I'm a Dietitian—Not a "Nutritionist"—Here's the Difference & Why It Matters

Plus, tips on how to spot common red flags in nutrition misinformation.

Reviewed by Dietitian Victoria Seaver, M.S., RD

“Carbs are NOT good for you.”

“Berberine supplements are nature’s Ozempic and will help you drop pounds fast.”

“Detox diets can help you flush out toxins.”

I often see wildly inaccurate messages like these as I scroll through social media or scan story headlines in my news feed. And most of the time, these messages are being touted by self-named “nutritionists” or people with zero nutrition expertise or credentials. And as a registered dietitian (or RD), I find nothing (like nothing) more frustrating. Not only because of the time and energy I spent obtaining and now maintaining my degrees and dietitian status, but also because it reinforces the confusion folks already feel around what’s considered healthy.

Misinformation about nutrition can do more than negatively impact physical health—it can also lead to lasting damage to one’s relationship with food. And as a nutrition professional with a deep love for food, that's the last thing I'd ever want someone to experience.

So, what’s the difference between a dietitian and a nutritionist in the first place? And how are you actually supposed to know what information to trust? Here I’ll break it down and cut through the confusion to help you feel confident in what nutrition advice to trust.

What Is a Registered Dietitian?

Just as a registered nurse, medical doctor or dentist must complete schooling, hands-on training in their respective fields and pass board exams before they can begin practicing, the same goes for registered dietitians. My path to becoming a registered dietitian started with a bachelor's degree in nutrition and dietetics from Michigan State University (go Green!), followed by a master’s of science degree in dietetics at the University of Vermont (go Cats!). Beyond coursework, I spent a year doing supervised practice, where I trained one-on-one with registered dietitians in varying industries. Once I completed all of that, I was finally eligible to take my board exam to become a registered dietitian.

While the path to becoming a dietitian can look slightly different from person to person (and country to country), there are a few must-have requirements in order for someone to become a dietitian in the U.S., as outlined by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and its credentialing branch, the Commission on Dietetic Registration.

• You must complete a four-year Bachelor of Science degree in nutrition or dietetics at an approved university (or another degree with required nutrition and dietetics coursework completed)

• You must complete a master’s degree (or other graduate degree) at an approved university

• You must complete a minimum of 1,000 hours of supervised practice

• You must receive a passing grade on the registration exam

It’s important to note that while some may genuinely be interested in becoming a registered dietitian, not everyone has the privilege of pursuing higher education and years of unpaid professional experiences. There are amazing organizations like Diversify Dietetics dedicated to making it more accessible for people to achieve the coveted “RD” credentials, and to increase the ethnic and racial diversity of the profession to be as diverse as the folks registered dietitians work with. Their important work is a big part of making appropriate, culturally informed, evidence-based nutrition information available for people of all backgrounds.

Related: With Food, Culture Matters: This App Matches People with Dietitians Based on Culture

The work didn’t stop once I earned my RD badge. Even now as a registered dietitian, I’m required to log 75 hours of continuing education credits every five years to maintain my registration and align with a code of ethics to ensure I’m practicing at the highest standard.

As you can see, becoming a registered dietitian is no simple feat. While you don’t typically see people pretending to be registered nurses, medical doctors or dentists, it’s unfortunately common for people to pretend to be nutrition professionals who are not—especially on social media.

A Word on Titles …

I’ll admit that titles can be a little tricky, which certainly adds to the confusion. Registered dietitians (or RDs) may also go by "registered dietitian nutritionist" (RDN), based on a 2010 amendment made by the AND to help clarify the title. There are consumer protection laws in certain states where only licensed professionals can give health and nutrition advice, so you may see some registered dietitians also refer to themselves as licensed dietitians (LD) or certified dietitians (CD), if they practice in one of those states.

Other common nutrition credentials can include being a certified nutrition specialist (CNS), certified diabetes educator (CDE) or dietetic technician (DTR), both with their own sets of professional requirements. Those with master's and doctorate degrees in nutrition sciences may also refer to themselves as nutritionists.

What Is a Nutritionist?

Simply put, a registered dietitian could call themselves a nutritionist, but a nutritionist cannot call themselves a registered dietitian. The term “nutritionist” refers to a broad category of those who aim to help people eat healthy, and it does not have one definition. In isolation, it doesn’t reflect specific training, schooling, credentials or experience.

I’m also starting to see more and more titles pop up, like “certified nutritionist” and “holistic nutritionist.” It seems like folks use these titles after taking abbreviated courses—some as short as a few weeks. And while they may sound official, they’re not.

This does not mean that all nutritionists are misinformed. But because the term is unregulated, it can make it difficult to know who to trust. Here at EatingWell, we work with a number of nutrition professionals and nutrition writers who may not be registered dietitians, but their personal and professional track record aligns with our brand, and we trust them with our content. To add an extra layer of confidence, we also have registered dietitians review every single piece of nutrition content before publishing.

Red Flags to Watch Out For

Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to decipher what to trust when it comes to nutrition advice. Your best bet is to start by verifying whether the person sharing the information is a credentialed nutrition professional. And even then, it’s still good to think critically about what’s being shared and run through this list of red flags. As with any profession, just because someone is a registered dietitian or has advanced degrees in nutrition or another health field, doesn’t mean everything they say is always completely accurate.

Here are some of the most common red flags to watch out for to help you identify what advice to be wary of.

• Fear-mongering or calling specific foods “toxic”

• Suggesting specific foods or entire food groups should be avoided

• Claiming the need for a “detox” or “cleanse”

• Promising weight loss or fat loss from a very specific food, supplement or habit

• Failing to cite or share scholarly sources

• Sharing advice that’s associated with an advertisement

• Advocating for extreme fasting or restriction

The Bottom Line

Would you want to get a root canal from someone who isn’t a trained dentist? Or heart surgery from someone who isn’t a cardiac surgeon? Probably not. Which is also why you shouldn’t receive your nutrition information or personal nutrition counseling from someone who isn’t a qualified nutrition professional. I feel passionately about this topic because I’ve lived it.

Here at EatingWell we take our nutrition content and reporting seriously. We have numerous on-staff and freelance registered dietitians who work hard to create, edit and review all of our nutrition articles, recipes, meal plans, videos, social posts and more. Even if a dietitian creates content, it is reviewed by another dietitian to ensure it’s accurate and captures multiple perspectives. All this is done to help ensure the nutrition content we share is factual, serviceable, clear and non-damaging.

In the age of social media, misinformation can travel further and faster than ever before. So it’s more important now than ever to proceed with caution when it comes to where and from whom you get your nutrition advice. Knowing the difference between a registered dietitian and someone without professional nutrition expertise can help you critically decide what advice to consider. 

So, the next time you have a question about your eating habits, talk to a registered dietitian—a specialized nutrition professional. And if you see a “nutritionist” influencer telling you you need to cut out carbs, processed foods or seed oils, keep scrolling.

Read the original article on Eating Well.