Nutrition: Using a Registered Dietitian

Since today is National Registered Dietitian Day, I wanted to talk a little about how beneficial working with a registered dietitian can be in meeting your health and weight goals.

To become a registered dietitian, a person must first complete a bachelor’s degree in nutrition or dietetics. The next step is to complete an internship (generally a year) or obtain a master’s degree. This enables the person to take the national registration exam through the American Dietetic Association. Once the exam is passed, it is necessary to obtain 75 continuing education credits every five years to maintain registration. In addition, many states also have licensure and certification requirements that must be met to operate in that state.

Be aware that “nutritionist” is a very vague term. Anyone can call themselves a nutritionist. Some dietitians do use that term because the public seems to respond well to it. But before you work with a nutritionist, ask for his or her credentials.

Registered dietitians (RD) that specialize in nutrition keep up on the latest scientific research. There are so many fads and trends out there, that it is hard to know what is true and what isn’t. RDs filter through all this and can help you understand it. They also educate you on healthy eating for your situation. Maybe you want to lose weight, maybe you have diabetes, maybe you have a heart condition, maybe you have several concerns—they can help you develop an eating plan that meets your needs.

Some RDs are also coaches. They go beyond just educating you; they also help you determine what you can do to make healthy changes. In many ways, they ask the questions, but you provide the answers on what you are willing to do!

To contact an RD you can ask your physician for a recommendation. You can also go to the American Dietetic Association’s website, www.eatright.org. In the upper right hand corner, click on “Find a Registered Dietitian.” From there, you can search by specialties and location.