What are dietitians, nutritionists & nutritional therapists?

What are the different titles for nutritional professionals?

There are many different titles and terms used by nutritional professionals. Some of the key ones to know include:

• dietitian
• nutritionist
• nutritional therapist
• CNHC registered nutritional therapist
• naturopathic nutritionists (or nutritional therapists)
• functional medicine practitioners

Dietitians

Dietitians apply their knowledge in nutrition to help people seeking advice about disease and general health. This is to help them make educated decisions about their food choices and lifestyle.

As it stands, dietitians are the only professionals in the field of nutrition who are ‘statutorily regulated’. This means they are governed by law and an ethical code of practice is in place to ensure that work is carried out to the highest possible standards.

The law protects the title ‘Dietitian’ in the UK. Only those who are registered with the Health and Care Professionals Council (HCPC) are able to refer to themselves professionally as a dietitian.

The HCPC is an independent UK regulator, responsible for defining the level of professional training, conduct, and performance for 16 different professions. They have a register of all of the professionals who meet their standards. If any practitioner falls below the standards set or a complaint is made, an investigation will be launched and appropriate action will be taken where necessary.

Eligibility for dietitians

In order to be eligible for registration with the HCPC, individuals must have a minimum of a BSc Hons in Dietetics or a BSc Hons in a relevant biological science. They must also have a postgraduate diploma or degree.

All courses must have incorporated supervised practice, including some time in an NHS setting. Throughout supervised practice, they must demonstrate their competence in the field to be eligible for HCPC registration.

The British Dietetic Association is the professional body for dietitians and is in control of creating the curriculum for dietitians. This organisation is also the Trade Union for dietitians.

Where do dietitians practise?

Dietitians work in a variety of settings. These include the NHS right through to education, publishing, sport and government roles. Their expertise can be applied on a one-to-one basis to treat complex conditions in individuals, or on a wider scale such as informing the general public about food and health policies or educating other health professionals or community groups about nutrition.

Whatever the situation, a dietitian must apply knowledge supported by evidence, research and trials. They should not provide advice based on personal opinions, beliefs or anything which they could financially gain from.

Who can dietitians work with?

Dietitians work with many different teams of professionals who work together to treat complex conditions. This means that a dietitian may be consulted to assist in the recovery of an eating disorder, or advice may be sought from them to help with digestive disorders, chronic fatigue syndrome or for formulating an eating programme for an individual who requires a special diet as part of their medical treatment; for example in patients with cancer, HIV/AIDS and diabetes.

They will also be able to give advice on maintaining optimum nutritional status if you want to explore what are considered to be ‘alternative therapies’, such as an exclusion diet.

They may provide support through the NHS or privately. Either way, treatment and advice will incorporate the science of nutrition as well as practical advice for their patients.

Legally, dietitians are allowed to dispense or supply medication that is prescription only, such as insulin. They are also permitted to manage dosages of nutritional supplements andare able to adjust quantities on a patient's drug chart.

Nutritionists

Nutritionists typically work for public bodies or the government.Some work privately with clients. They generally advise on health and nutrition. They also formulate information for the public or employers.

As the title ‘nutritionist’ is not protected by law in the UK, it is worth checking what qualifications they have before you begin working with them. Those registered with the UK Voluntary Register of Nutritionists (UKVRN - regulated by the Association for Nutrition) are able to refer to themselves as a ‘Registered Nutritionist’, or as a ‘Registered Public Health Nutritionist’.

In order to qualify for registration with the UKVRN, nutritionists can either study on a course that has been accredited (meaning courses have met strict standards laid out by the organisation and any graduates are automatically accepted onto the UKVRN), or must provide evidence of strong knowledge in the field.

Though nutritionists are not required to be registered by law, many opt to join voluntary professional registers. Registers such as these check qualifications, insurance and experience. They often implement their own code of ethics and complaints procedure so that potential clients can feel assured of their practitioner’s professionalism.

Who do nutritionists work with?

Nutritionists can only work with acutely ill or hospitalised patients if they are supervised by a regulated healthcare professional. Though nutritionists are not allowed to issue or alter medical prescriptions, they may recommend certain supplements. UKVRN registered nutritionists will only suggest supplements that have been approved by the NHS.

