The 3 Differences Between A Nutritionist And A Dietitian
Food is one of the basic pillars for our survival, and one of the most relevant aspects in maintaining our health. It is also part of our cultural identity, and influences our image and self-concept. However, although eating is a pleasure, a large part of the population does it in a way that does not fit their needs. This is why the figure of a nutritionist or dietitian is necessary.
Both professionals are often confused or even integrated into the same profession (it is not uncommon to hear of a dietician-nutritionist), but the truth is that they are not the same type of professional nor do they necessarily do the same things. In this article we are going to look at the main differences between a nutritionist and a dietitian.
Nutritionist and dietitian: what are we talking about?
To understand the differences between a nutritionist and a dietitian, we must first know how each of the terms is defined, as well as the objective of each of these professions.
Nutritionist
In the case of the profession of nutritionist (sometimes also called dietitian-nutritionist), We are dealing with professionals who have studied a degree or bachelor’s degree in Nutrition and Dietetics at the university level (or have specialized within medicine in that branch).
Nutritionists are trained in such a way that they are experts in nutrition (that is, not in eating but in the nutrients and elements that are obtained with it and how they affect the body) and in dietary guidelines focused on the needs of the patient, regardless of if he is healthy or on the contrary suffers from some type of disorders or illness.
The use of its services is recommended for those who suffer from some type of medical illness (for example diabetes) or psychiatric illness (in the case of bulimia or anorexia nervosa).
Dietitian
As far as the dietician is concerned, This is a professional focused on the food process as such: the act of eating Its main function is to establish appropriate dietary and activity guidelines, generally applicable to the majority of the population depending on aspects such as weight, height and what goals they have. Of course, their training mainly enables them to care for the population without serious health problems. Their training is more limited, generally based on advanced courses and modules in Dietetics that tend to last between several months and two years.
Similarities between both groups
As we can see, both have very palpable similarities: both nutritionists and dietitians work to promote and maintain health through the management of intake and nutrition. In both cases, prior specialized preparation is also required.
In both cases it is also possible that in addition to direct contact with the client they participate in research, advice in the educational field and in marketing. The similarities are quite marked: in fact, often instead of differentiating them, we talk about the dietician-nutritionist (although his training would be that of the aforementioned nutritionist), but this does not imply that differences do not also exist.
Main differences
Although with the definition of both terms it is possible to perceive many of the differences between nutritionists and dietitians, it is useful to make them explicit. Thus we can find that the main differences between both areas are the following.
One of the most notable differences between a nutritionist and a dietician is the level of training required to achieve this degree. In Spain, the nutritionist must have completed university studies in the form of a bachelor’s degree in Nutrition and Dietetics or have specialized in that field during medical studies. Regarding the dietitian, his training tends to be of shorter duration, taking FP modules in Dietetics that qualify him as a technician in this subject.
2. User type
As we have seen, people who go to a dietitian are generally people in good health or who do not suffer from diseases that require modifying dietary patterns. ANDThe usual goal of this type of user is to lose weight or stay in shape although they may also participate in marketing and educational advice or participate in multidisciplinary research.
On the other hand, nutritionists tend to be required not only by people with a normative level of health but also by those who have pathologies or altered states to take into account. For example, people with heart problems, pregnancies, diabetes, psychiatric problems or chronic consumption of drugs that can cause severe alterations if combined with certain foods should consult a nutritionist. They can be part of the national health system.
3. Adscription to the General Health System
Although they may fulfill similar functions in some cases, only one of the branches is considered to be part of the National Health System In Spain it is the figure of the nutritionist, whose training is more specialized and allows him to provide advice and intervention in cases of pathology.
Territorial differences in the consideration of one profession and another
However, being one or the other also depends, among other things, on the country we are in and the legal regulations they have regarding the regulation of these professions. The terms may not be the same or may even be reversed.
This is what happens, for example, in the United States or the United Kingdom: a nutritionist would correspond to what in Spain we call a dietitian and vice versa. In these countries, the law protects the figure of the dietitian (or dietician-nutritionist), who must be registered with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and can be part of the health system. Regarding nutritionists, they are not required to be registered and are given less consideration, but voluntary registration associations have been formed.
But these are not the only countries in which these differences occur. For example, in countries like Mexico there is a difference between a nutritionist (which would be equivalent to the Spanish dietitian in terms of training and skills) and a nutritionist (corresponding to our nutritionist, with a higher level of training and specialization).
