faq
What's the difference between a Registered Dietitian (RD) and a Nutritionist?
Registered Dietitians (RDs) are food and nutrition experts who have met the following criteria to earn the RD credential:
- Completed a minimum of a bachelor’s degree at a US regionally accredited university or college and course work accredited or approved by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
- Completed an ACEND-accredited supervised practice program at a health-care facility, community agency, or a foodservice corporation or combined with undergraduate or graduate studies. Typically, a practice program will run six to 12 months in length.
- Passed a national examination administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR). For more information regarding the examination, refer to CDR’s website at cdrnet.org.
- Completed continuing professional educational requirements to maintain registration.
Nutritionists
The biggest difference between dietitians and nutritionists lies in the legal restrictions that each title carries. Unlike dietitians, the nutritionist profession is much less protected under the law. In fact, nutritionists that do not intend to use the titles of “dietitian” or “registered dietitian” are often free from government regulation. Some states may require nutritionists to obtain an occupational license from a Board of Nutrition, while other states allow individuals to practice as nutritionists without ANY previous education, training or work experience.
References: