What is the difference between a registered dietitian and a nutritionist?
That is a very good question. Registered dietitians are uniquely trained to advise you about food, diet and nutrition. All registered dietitians have a Bachelor’s degree specializing in food and nutrition and have completed an accredited internship or graduate degree. Then all dietitians must pass a national board exam before they can receive their credentials R.D. (registered dietitian). R.D.’s must also complete continuing education credit to keep their registration current. A registered dietitian is your trusted expert and your link to nutrition and health. The term nutritionist can be misleading. A nutritionist, on the other hand, does not have to meet all the demands and requirements as a registered dietitian needs to. A nutritionist is not required to complete a degree, a supervised internship, and a national board exam or continuing education course.
The registered dietitian is a qualified nutrition expert who has obtained a bachelor of science or master of science degree in nutrition or a B.S. and all the DPD requirements, has completed a 6-12 month internship, and has passed the registered dietitian exam. The RD is the mark of excellence in the dietetic profession. In contrast, anyone can call oneself a nutritionist without any specific academic credentials. However, some RDs call themselves nutritionists if they are working in the community, public health or private practice.
