Key Differences Between a Dietician and a Nutritionist

A nutritionist and a dietician play a very crucial role in the world of health and fitness. However, have we ever wondered whether we should consult a dietician or a nutritionist?

People use the terms- nutritionist and dietician interchangeably, but there is a difference that exists between the two. Both of them help in improving one’s eating habits and lifestyle which plays a significant role in improving the health status further. 

If we have a clear understanding about the distinction between the two, it’ll be much easier to make the choice of whom we need to consult. 

Dieticians are the hero of the medical world- they are well trained, certified, and majorly work in hospitals and clinics. On the other hand, nutritionists work on the overall well-being of the individual, often specialized in some domain, like sports nutrition. 

To gain a clear understanding about the differences and the key role they play in our life, this article will help you explore about:

• Who is a nutritionist?
• Who is a dietician?
• The differences between a nutritionist and a dietician?
• Which career is better- Nutritionist or Dietician?

Who is a nutritionist?

Are we looking for a health coach or guide who can help us make our eating choices and lifestyle better? If yes, then consulting a nutritionist is the best choice.

Nutritionists basically work on the overall health of people and teach about food, general nutrition and how consuming certain food items can impact our body. Also, they offer nutritional guidance and educate people about managing medical conditions like, blood pressure, or obesity. 

They can assist in losing weight, improving energy levels, enhancing lifestyle and working on eating habits. There is a big range of things they help in dealing with. They focus on the bigger picture. 

People who are trained as nutritionists can work in varied settings like:

• Hospitals
• Clinics
• Wellness studios
• Local health departments
• Private facilities
• School districts
• Sports organizations

The interesting part is that being a nutritionist doesn’t necessarily mean to own a degree. Depending on the location, one can either attain some certification or do some shorter courses to practice as a nutritionist. 

All nutritionists are not the same. Depending on their specialization, nutritionists can be divided under following types:

• Clinical nutritionists
• Sports nutritionists
• Holistic nutritionists
• Public health nutritionists
• Weight management nutritionists
• Specialized nutritionists

Who is a dietician?

Ever wondered about having a personal diet expert who can guide what to eat, and not to eat? If yes, then a dietician is the best choice here. 

A dietician helps us with our food choices and eating habits in a way that not only makes us feel better but also to get better if we are dealing with any medical conditions, like diabetes. Dieticians are so pro in their job that with better food choices they can help us get better and healthy. 

Unlike nutritionists, dieticians have proper qualifications, training and certifications to ensure whatever they suggest is rooted from solid science. 

Dieticians are the ones who are well aware of difficult terms like, omega-3s, marcos, glycemic index and what not. They make sure that they include all these important elements in our diet. They figure out our needs and accordingly make a diet plan for us that fits our lifestyle and is thereby good for our health. 

Dieticians play a lot of roles. In hospitals, they work alongside doctors and make diet plans for patients dealing with medical conditions, like diabetes, blood pressure, PCOS, etc. While, in schools they work with the management to provide food good for health, on a budget.

Being a dietician is not at all easy. They have to undergo a lot of qualifications, training and internships which is really time-consuming. Moreover, they need to undergo certain certifications to earn the title of certified dietician. 

A dietician is more than just a food expert. They help you inculcate sustainable change in your food so that it improves your health thereby making your living better. 

Differences Between a Dietician and a Nutritionist 

Now that we have understood who a nutritionist and a dietician is and what roles they play in our lives, it’s important to know the differences that exist between the two. This will help to understand how they both are different yet helping with food changes.

Let’s have a look:

Which Career is Better - Nutritionist or Dietician?

Honestly speaking, it’s difficult to choose between a career as a nutritionist and nutritionist. However, in the end it’s all about what interests us most in health and wellness. Also, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects, it is estimated that there will be an increase of 11% in the number of nutritionist and dietician jobs by 2030. 

Let’s break this down and see which might be the best!

If thinking about becoming a dietician, then one must consider the following points:

• The ones who love the medical side of nutrition and find it fascinating, then possibly being a dietician is the best career. 
• Being a dietician basically involves curating detailed diet plans for someone who is dealing with any medical condition which can be handled a lot through diet, like diabetes. It also involves making diet plans for someone to aid from a surgery. 
• Dieticians are involved to work heavily with doctors, and patients and create meal plans that push them towards healthy eating and better lifestyle.
• Also, with being a dietician, one needs to be prepared for a lot of study. Requirements for being a dietician include- a Bachelor’s degree in Dietary, training programs, internships and many certifications. 
• In order to be titled as ‘Certified Dietician’ or ‘Registered Dietician (RD)’ or ‘Registered Dietician Nutritionist (RDN)’, one needs to undergo certain certifications. These certifications are easily provided by a lot of institutes, like FIT India Trust. Acquiring these certifications is important as it creates credibility and patients will trust that they are receiving evidence based and professional advice. 

If thinking about becoming a nutritionist, then one must consider the following points:

• Being a nutritionist is like focusing on the bigger picture. They help people with weight management, living a healthy lifestyle and improving overall food habits. 
• Also, being a nutritionist one doesn’t need to undergo endless training programs and have so many certifications. This career path provides flexibility, as compared to dietician as a career. 
• If someone loves providing advice to people either on a one-on-one basis or in a group setting, then being a nutritionist is the best career possible. 

Choosing the best career path is anyways challenging, but at the end it’s about one’s goals and interests. Hence, choose wisely!

Conclusion

The terms ‘nutritionist’ and ‘dietician’ are often used interchangeably. However, there is a difference that exists between the two. Nutritionist is someone who focuses on the bigger picture and focuses on overall health and wellness, while a dietician is someone who focuses on improving eating habits not only to make the individual feel better, but also to get better. They basically deal with people who have medical conditions that can be dealt with by changing eating habits and modifying their lifestyle. 

However, being a dietician requires having limitless training and certifications which can be exhausting at times. On the other hand, being a nutritionist one can have the flexibility and can skip these certifications and training. This thereby leads people to choose which career is better for them. 

FAQs

1. Who is a nutritionist?

Nutritionist is A healthcare professional who works on overall health and wellness. 

2. Who is a dietician?

A dietician is a healthcare professional who diagnoses and treats dietary and nutrition related issues.

3. What is the difference between a nutritionist and a dietician?

Nutritionist is someone who focuses on the bigger picture and focuses on overall health and wellness, while a dietician is someone who focuses on improving eating habits not only to make the individual feel better, but also to get better.

4. Tell me the types of nutritionists. 

Nutritionists can be of six types, depending on their specialization: clinical nutritionists, sports nutritionists, holistic nutritionists, public health nutritionists, weight management nutritionists and specialized nutritionists.