What is the Difference Between a Dietitian and a Nutritionist?
- The title "Registered Dietitian", "Professional Dietitian", and "Dietitian" are protected by law -- through provincial legislation -- so that only qualified practitioners who have met education qualifications can use that title.
- Dietitians who have met national standards for education and training and who are members of the provincial regulatory bodies can use one of the following designations -- RD, PDt or RDt (or the French equivalent Dt.P.).
- A dietitian is a health professional who has a Bachelor's degree, specializing in foods and nutrition, as well as a period of practical training in a hospital or community setting. Many dietitians further their knowledge by pursuing a Master's or Doctoral degree.
- Dietitians are members of a provincial regulated profession that have Public Protection as their mandate. Dietitians are held accountable for their conduct and care they provide.
- The term Nutritionist is not protected by law in all provinces so people with different levels of training and knowledge can all themselves a "Nutritionist". The title "Nutritionist" is protected for Dietitians in some provinces and dietitians do use the title "nutritionists". As the term "nutritionist' is not a protected title in some provinces, you should contact your provincial regulatory body to ensure that you are receiving services from a dietitian.
- A variety of titles have been used by unqualified people to describe their involvement in nutrition related practice. Many use the term "registered" with a variation of "nutrition" as a title. You should be careful to ensure that the person is a qualified nutrition professional. You can contact Dietitians of Canada or the Provincial regulatory body to obtain a list of Dietitians in your area.
- Typically dietitians working in a hospital or health care institution will have a job title that uses the term "dietitian" and will focus on clinical care of the patient or manage the food service. Dietitians working in community settings will typically have a job title that uses "nutritionist" and focus on healthy eating and wellness at various stages of the lifecycle.