So today, let’s explore some of the many areas of health that a dietitian can be involved in.  We will run through some of the typical places where you may meet a dietitian. And we will discuss 10 practical reasons why you might want to speak to a dietitian yourself!

To be honest, when I chose to study nutrition and dietetics, I knew that dietitians could help with “healthy eating” and “weight loss” advice. But little did I realise how versatile a dietitian’s role really is! Soon into college, we started studying organic chemistry. We touched on subjects such as physics, physiology, psychology and medicine. Then we delved into the causes and treatments for many medical conditions, and explored the role that nutrition plays in each of these. We looked at how our nutritional needs change through our life. Looking at nutrition from before we were born to approaching end of life. We discovered different ways to help people to get enough nutrition, be it via eating food, to using tubes to feed into the gut or veins.

And my career these past years have taken me on a whirlwind journey of many of these areas of dietetics.

I started off my career working in Peru. Here I helped to teach children with intellectual disabilities about healthy eating and offered cooking classes. Since I came back to Ireland , I have worked in many different types of settings. Large acute hospitals, large rehabilitation hospitals, smaller regional hospitals, nursing homes and in private practice. I worked in Dublin, Waterford and Cork (in Ireland) over these past few years.

I have worked with people one to one. And I have presented to audience groups of 5 to 250! I gained experience working in large acute hospitals helping people who have had strokes. And I have educated carers of those with dementia on how to help their loved one to eat.

In my private practice, I work with people who wish to optimise their performance in the gym. Here I also provide counselling to those with irritable bowel syndrome (or IBS) and people looking to lose some weight.  

One of my roles other now is to work with people with kidney problems. The job of a dietitian here is to help people to keep their kidneys healthy with very specific and rather difficult dietary restrictions. 

And at the same time I have worked with you all here on my blog, Youtube, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. I hope to share the life-changing effect that comes with knowledge about nutrition and our behaviours.

My career alone is testament to how versatile a dietitian’s role truly is!

And I have been on the flip side as well. 

I have advised my father on how to manage his cholesterol and recommended suitable snacks for the grandmother of a loved-one. I myself have seen the value of evidence-based dietetic advice in the lives of those dearest to me. And by following my own advice when trying to manage my IBS, and have found incredible relief using the low FODMAP diet.

So what is the definition or meaning of the word “dietitian”?

There are several definitions of the role of a dietitian. According to the Irish Nutrition and Dietetic Institute;

Dietitians are the only qualified health professionals that assess, diagnose and treat dietary and nutritional problems. They do this at an individual and wider public health level. They work with both healthy and sick people. Dietitians use the most up-to-date public health and scientific research on food, health and disease. They translate this information into practical guidance to enable people to make appropriate lifestyle and food choices.

Wikipedia defines a dietitian as follow:

“A dietitian is an expert in dietetics; that is, human nutrition and the regulation of diet. A dietitian alters their patient’s nutrition based upon their medical condition and individual needs. Dietitians are regulated healthcare professionals licensed to assess, diagnose, and treat nutritional problems.”

The term “dietitian” is protected in Ireland. You can only call yourself a dietitian if you “register” with the national professional registration board.

What is the difference between a dietitian v’s nutritionist v’s nutritional therapist?

There are many people who are interested in nutrition. I myself am one of these people. Nutritional science and the intricate role that our diet plays on our health is fascinating. And it is a topic that never ceases to bore me. Some people take their interest to the next level and decide to study nutrition. However, there are many different courses out there that claim to teach nutrition. Some are led by national universities, some are not.

While many people claim to be experts in nutrition, the level of knowledge on the many aspects of nutrition and diets can vary. There are many self-proclaimed nutritional experts out there. And it has become more and more complicated and confusing to find someone with the knowledge and skills to look after people with health concerns. The advice of an unqualified nutrition professional may sometimes be ineffective, may not be suitable for you and can at times even be unsafe!

So it is important that the public is protected and given an opportunity to make educated decisions about the people they turn to for nutrition information.

