What is the Role of a Registered Dietitian

With so much nutrition advice being put out daily, it is important to know if the information you are getting is coming from qualified professionals. Registered dietitian and nutritionist sound similar so does that mean they both have received the same amount of education? The answer to this is no…

Anyone can call themselves a nutritionist but not everyone can call themselves a Registered Dietitian. Nutritionist, in most states, are free from government regulation, meaning they do not need to follow any particular regulations to call themselves a nutritionist.

A registered dietitian must complete a formal education program that is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) and also complete an internship program. Completion of the education program results in a baccalaureate degree and soon the program will be switching to a master’s degree. The coursework to receive this degree includes food and nutrition sciences, foodservice systems management, chemistry, microbiology, biochemistry, physiology, and more.

After completion of the educational coursework and internship, one must pass the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) registration exam to receive the credentials “Registered Dietitian” or “Registered Dietitian Nutritionist.” The only difference between and RD and RDN is how the state titles the credential but they mean the same thing. To maintain this certification, the RD must complete continuing professional education requirements which are determined by the state in which the RD is practicing.

What does a dietitian do?

A dietitian has a wide variety of knowledge and can provide medical nutrition therapy, foodservice management, nutrition counseling services, and more.

• You may see a registered dietitian working in a clinical setting in a hospital providing medical nutrition therapy for individuals with diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, renal failure, cancer, and really just about any unit in the hospital.
• A registered dietitian can also work for a school district making sure that school meals are meeting state and federal regulations.
• Sports teams may hire a registered dietitian that has special certification in sports nutrition.
• Grocery stores are starting to hire registered dietitians to provide in store nutrition counseling, grocery store tours, and employee wellness.
• Registered dietitians also play a critical role in treatment for individuals with eating disorders.
• A state’s department of health can hire a registered dietitian to work with the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program to provide education for those in financial need.

So you can see a registered dietitian can work in a variety of settings and even more than were mentioned here! Take advantage of getting to know the dietitians in your area and what they can do for you!