Dietitians and nutritionists

What's the difference between a dietitian and a nutritionist?

Both dietitians and nutritionists will be able to provide advice around healthy eating but there are key differences between them.

Dietitians are regulated and registered health professionals who can provide medical dietary advice and counselling to help support someone with a health condition. 

While nutritionists provide information about food and healthy eating, they are not trained to provide specific information around illness and health conditions unless they have completed further training. 

What is a dietitian?

A dietitian is qualified healthcare professional who provides personalised dietary advice on a range of medical conditions. A dietitian can advise you on weight management and tailor your diet to help improve your arthritis.

You can be referred to a dietitian by another healthcare professional, such as a GP or rheumatologist. You can also refer yourself in some areas through your hospital’s dietetics and nutrition team.

If you would like to see a dietitian privately – often known as a freelance dietitian – make sure you choose someone who is registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). This ensures they’re qualified to practise as a dietitian.

The British Dietetic Association (BDA) is the Association of UK Dietitians. It is a professional body representing dietitians practising in the UK. It provides an online search function to find a registered freelance dietitian. You can search by keyword, speciality or name.

What is a nutritionist?

A nutritionist can also give advice on eating well, but people who have this job aren’t registered with the Health and Care Professionals Council (HCPC). This means they’re not regulated and the information they give out doesn’t have to be based on science or research.

Many nutritionists will have a qualification in nutrition so it’s a good idea to check this first. If they have a qualification, they should have the letters RNutr after their name which stands for Registered Nutritionist.