How a Dietitian Is Different from a Nutritionist—and Why It Matters
If you have ever heard the terms “dietitian” and “nutritionist” used interchangeably and been confused, you’re not alone. While both professionals assist individuals with improving or sustaining safe, healthy eating habits, there are important differences between a dietitian and nutritionist that affect the kind of expertise—and bill—you’re getting when you see one.
Dietitians, known formally as Registered Dietitians or Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs), have different credentials and can do more for their clients or patients than stand-alone nutritionists. While all RDNs are nutritionists, not all nutritionists are RDNs.
Registered Dietitian Nutritionist vs. Stand-alone Nutritionist
If a provider has the letters RDN after their name, you know exactly what kind of expertise you’re getting: a highly educated and experienced professional with proven competency in a range of areas.
A Registered Dietitian Nutritionist is required to have certain credentials, which are regulated by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). RDNs must have a graduate degree, gain at least 1,000 hours of supervised practical experience, and demonstrate competency in a range of key topics and skills, including food service management, clinical nutrition, and community and public health nutrition. RDNs also follow a professional code of ethics and are required to keep up to date on the latest developments in nutrition science through continuing education.
“It’s important for the consumer to know RDNs have all of these parameters to meet so they know we are offering high quality interventions,” said Graduate Dietetics Program Director April Davis, MS, RDN, ACSM-CEP, an associate professor at Washington State University’s Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine. “It’s their assurance they will get evidence-based information, not whatever’s trending based on the current fad.”
An RDN can help consumers navigate the latest, and sometimes contradictory, research findings to assist with nutrition and food concerns.
RDNs also have the expertise to provide specialized guidance to people with health conditions, such as diabetes, or complex medical situations that are managed with specific diet and meal planning. Only RDNs are trained in medical nutrition therapy, which includes prescribing therapeutic diets and managing IV nutrition and tube feeding.
Another key difference between Registered Dietitian Nutritionists and stand-alone nutritionists is that only RDNs can bill insurance for their services, since this requires obtaining licensure and a national provider number.
“It means a lot to people if they can put it through their insurance and receive quality counseling,” Davis said. “That’s dollars in people’s pockets.”
In contrast to the strictly regulated RDN credential, “nutritionist” is the Wild West of labels in the nutrition field, according to Davis.
That’s because the term is largely unregulated. Anyone can call themselves a nutritionist, whether they took one weekend class in nutrition or hold a PhD in nutrition science.
While there are two types of certification nutritionists can pursue, either from the Board for Certification of Nutrition Specialists or the Clinical Nutrition Certification Board, not all states require that nutritionists have a certification or other credentials.
Washington requires that both dietitians and nutritionists be credentialed to practice in the state, but requirements for nutritionists are less strict than for dietitians. The minimum requirement for nutritionists is to have a graduate degree in a nutrition-related field.
Careers in Dietetics
For anyone interested in pursuing a career in the nutrition field, obtaining a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist credential is key to your job prospects. The registered dietitian profession is well-established in the U.S. as well as internationally and is widely respected. When hospitals and other health care institutions are hiring, they’re looking for applicants with the RDN credential, Davis said.
To Become an RDN, You Need To
- Have a graduate degree in any field, such as a master’s degree, from an accredited U.S. university or recognized equivalent
- Complete dietetics course work through an ACEND-accredited Didactic Program in Dietetics, ACEND-accredited Coordinated Program, or ACEND-accredited graduate program
- Complete at least 1,000 hours of supervised practice through an ACEND-accredited Dietetic Internship or other supervised practice pathway
- Pass the national exam for RDNs
There are several pathways to completing these requirements, which vary based on whether they incorporate all the requirements into one program.
The Traditional Internship Path Involves Completing
- A master’s degree in any field
- A separate ACEND-accredited Didactic Program in Dietetics
- A separate ACEND-accredited Dietetic Internship of at least 1,000 hours of supervised practice
The Coordinated Program Path Involves Completing
- A master’s degree in any field
- An ACEND-accredited Coordinated Program that includes the required dietetics course work and 1,000 hours of supervised practice
Graduate Program Pathway Involves Completing
- An ACEND-accredited graduate program in dietetics and nutrition that includes the required dietetics course work and at least 1,000 hours of supervised practice
Washington State University offers two graduate programs in the nutrition field. In the graduate program pathway, the Master of Science Coordinated Program in Dietetics, Nutrition and Exercise Physiology incorporates all requirements to prepare graduates to take the national RDN exam, including ACEND-approved course work in dietetics and 1,000 hours of supervised practice at clinical locations across Washington state and north Idaho. The Department of Nutrition and Exercise Physiology also offers a research-focused rather than practice-focused program, the Master of Science in Nutrition and Exercise Physiology.
Whether you want to pursue a career in nutrition or get expert advice on how to improve your own health through diet, understanding the difference between a stand-alone nutritionist and a credentialed Registered Dietitian Nutritionist is essential.