Following on from “Introducing Me” and some of my favourite questions from people – Today I am addressing the difference between a nutritionist and dietitian. My grandma tells everyone I’m a nutritionist and that’s great. I had a recent weekend away** where an intern continued referring to me as a nutritionist which is fine, everything is fine, no worries (It was NOT fine).
In saying that, I do consider myself a nutritionist because I have done a nutrition based undergraduate degree, however I haven’t yet registered to be an Associate Nutritionist through The Nutrition Society of Australia, and I have respect for using the correct title.
My highest level of education pertains to me being a dietitian and I’m working on becoming an accredited practicing dietitian (APD) which is often the status you need to have to work as a dietitian in multiple health settings (public health, corporate, health promotion, hospitals, food service, community and much more).
These two professions have many similarities in terms of areas you could work in, including nutrition, food science and public health. The role of each profession is the same in that both are experts in nutrition, and are able to offer advice to assist people in achieving improved nutrition and health (in a nutshell – the role is varied as are most roles in any profession).
Nutritionists often complete an undergraduate degree, and are able to work with this qualification, where dietitians need to complete a masters level degree to practice in the profession. One of the biggest differences between the two titles, is that there is no real regulation over who can call themselves a Nutritionist. Good old mate Paleo Pete Evans can go around calling himself a nutritionist with no formal qualification in nutrition, however you need to be “ticked off” by Dietitians Association Australia (DAA), the governing body for dietitians by completing an accredited dietetics course. Often as a dietitian you will have been supervised in clinical practice (translated: in a hospital) and deemed as competent and safe to practice, building up practical skills to put theory into practice. As a dietitian you are also able to work in private clinical practice. Some of the common conditions dietitians will treat are diabetes, weight control, food allergies and intolerances, gastrointestinal illnesses and eating disorders (again – only to name a few).
The main message is that
– DIETITIANS ARE THE “EXPERTS” IN EVIDENCE BASED NUTRITION AND NUTRITIONAL ADVICE, not your GP or your endocrinologist, because whilst they have amazing and in depth medical knowledge in their own areas, they are not the governing voice on managing conditions nutritionally.
If you are looking into nutritionists make sure you always check credentials and registration, just to make sure you are getting the best quality advice and treatment.
If you are after more information I recommend you check out these websites;
Nutritionist Vs. Dietitian – Nutrition Australia
http://www.nutritionaustralia.org/national/nutritionist-or-dietitian-which-me
What Dietitians Do – Dietitians Association of Australia
Or if you are after some individualized nutritional advice:
Find an Accredited Practicing Dietitian – Dietitians Association of Australia
Until next time,
Big Sis x
**Keep an eye out for a future post which will be covering that weekend in more detail.
