What Does a Dietitian Do and How Can They Help?

Dietitians are regulated healthcare professionals who are trained to help people with their diet and manage clinical nutrition concerns.

They can help you reach your fitness goals, prevent injuries, improve your overall health, and diagnose and treat clinical conditions related to nutrition.

Here are some of the things that dietitians do:

Create meal plans

Dietitians can create meal plans that are tailored to your individual needs and goals. They can also help you make changes to your current diet to improve your health.

Provide nutrition counseling

Dietitians can provide counselling on a variety of topics related to diet and nutrition. This includes topics such as weight loss, weight management, men’s health and sports nutrition.

Educate patients

Dietitians can educate patients about nutrition and how it affects health. They can also teach patients how to read food labels and make healthy choices when eating out.

Work with other healthcare professionals

Dietitians often work with other healthcare professionals, such as doctors, nurses, and physical therapists. They can provide guidance on nutrition for patients with chronic conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, and obesity.

Prescribe some medications with additional training

Highly experienced dietitians are permitted to adjust the dosages of certain medications (e.g. insulin for diabetes) and prescribe some others (e.g. nutrition support medications) as a secondary prescriber.

If you are considering working with a dietitian, there are a few things you should keep in mind:

Make sure they are qualified: Dietitians must be registered dietitians (RDs). RDs have a bachelor’s or postgraduate degree in nutrition and dietetics and have passed a national exam. They are also required to complete continuing education credits to maintain their license and will be registered with the Health and Care Professions Council
Look for reviews: Once you have found a few potential dietitians, look for reviews online. This will give you a good idea of their experience and how they work with clients.
Be clear about your goals: When you meet with a dietitian, be clear about your goals. What are you hoping to achieve by working with them? The dietitian can then create a plan that is tailored to your specific needs.
Ask for a strategy call. Many dietitians will speak briefly about your situation to make sure you are the right dietitian for them.

If you follow these tips, you can find a good dietitian who can help you reach your goals.