If a patient changes one food or nutrient, their whole diet and nutritional intake changes with it. This could put them at risk of nutrient deficiency or excess. This is why expert dietary advice may be needed to make significant changes to their diet.
What's the difference between a dietitian and a nutritionist?
Registered Dietitians (RDs)
- In the UK, dietitians are the only nutrition professionals to be regulated by law
- Only a person registered with the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) can use the title ‘dietitian'
- Dietitians are also governed by an ethical code to ensure they work to the highest standard
Dietitians can work with both healthy and sick people in any setting. They are the only qualified health professionals who assess, diagnose and treat dietary and nutritional problems at an individual and wider public health level. They use up-to-date public health and scientific research on food, health and disease to create treatment plans, advice and guidance.
Nutritionists
- Anyone can call themselves a nutritionist in the UK
- However, only registrants with the UK Voluntary Register for Nutritionists (UKVRN) can call themselves a Registered Nutritionist (RNutrs)
- Registered Nutritionists are not permitted by law to call themselves dietitians
Nutritionists are qualified to provide information about food and healthy eating. They work in different roles, including public health, health improvement, health policy, local and national government, the private sector, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and education and research.
Nutritional therapists and diet experts
- Anyone can call themselves a nutritional therapist, a clinical nutritionist or a diet expert
- They are not permitted by law to call themselves dietitians
- They do not usually have a degree-level qualification in nutrition
Nutritional therapists use diet and lifestyle advice to prevent or treat ailments. This advice is often based on complementary ‘medicine’ recommendations.
Such recommendations may include guidance on detoxification, colonic irrigation, use of supplementary nutrients, avoidance of eating, drinking or inhaling ‘toxins’ or ‘allergens.’
However, complementary ‘medicine’ is not recognised as valid treatment by conventional medicine.
Want to know more?
Finding a registered nutrition professional
How to make a referral to an NHS dietitian
Follow local pathways or guidance on how to refer to a dietitian.
Referrals can usually be made through GP practices, a hospital consultant, or a multidisciplinary or hospital team. Some teams or GP practices have a dietitian working with them, making it easier to refer. People living in a care home or nursing home should also have access to NHS dietitians. Some homes have regular visits from a dietitian.
You may wish to complete the Patient Association Nutrition Checklist to begin conversations about nutritional state with your patient. This checklist is particularly useful for older people or those at risk of malnutrition.
How to find a registered dietitian
Consultations with dietitians working in the NHS are free.
Registered dietitians also see clients privately. The BDA website can help you to find a registered freelance dietitian with the right expertise. These dietitians work privately, so there will be a charge. Your patient may be covered to see a dietitian by any healthcare insurance.
Advise patients to see if their dietitian is registered on the Health & Care Professions Council website. If they are not registered with the HCPC it means they are operating illegally.
How to find a registered nutritionist
It is a personal preference as to whether you choose to seek the advice of a dietitian or registered nutritionist. Dietitians are trained to manage disease by adapting diet, which is not part of a nutritionist’s training.
You can find out whether the person advising you is a registered nutritionist on the Association for Nutrition website.