Dietitians have studied a level 8 Bachelor degree course in the science of nutrition and dietetics. They have also completed a set period of practical training in a community of hospital setting. Dietitians are qualified to provide information on nutrition and diets for people who are well and unwell. To be able to call yourself a dietitian (or dietician – another spelling of the word), you must be registered with the Irish Dietitian Registered Board. You are accepted onto the register only if you have the recognised dietetic qualifications. Registered dietitians must continue to progress their knowledge every year to remain registered. Dietitians are also governed by an ethical code which ensures that they work to the highest standards.

Nutritionists often have a bachelor or master qualification in Nutrition. They are qualified to give you information on food and nutrition. Nutritionists can often work in government agencies, public health initiatives and research. The term “nutritionist” is not protected in Ireland, so anyone can call themselves a nutritionist. However, some countries such as the UK do have a registration board for nutritionists with the required qualifications.

Nutritional Therapists may have followed a variety of courses, of different lengths. They are not eligible to register as a dietitian in Ireland, or as a nutritionist in the UK. Because of the large variation in the quality of the courses they took, they may advise you to follow nutrition plans that are not evidence based. This can mean your treatment might be ineffective or may even be dangerous.

So where do dietitians work? And what jobs do dietitians do there?

Dietitians in Ireland can work in many different places and have many different roles. Here I will share some of the most common roles that a dietitian has in each area.

Hospital

The majority of dietitians working in Ireland work in hospitals. In hospitals, they often work as part of your wider hospital team. They often have meetings with your medical team, physiotherapist, speech and language therapist etc. to make sure that your recovery is approached from many different angles.

Dietitians in hospitals are mostly involved in preventing or treating malnutrition (see my post on differences between healthy eating when home and in hospital here). Many people coming to hospitals are not eating enough as they are feeling unwell. At the same time, they may be burning more calories due to infections. And so many dietitians work with these people to help them increase the amount of calories they eat, in order to help them to recover faster.

Some people may come to hospital with a swallowing problem, or a problem with their gut. If the person is not able to swallow enough food, the dietitian may help them get their nutrition using a feeding tube that passes into their stomach or intestines. If the gut is not working at all, a dietitian may then help you to get specialised nutrition via a tube into your veins.

Dietitians in hospitals may also work with specific conditions. People with conditions such as diabetes, liver disease, kidney disease and pancreas conditions may need specific diet education to help them make the most of the nutrition they eat and keep their organs healthier for longer.

Dietitians in hospitals may see you when you are an inpatient, or they may run outpatient clinics and group sessions.

Community

Dietitians may also work in the community, meaning that they might work in health centres, GP clinics or come to your home.

Here they often see people who are referred by their GP. They see a whole range of conditions that may require healthy diet approaches such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, overweight/obesity, diabetes. They also see people who are at risk of malnutrition, and may help people who need tube feeding to meet their nutrition requirements. Often a patient may be transferred from a hospital dietitian to a community dietitian when they leave the hospital with a new condition.

Community dietitians often hold group sessions. Here they may provide education to groups of people with diabetes, parents of weaning children or people interested in losing weight.

Private Practice

Some dietitians work for themselves or for other companies. Some of these dietitians may see clients in a clinic, where the client seeks out the dietitian. Other private practice dietitians may provide group education sessions, food demonstrations or work for a newspaper or TV-show.

Government Agencies/Public Health

Dietitians may work for the government or national agencies. These dietitians might help to guide decision making on health policies, or they may work on national health-promoting strategies.

Research/Education

The science of nutrition, diets and eating behaviour is constantly evolving. And there dietitians are at the forefront of many incredible studies. From discovering the role of vitamin D in the management of different conditions, to exploring the reasons that people eat certain foods – all are valuable pieces of information. Many dietitians go on to study Masters or Doctorates after they have completed their Bachelors degrees. Dietitians may also work in education, training both other dietitians and a whole host of other science disciplines.

So we have explored what a dietitian is. We have defined the different between dietitians v’s nutritionist v’s nutritional therapists and looked at the role they play in various settings. Lets now take this to a more personal level and ask: Why would you like to see a dietitian? What questions would you like answered about healthy eating and weight loss?

