departments
- School districts
- Nursing Homes
- … and more
State regulation and insurance providers may limit nutritionists’ services. These limitations prevent nutritionists from providing diagnoses or technical nutritional assessments. These limitations vary from state to state.
What is a Dietician?
Like nutritionists, dieticians educate clients on nutrition and health. But they have far fewer limitations than nutritionists do.
Dieticians can diagnose and treat illnesses through nutritional counsel. They work in all settings that nutritionists do.
But they also provide more specific services. They can provide direct nutritional treatment to treat conditions like:
- High cholesterol
- Abnormal blood sugar levels
- Hormonal conditions like PCOS and diabetes
- Heart disease
- Eating disorders
- Usually by working with mental health professionals
Nutritionists aren’t usually qualified to treat specific maladies. Instead, they provide broader nutritional advice for a client’s nutritional profile.
Want to know more about why you should hire a dietician? Then head on over to https://myeverlongnutrition.com/articles/3-reasons-to-hire-a-dietitian/.
Dietician vs Nutritionist: Which One Is Right for You?
Before this post, you probably thought that dieticians and nutritionists were the same. But knowing the difference between the two can make a huge difference to your health. Know your specific health needs so you know what service is right for you.
If this dietician vs nutritionist guide helped you out, then check out the rest of our site! We’re dedicated to producing content that helps readers make the best healthful choices.
