What Do Dietitians Do?

A registered dietitian (also called a registered dietitian nutritionist) is a credentialed food and nutrition expert who can help you reach your health goals. 

In this article, you will learn more about how a registered dietitian’s education, training, practice, and expertise. 

You will also learn about the services a registered dietitian provides and how Nourish's team can support you.

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What Is A Registered Dietitian? 

The titles registered dietitian (RD) or registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) can be used interchangeably to describe credentialed food and nutrition experts.

A credential is a professional qualification that lets the public know the healthcare practitionerl is a trained expert. 

An RD or RDN has completed a minimum of an undergraduate degree, supervised practice, passed a national exam, and maintains ongoing professional development and continued education.

A dietitian can help with: 

• Nutrition fundamentals. 
• Chronic disease management. 
• Weight control. 
• Eating disorder recovery. 
• Meal planning. 

Dietitian vs Nutritionist

Keep in mind that the term nutritionist does not have a standardized meaning or credentials; anyone can call themselves a nutritionist. 

Sometimes, credentialed dietitians refer to themselves as nutritionists to simplify their titles.

For expert health and nutrition care, check for the RD or RDN credentials. 

RDs and RDNs are trained to provide expert nutrition-related care across many settings. 

What Do Dietitians Do? 

Registered dietitians use their unique academic coursework, supervised training, and expertise to help people improve their health conditions in various ways.  

Assess Nutritional Needs

Registered dietitians start by establishing nutrition care with you by determining your individual nutrition needs and current state of nutrition and eating. 

An RDN may ask about the following to learn more about your needs:

• Your food and nutrition history.
• Different physical measurements (height and weight history). 
• Laboratory data and medical tests. 
• Food allergies or intolerances.

‍Nutrition assessment helps a registered dietitian partner with you to improve nutrition-related problems and their causes.

Develop Personalized Nutrition Plans 

Once an assessment is done, the RDN will create a customized nutrition plan to help improve overall health. 

For someone with a food allergy or intolerance, the plan might focus on label reading, understanding ingredients, and finding nutritious alternatives to include in their diet. 

You and your dietitian will adjust the nutrition plan at further sessions.

Educate On Healthy Eating Habits

A registered dietitian is trained in many education styles, including individual or group settings.

They can educate on complex nutrition and health information, making it actionable and realistic. 

They will help you implement healthy eating habits into your daily life. 

Support Health Goals

Health goals can range from being able to take a walk without getting winded to trying to consume a certain amount of fiber daily. 

Regardless of your health goals, an RDN will support your journey towards health with effective research-based advice.

They will help sort fact and fiction as you navigate nutrition changes. 

Manage Chronic Conditions

RDNs individualize the science of nutrition, metabolism, and disease treatment for a specific person and their unique health conditions, food preferences, and lifestyle.  

RDNs are specially trained in medical nutrition therapy (a thorough, personalized nutrition-based treatment plan) to help manage health conditions through nutrition. 

There are many ways to successfully manage chronic conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and kidney disease.

A registered dietitian can help you find what works best for you. 

Types Of Dietitians

Dietitians can work in many settings, including:

• Clinical settings like hospitals, clinics, or nursing homes. 
• Food service management and operations in hospitals, schools, daycares, universities, and correctional facilities.
• Community and public health settings.
• Sports nutrition and corporate wellness programs.
• Food and nutrition-related businesses and industries.
• Education roles include teaching at the collegiate level for future dietitians and healthcare providers. 
• Retail dietitians (grocery store). 
• Research, either directing or conducting research to answer nutrition questions.
• Private practice, they can run their own business or consult for other healthcare companies. 

Some RDNs pursue advanced certifications in specialized nutrition fields, like sports, pediatrics, kidney, cancer, geriatric nutrition, or diabetes. 

Nourish can connect you with an RDN, and many have advanced certifications.

To help you find the best fit, Nourish lists over 600 RDNs, their specialty areas, and their styles. 

Education And Training Requirements For Registered Dietitians 

An RD or RDN has completed rigorous education and training requirements, including:

• An undergraduate degree from an accredited dietetics program(after 2024, new registered dietitians must obtain a graduate degree)
• 1,000 to 1,200 hours of supervised practice under a licensed professional.
• A national registration exam governed by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR). 
• Some states require additional licensing, but all registered dietitians are nutrition experts credentialed by the CDR.

Once prospective dietitians successfully complete all of these education and training items, they can apply for their registered dietitian credentials. 

Continuing Education Requirements

After becoming credentialed, an RDN must maintain their credentials through ongoing professional development.

Ongoing education keeps healthcare professionals up-to-date on nutrition practices and discoveries.

The CDR requires 75 hours of continuing education every five years.

RDNs follow guidelines for obtaining continuing education and document their hours on the CDR website.

Some states have additional regulatory laws and qualifications to maintain state licensures. 

How Can A Dietitian Help Me?

Working with a registered dietitian can benefit anyone.

Food and beverage choices help your body work properly and feel its best.

A registered dietitian is uniquely trained to address specific health conditions or diseases with nutrition. 

They can also help with common nutrition concerns, such as meal planning, fueling your body well, food intolerances, and eating habits. 

A registered dietitian wants to help you find a sustainable and enjoyable eating style. 

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How To Find A Registered Dietitian In Your Area

You can start by checking with your local hospital to find a registered dietitian in your area who can see you in person. 

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics also provides a search tool to find a nutrition expert in person or via telehealth.

Nourish is in-network with many major insurance providers.

Additionally, 94% of in-network patients pay $0 out of pocket.

‍Use our insurance coverage calculator to verify your coverage and learn more about how we work with your insurance company.

Find out more about working with a Nourish registered dietitian.

They have over 600 clinicians to find the right fit for you. 

Working With A Registered Dietitian At Nourish

Nourish makes it easy to find a registered dietitian that fits your needs. 

Nourish will work with your insurance company to ensure coverage before your first visit, eliminating uncertainty. 

They also provide a simple search tool that allows you to filter by nutrition concerns, health conditions, approaches to nutrition care, and more. 

You can learn more about each registered dietitian on their profile and in their recent patient reviews.

Takeaway

A registered dietitian has completed rigorous education and training requirements for nutrition, food components, human science and biology, human behavior, and health conditions, making them a unique asset to your healthcare team. 

A registered dietitian is a credentialed nutrition expert who will support your journey toward improved health and nutrition with practical research-based advice. 

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How A Dietitian Can Help

Working with a registered dietitian can help you achieve your health goals and build confidence in managing your health condition for years. 

A registered dietitian partners with you to provide expert, individualized nutrition guidance to help you make positive changes in your eating and life. 

Here are some related topics to learn about the benefits of working with a registered dietitian:

• Does my insurance cover nutrition counseling?
• How can working with a dietitian help with diabetes?
• Here are 7 reasons to see a dietitian.

Find a dietitian who accepts insurance through Nourish.