I hear you wondering, why should I speak to a dietitian about these topics when I can find all this information online?

Well, in some respects, yes, a lot of information is available online. While a lot of this information is not completely evidence-based and is sometimes quite dangerous to follow… (Dr. Google will always tell you your symptoms are because of a condition that will kill you…) some of this information is now provided by trusted healthcare professionals and registered dietitians.

But to follow this advice, to change our diet, to alter our habits and behaviours – that is where things get difficult. And that is where a dietitian stands out from the search engine list of pages full of advice. Many dietitians are highly skilled and trained specifically to help you implement this advice. We know how to fuel your motivation. We help you to explore your barriers to changing. And we can guide you to set goals that we know you can follow. We use our skills in interviewing and psychological approaches and can offer our experience in helping people just like you going through difficulties similar to yours . We do this to help you make the most out of the information that will allow you to improve your health!

Here are 10 practical reasons you could seek the advice of a registered dietitian, and benefit from their wealth of knowledge on nutritional science and human behaviour!

1. You have high blood pressure, high cholesterol and other risk factors for heart disease.

Dietitians can help you to safely adapt a heart-healthy diet that suits you, your tastes and your lifestyle. They are a vital member of your health care team in managing risk factors for heart disease and stroke.

2. You would like to LOSE a few pounds to reach a healthy target weight.

Yo-yo dieting is a phenomenon we have all heard of and many of us have experienced it. Dietitians focus on long-term, realistic goal setting to help you achieve your healthy target weight, and keep you at that weight. Do not expect a quick fix – expect a long-term (and safer) fix.

3. You would like to GAIN a few pounds to reach a healthy target weight.

Healthy weight gain is another area of expertise for many dietitians. Whether you wish to gain weight after a period of illness, are experiencing an eating disorder or wish to gain some muscle mass through healthy exercise; We are happy to walk you through the steps and support you along the way.

4. You experience problems with digestion.

Bloating, constipation, flatulence – there is very little in the topic of digestion that your dietitian has not discussed before. We do not get embarrassed easily, and are happy to discuss and advise on how to help improve your digestive health. (Sure, I myself suffer from irritable bowel disease and have found great relief through following my own advice…) Check out my Gut Health blog for tips on managing nutrition for your digestive health.

5. You are caring for an ageing relative or friend.

As we get older, our taste buds change, we may need more assistance with meal preparation/eating and our usual habits around food may alter. Dietitians can discuss suitable dietary strategies for those with dementia and those who require special diets for their health in older age.

6. You are pregnant or trying to become pregnant.

Nutrition before and during pregnancy is vital in your baby’s development. Dietitians can advise on how to optimise your diet to help keep you and your baby healthy.

7. You know how to eat healthy, but find it difficult to build healthy habits to help you follow through.

Many dietitians are trained to help you both understand and follow-through with positive changes needed for your health. We study not only nutritional science, but also psychology and behaviour. Hence, we can try to help you establish healthy habits and motivate you to sustain your desired goals.

8. You have questions about how your diet may affect your diagnosed condition/illness (and vice versa).

Dietitians are not only experts in nutritional science for health, but also understand the relationship between diet and illness. Many conditions affecting your kidneys, pancreas, liver and other parts of the body may have a knock-on effect on your dietary needs. Seek out the advice of a dietitian for evidence-based and honest nutrition information.

9. You want to optimise your performance in sports.

Whether you run, cycle, lift weights – dietitians are able to support you in your endeavours by ensuring your diet helps you push forward, rather than hold you back.

10. You want to simply learn more about healthy eating.

We can help you on your path to eating healthily and happily through learning how to read food labels, how to optimise your cooking techniques, how prepare your daily menus and many more important skills. I myself love sharing my simple recipes with patients, and learn from hearing what healthy habits work for them!

I hope this post has opened your mind to the wealth of information that registered dietitians can share with you. You can find a video about the role of a dietitian HERE.

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