While nutritionists without dietetic training are unable to offer dietary advice to those with medical conditions, they can make recommendations about food and healthy eating to help prevent or alleviate certain ailments. 

Please note, there are a number of additional self-regulatory bodies for nutritionists other than those mentioned herein. For more information about professional bodies, please visit our policy page.

Nutritional therapists

Similarly to ‘nutritionists’, ‘nutritional therapists’ are not currently regulated by law in the UK. As it stands, The Nutritional Educational Commission (NTEC) is considered the key organisation for the registration of practitioners with the title 'nutritional therapists’. They have their own code of ethics and complaints procedure so that potential clients can be assured of the professionalism of their practitioners.

Who do nutritional therapists work with?

Many nutritional therapists work in private practice and see individuals on a one-to-one basis, often receiving NHS referrals.

Applying their knowledge of nutrition science, nutritional therapists may work with healthy individuals to prevent disease. They also may work with a sick individual to minimise symptoms of a developed disease and uncover contributing factors.

Nutritional therapists recognise that every person is unique and has an individual set of dietary requirements. It is a nutritional therapist's job to establish what improvements or changes an individual can make to their diet to improve their overall health and well-being.

Nutritional therapy is recognised as complementary medicine, appropriate for both those with chronic conditions and those looking to prevent future illness.

CNHC registered nutritional therapists

The law does not protect the titles 'nutritional therapist' and 'registered nutritional therapist'. However, there are certain industry professional bodies and registers that use specific titles to portray registration and a high level of training. One such professional body is the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC), which was set up with government support to protect the public.

Members registered with the CNHC refer to themselves as 'CNHC registered nutritional therapists'. To be eligible for registration, they must have undertaken training that meets the minimum national standards of practice - as set by the Nutritional Therapy National Occupational Standards and the Nutritional Therapy Core Curriculum.

The CNHC is unique because it provides a voluntary register of complementary therapists approved as an Accredited Voluntary Register (AVR) by the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care. This is why a number of UK professional bodies, including the British Association for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine (BANT) will only accept members who have registered with the CNHC.

Accredited Voluntary Register (AVR) 

In 2013, the Department of Health (DoH) launched the Accredited Voluntary Register (AVR) scheme. This provides a layer of protection for members of the public looking for health and care services not regulated by law.

As there is currently no official regulation for nutritional therapists, the CNHC is one of several industry professional bodies to have established their own register which professionals can voluntarily opt to join.

Under the AVR scheme, these independent registers can apply to be assessed by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA) - the standard-setting body for health and social care voluntary registers. Upon meeting their criteria, a voluntary register will then become accredited by the AVR.

If you choose to see a nutritional therapist who belongs to a professional body assessed and 'accredited' by the AVR, this demonstrates a commitment to high professional standards.

Please note: accreditation does not mean that the PSA has assessed the merits of individuals on the register. This remains the responsibility of the professional body holding the register. 

Naturopathic nutritionists/nutritional therapists 

A naturopathic nutritionist or nutritional therapist has chosen to qualify in the field of naturopathy. A practice that places whole-body wellness of utmost importance, as opposed to treating one specific illness. An integral part of this practice is using whole, organic foods as medicine. 

Naturopathy draws upon the concept of healing through natural means that are prevalent in many indigenous societies. It uses authentic traditions of oriental medicine supported by Western-based nutrition. 

Functional medicine practitioners

A holistic, patient-centred approach considers lifestyle, genetics, psychology and physiology, functional medicine focuses on identifying the root cause of illness rather than treating an acute symptom. For example, your diagnosis can be the result of many different factors. A functional medicine practitioner will work with you to determine the underlying chronic cause behind the factors and subsequently the diagnosis.

A functional medicine approach is particularly useful for patients who have suffered from chronic illness or have been to the GP many times with a series of possible outcomes, but no definitive diagnosis. 

Useful resources

Each self-regulatory organisation will take a slightly different stance with regard to the definition of titles used to describe individuals working within nutrition. Below is additional information from various organisations about what they consider to be the key differences between dietitians, nutritional therapists and nutritionists:

• British Dietetic Association – Dietitian, Nutritionist, Nutritional Therapist or Diet Expert?
• British Association for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine (BANT) – Our Standards