Dietitian vs Nutritionist: What’s the Difference?

If nothing else, one commonality we all share as humans is the need to fuel our body with good food. 

Nowadays, with many food products being processed beyond any kind of recognizability, it can be hard to know what to eat for a balanced diet. 

Simply following online health trends can be a dangerous route. Like the popular ‘Girl Dinner’, where women often eat various snacks that require little to no preparation (like cheese, crackers, and grapes) and call it a meal.

This trend can be done well, but for most, the small plates sparsely covered with snacks don’t have the caloric or nutritional value to qualify as a meal. Girl dinner can mimic eating disorders and promotes the idea that women should be eating less and differently than their male counterparts. 

Although your family doctor may not be the right person to talk to about nutrition, Canadians have a couple of options to find qualified advice about food. 

Dietitian vs. Nutritionist 

Both dietitians and nutritionists go to school for nutrition and can give advice on how foods impact health, but can do so in different ways.

Dietitian

A dietitian has a masters degree in nutrition and this extra schooling allows them to be a more active part of your health team. 

The first step with a dietitian is to assess your individual dietary needs. They can develop meal plans with you (that you can actually follow) to improve health and prevent/manage chronic conditions, such as type 2 diabetes. This treatment is known as medical nutrition therapy.  

Not only can they help you figure out which foods to eat, they’ll teach you why specific foods are better or worse for your health. 

Dietitians of Canada wrote, “Research has even shown that counselling sessions with a dietitian can help you manage high blood pressure (hypertension), high cholesterol (dyslipidemia), prediabetes and diabetes to a greater degree than if you didn’t receive support from a dietitian.”

The teaching aspect is essential to reaping long-term rewards, even from just a few sessions. 

An undeniable benefit of working with a dietitian is they will take into account your food budget. Whether expensive or cheap, they will help you find food you can afford that’ll help you meet your goals. 

Though not all services they provide are covered by provincial health care, dietitians are included in the plans of seven out of ten major health insurers. Check with your provider to find out if you’re covered. Services may be included under: paramedical services.

What is covered

Your family doctor or specialist may be able to refer you to an outpatient clinic with access to a dietitian. 

If you belong to a Family Health Team or Primary Care Network, ask to speak to the dietitian who is part of the healthcare team.

Public Health Units and Community Health Centres may offer counselling, free programs and workshops with access to a dietitian. Check your local health unit.

If you receive home care services, you can call your case manager to see if they can have a home care dietitian come to the house. You usually do not need a referral from your doctor.

If you have diabetes or are at risk for diabetes, you can ask your doctor or self-refer to a publicly funded Diabetes Education Program.

If you live in a long-term care home, you can speak to the dietitian who works at your home.

Not covered

You can also see a dietitian and pay a fee for an appointment. Most employee benefit plans cover dietitian services. 

Some grocery stores and pharmacies offer appointments with a dietitian along with some programming like cooking demonstrations and workshops. Check with your local stores.

Dietitians also offer group programs, cooking workshops, workplace wellness presentations and more.

Services can cost anywhere as little as $100 to more than $400 depending on various factors. Ask about all associated costs and coverage before committing. 

Dietitians may also hold the title of nutritionist, but a nutritionist cannot hold the title of dietitian without the proper credentials.

Nutritionist

If you’re looking for a more hands off approach to learning about nutrition, a nutritionist might be the right fit for you. Without the same education background*, nutritionists are limited in what services they can legally offer.

*Some provinces lump these titles together. Keep reading for details.

A nutritionist can offer information around food and how diet can impact health, but do not have the qualifications to provide medical nutrition therapy. 

‘Nutritionist’ is not a protected title across Canada, so if you choose to go this route, proceed with caution. Check credentials before committing to any sessions – a nutritionist can include terms like ‘registered’ or ‘licensed’ in their title, but with no regulating body to award these titles in most provinces, they don’t mean anything.

‘Nutritionist’ is a protected title in Alberta, Quebec, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, so in these provinces dietitian and nutritionist are equivalent,” wrote Dietitians of Canada. In these provinces, you can trust the additional titles like ‘registered’. 

Nutritionist services can cost around $130-$600 depending on various factors like clinic, services used, and number of sessions. 

Nutritionists are not covered by provincial health insurance, but as a medical fee, costs may be eligible to claim on your taxes. Services may also be covered by private insurance though extended health care benefits or health savings accounts. 

Choose What’s Right for You

No matter which provider you choose, you can learn more about how to take care of your body by eating right. Although it’s such an important part of health, diet is often ignored by your doctor because they just don’t have the right knowledge to help.

Take away the confusion of food and learn how you can enjoy healthy meals that taste great and support longevity with the help of a qualified professional. See the table below to find the right one for you.

Province/Territory	Website	Protected titles and initials
British Columbia	College of Dietitians of British Columbia	Registered Dietitian, Dietitian, RD
Alberta	College of Dietitians of Alberta	Registered Dietitian, Dietitian, Registered Nutritionist, Nutritionist, RD, Dietetic Intern and Provisional Dietitian
Saskatchewan	Saskatchewan Dietitians Association	Registered Dietitian, Dietitian, Professional Dietitian, RD, P.Dt
Manitoba	College of Dietitians of Manitoba	Registered Dietitian, Dietitian, RD
Ontario	College of Dietitians of Ontario	Registered Dietitian, Dietitian, RD (en français) diététiste professionel(le), Dt.P
Quebec	Ordre professionnel des diététistes du Québec	Dietitian, Nutritionist, Dietician, RD, P.Dt (en français) diététiste, nutritionniste, diététicien,  Dt.P
New Brunswick	New Brunswick Association of Dietitians	Dietitian, Dietician, Professional Dietitian, Registered Dietitian – Nutritionist, Registered Dietitian, P.Dt., R.D.,  RDN (en français) diététiste, diététicienne, diététiste ou diététicienne professionnelle, diététiste-nutritionniste, diététicienne-nutritionniste immatriculée, diététiste ou diététicienne immatriculée, Dt.P., Dt.I, Dt.N.I
Nova Scotia	Nova Scotia Dietetic Association	Dietitian, Nutritionist, P.Dt
Prince Edward Island	College of Dietitians of Prince Edward Island	Registered Dietitian, RD
Newfoundland and Labrador	Newfoundland and Labrador College of Dietitians	Registered Dietitian, Dietitian, RD
Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut	N/A	Dietitians who live/work in the Territories are required to join a provincial regulatory body.

The information provided on TheHealthInsider.ca is for educational purposes only and does not substitute for professional medical advice. TheHealthInsider.ca advises consulting a medical professional or healthcare provider when seeking medical advice, diagnoses, or treatment.