It is really quite simple, the Registered Dietitian (R.D.) is the food and nutrition expert.
R.D.'s are trained to work with the sick and provide Medical Nutrition Therapy. MNT is generally provided in the hospital, long term care facilities (nursing homes) or in a outpatient setting. This is the assessing, diagnosing and nutritionally treating those who are in a disease state, such as Diabetes, Renal Failure, many cancers, high blood pressure and heart disease, etc., etc., etc.
R.D.'s also provide wellness education, counseling and programming. This can be done in several ways. These R.D.'s may work with corporate wellness programs in your workplace, provide nutrition education at your local gym or athletic club, other health centered environments such as Day Spas. They may do public speaking, hold weight management seminars, or nutrition workshops.
R.D.'s serve as Food Service Managers in hospitals, schools, community feeding programs, prisons, and at your favorite chain fast food restaurant. In this role they not only manage the flow of money and food products through a food service operation, but they protect the consumer against food-borne illness, analyze and alter recipes to increase nutritional value,
R.D.'s also staff and lead community nutrition programs such as WIC, Summer serve, SNAP aka food stamps (in some states), Meals on Wheels, Head Start just to name a few. These programs are designed to serve a very specific population and meet a certain need. Generally nutrition counseling, education, and/or screening would be a integral part of these programs.
Some R.D.'s pursue entrepreneurial endeavors as Authors, public speaker, private practice R.D.'s, etc. The options are truly limitless.
This is just a very short list of ways the R.D. is utilized.
Nutritionist vs. Dietitian. A Dietitian can claim the title Nutritionist, but a Nutritionist may not claim the title Registered Dietitian. The Registered Dietitian has completed an approved bachelors or master degree program, an approved internship, and passed an nationally administered registration exam. A nutritionist may have a little, a lot or no training at all. There is no regulation for the use of the title Nutritionist in most states so you don't know what you are getting.
Hopefully you understand more about what the R.D. does.
In my next post I will let you know how to become an R.D., and discuss why I think it is important to attract more minorities to the field.
