What is a registered dietitian? What is the difference between a nutritionist and a dietitian? How about a "registered dietitian nutritionist"? These are questions the Beyond Measure nutrition team answers daily.
A registered dietitian is a healthcare professional who is qualified to work in the field of nutrition. With initial and ongoing educational requirements, RDs are the official experts when it comes to food and nutrition. It is appropriate to refer to these professionals as registered dietitians or registered dietitian nutritionists, dietitians, RDs, RDNs, or nutritionists. We know -- it's confusing!
What Education Does an RD Require?
For someone to use the RD or RDN credential, they must have:
A bachelor's degree or equivalent coursework from what is known as a didactic program in dietetics. Many RDs also hold a Master's degrees or higher, and as of 2024 this is required for all new dietitians.
Completed an ACEND-accredited dietetic internship, which are competitive programs that provide the "RD2Be" with 6-12 months of at least 1200 supervised practice hours across different areas of expertise.
Passed the national RD exam.
Maintained continuing education units to stay up on evidence-based practices and approaches, as well as changing trends, ethics, and counseling skills.
What is the difference between a dietitian and a nutritionist?
Becoming an RD can be a lengthy and rigorous process. To ensure the standards for this credential are upheld, RDs are overseen by the Commission on Dietetics Registration, or CDR. This organization helps to regulate the "RD" title, in addition to ensuring all registered dietitians practice using evidence-based, ethical approaches. If anyone is using the title "registered dietitian" without being qualified, or without practicing appropriately, there may be legal consequences.
The term "nutritionist" is not regulated by any organization, and there are no laws in place to oversee the use of this title. Someone labeling themselves as a "nutritionist" might be qualified to provide nutrition advice, or they may not be. On the other hand, if you come across someone using the RD credential, there are systems in place to ensure they are qualified to do this work, and that their approach is both evidence-based and ethical.
The best way to ensure your nutrition professional is qualified to practice is to check if they are a registered dietitian (RD), or registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) -- these terms are interchangeable. While a dietitian may refer to themselves as a "nutritionist", a non-RD is not permitted to use the title "dietitian".
What will working with a dietitian do for me?
Will my RD act as the "food police", and tell me what I should and should not eat? What will I get from working with a dietitian that I wouldn't get from seeing my therapist, or my doctor?
The RDs at Beyond Measure are committed to helping you reduce shame and blame in relation to your eating. They will never police your eating, nor will they judge you for food choices, or eating patterns, no matter what. Our patients are often surprised at how supportive it feels to work with our dietitians; and those who have previously had negative experiences with nutritionists often find working with our team to be a corrective experience.
Our dietitians use a therapeutic approach to nutrition science, so you are likely to find some overlap with the work you do in therapy or with your primary care physician (PCP). However, much of what is covered in an RD visit will be experiences and knowledge that only a dietitian can provide. The Venn Diagram below illustrates how we often think about this.
Part of the job of the dietitian is to work within their scope of expertise -- you can expect to discuss some emotions and feelings in sessions, as well as covering nutrition science topics, and your dietitian will let you know when it might be helpful to discuss something with your therapist, or with your physician. Seeing a dietitian who is trained in nutrition science, nutrition counseling, and applying these concepts in a mental health setting means your RD can support you with extensive knowledge about human metabolism, and supporting your physical health through food, without sacrificing your mental health, or pretending our food choices happen in a vacuum. Food and nutrition is the RD's area of expertise, so they are truly experts in these realms -- our dietitians at Beyond Measure are specifically trained in supporting those with additional mental health concerns, including but not limited to eating disorders, disordered eating, anxiety, depression, ADHD, ASD, and more.
After spending time working with one of our dietitians, you will walk away with a better understanding of nutrition concepts, and with more knowledge and trust when it comes to honoring your body's needs. If you're looking to change your relationship with food, or need to address nutrition-related health concerns, working with a registered dietitian is crucial.
You can work with our RDs in any of the following ways:
Individual nutrition counseling for eating disorders, disordered eating, ARFID, sports nutrition, perinatal nutrition, general wellness, and nutrition counseling while managing a mental health condition
Family support around feeding dynamics and challenges
Mentorship for newer RDs, or those requiring training in eating disorder treatment, or using a HAES/IE approach
If you're looking for support with a specific challenge or condition that is not listed here, reach out to us anyway. It's likely we can offer you support, or refer you to someone in our local network who can.
To get started with one of our registered dietitians, book a free intro call. This call is risk-free with no additional commitment required, so can be a great first step. It's also a perfect option if you're ready to jump right in! If you prefer to get in touch another way, visit our contact page for additional options.
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