Do you want to know the difference between a nutritionist and a dietician? A dietician and a nutritionist work in similar industries. This leads to a lot of confusion. If you are thinking of visiting either of them and would like to know the difference, read on.

Who is a dietician?

A dietician is someone who is registered and board certified just like a physician. A bachelor’s in health sciences at a recognized university is a pre-requisite for all dieticians. There are also plenty of other exams that a dietician needs to pass in order to receive a license. With the license, he can work as a health specialist in a hospital or consult his own clients.

There are actually four different kinds of dieticians:

1.            Clinical dieticians

2.            Community dieticians

3.            Management dieticians

4.            Consultant dieticians

Clinical dieticians mainly work in hospitals and assist doctors in creating an effective diet plan for patients. Community dieticians work in local communities to raise awareness about general health disorders and promote public health. Management dieticians are employed by companies to help them create food menus for various company events. Consultant dieticians are dieticians who have their own practice and consult clients on their own.

Who is a nutritionist?

A nutritionist isn’t registered as a dietician. For nutritionists, degrees aren’t a prerequisite. In fact, anybody can call themselves as nutritionists in U.S.A.

But a nutritionist often has specialized knowledge about foods and how it affects a human’s health from his own experience. Most nutritionists consult their own clients.

It is a nutritionist’s job to study the effect of foods on humans. They study what kind of foods our digestive system readily accepts and the foods that slow down our digestive processes. They usually work in the weight loss industry and help their clients by creating an effective diet plan for them.

Who should you choose?

If you’re looking to create a diet that’ll help lower your cholesterol, you need to meet a dietician. If you have diabetes and need a proper diet plan, consult a dietician.

If you’re looking to lose weight or gain more muscle mass, you need to consult a nutritionist. Consulting a nutritionist for immunity related issues is also fine. She/he will be able to advise you on various supplements you need to take. Make sure that you do consult a top notch expert. Not all nutritionists are the same. Therefore, exercise caution.

Always consult your physician if you are already taking medication before following a diet recommended by a nutritionist. A nutritionist doesn’t know if the particular food/diet plan he endorses will have an adverse reaction on your body or not. It’s a dietician who will know this.

You have to remember that some diets cause adverse reactions in some people. That’s why it is essential that you consult a doctor before starting on any diet programs.

You do not have to worry about the diet plan a dietician prescribes you. Most doctors consult dieticians before recommending foods to you. All dieticians are trained to recommend foods that are safe for you. They will conduct various tests before recommending any diets to you.

Would you like to know how to become a nutritionist? If you’re interested in pursuing a career in nutrition, here’s some good news: Nutrition is one of the few lucrative industries to be in. The demand for nutritionists has been increasing year after year. It’s likely that the nutrition industry will be one of the highest paying careers in a few years from now.

As a nutritionist, you have to guide people into eating the right foods that will keep them in good health. You’ll also be sought out by patients that need qualified nutrition advice for various problems such as diabetes, cholesterol, weight, etc.

If you want to become a nutritionist, getting a degree is important. Depending on the state you are in, you might need a bachelor’s or master’s degree in nutrition. In most states, a four year nutrition degree (bachelors) from an accredited university is more than enough to apply for a license.

Always make sure that the degree program you enroll in is accredited by the American Diabetic Association’s Commission. You might also need a short-term course to improve your basic health care knowledge. Depending on the state you’re in, the procedure to apply for a license will be different.

It’s your responsibility to learn about the specific requirements the state (where you intend to practice in) has for a nutritionist. Most of the states require you to have a nutrition degree certified by the American Diabetic Association’s commission. Apart from that, they might also require you to pass an exam.

An internship program is crucial if you want to land a kick start your career with a high paying job. If you’re just doing your bachelors, you’ll have to look for internship programs offered at your local hospitals and community centers. For masters, there will be an internship program which will help train you in all aspects of the job.

What kind of jobs will you be offered when you become a nutritionist?

There are lots of different jobs for nutritionists. There are actually four different types of nutritionists. They all have different roles to play and the responsibility that comes with each is different.

A clinical nutritionist is someone who works at a hospital. Such nutritionists help patients suffering from various ailments by prescribing the right nutrition for them. You might also need to consult doctors and co-ordinate with them when treating patients at the hospital. If you see yourself as a healer, this would be the job to pursue.

A community nutritionist can find employment at a local community or a NGO or some other health agency. You’ll need to help people avoid certain health disorders and promote the right diet among a group of people.

A management nutritionist is a nutritionist who works in a company and plans menus for hotels, cafeterias of a company, event management companies, etc. Most of the time, you’ll need a master’s degree to be a management nutritionist. But the pay you receive is quite high.

If you don’t like any of the above jobs, you can start your own practice by becoming a consultant nutritionist. When you’re a consultant nutritionist, you are self-employed just like a doctor with a clinic. You’ll be consulting various people who seek advice in regard to their weight and other health issues such as diabetes, cholesterol, etc.