It’s probably the most common question I get. What’s the difference between a dietitian and a nutritionist? And honestly, I don’t blame anyone for being confused. The two words are often thrown around like they are the same thing, and depending on who you speak to you’ll get a new answer each time.
So here’s the short version: in Australia, “dietitian” (dietician is the American spelling) is a protected title. To call yourself one, you need a university degree in nutrition and dietetics, you need to be accredited through Dietitians Australia, and you need to meet ongoing professional development requirements. An Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD) has completed all of that and continues to upskill with 30 hours of professional development a year. A nutritionist, on the other hand, can be anyone. There’s no minimum qualification. Someone who did a six-week online certificate can call themselves a nutritionist, as could someone with a four-year degree. There’s no way to tell from the title alone.
That’s not to say nutritionists are dodgy, plenty of them are excellent and well-qualified, but the lack of regulation means you have to do your own homework as there is no agreed standard.
Why does it matter?
It matters because due to our ongoing audits and regulatory bodies, dietitians can do things nutritionists can’t. We can work within the health system. GPs can refer patients to us under Medicare Chronic Disease Management plans. We can provide services under the NDIS. We can work with DVA clients, NIISQ participants, and private health insurance rebates apply to our consultations. None of which is available through someone who only holds a nutritionist title.
It also matters clinically. If you’re managing something like malnutrition, tube feeding, IBS, IBD, or dysphagia, you need someone who has been trained to work with those conditions at a university level and who stays up to date with the evidence. That’s why the APD credential is so important, it provides a guarantee.
So what does a dietitian actually do day to day?
Depends on the dietitian, but here’s what my practice looks like.
Most of my work falls into a few areas: weight management, malnutrition, enteral (tube) feeding, IBS and IBD, healthy ageing, and dysphagia. Some clients come to me because their GP referred them, others through their NDIS support coordinator. Some just found me online and wanted help sorting out their nutrition after years of rebounding through fad diets.
A typical first appointment runs about an hour. I’ll ask about your medical history, what you’re currently eating, what’s been working and what hasn’t, any medications that might be affecting things, and what you’re actually hoping to get out of seeing me. From there we put a plan together. Not a generic meal plan off a template, but something built around your life, your preferences, your budget, and whatever health conditions are in the mix. A lot of the time we’re working on counselling through why you make food choices, and how to navigate that so we don’t get stuck again.
Follow-up sessions are usually shorter and more focused. We check in on how things are going, adjust the plan if something isn’t working, and deal with whatever’s come up since the last visit. It’s ongoing support, not a one-off consultation where you walk out with a piece of paper and never hear from me again, but I’m also happy to tell clients that my goal is to discharge you, to build up your own capacities until you don’t need input again!
Where I see clients
I do home visits across Logan, Ipswich and the Redlands, and telehealth anywhere in Australia. Home visits are useful because I can see your actual kitchen, your actual fridge, and we can talk about what’s realistic in your actual environment. It helps paint a more meaningful picture of what is happening in your life and how we can assist! Telehealth works well for people who are mobile and just need the clinical conversation without someone driving out to them. We are looking at opening clinics in each of the three regions.
How it gets funded
This is probably the second most common question I get after the dietitian vs nutritionist one, so here’s the rundown.
Medicare: If your GP sets up a Chronic Disease Management plan (sometimes called a care plan or team care arrangement), you can get up to five allied health visits per calendar year with a Medicare rebate. Your GP just needs to include a dietitian in the referral. While this doesn’t cover your entire session it does provide a discount which allows you to access 5 sessions for a lot cheaper.
NDIS: If you’re an NDIS participant with dietitian services funded in your plan, you can see me directly. I work with both self-managed and plan-managed participants. Your support coordinator or plan manager can help set this up if you’re not sure how.
DVA: Veterans with a DVA card can access dietitian services. Your GP needs to provide a referral.
NIISQ: If you’re a participant in the National Injury Insurance Scheme Queensland, dietitian services can be included in your support.
Private health insurance: Most funds cover dietitian consultations under extras cover. Check with your provider for the specifics of your plan. If you want to check whether you’re covered under your health fund, ask me for a quote!
Self-funded: You don’t need a referral or a plan. You can just book in directly.
How to tell if you need a dietitian or a nutritionist
Honestly, if you’re generally healthy and you just want some guidance on eating better, either could help you, but if you want the APD guarantee I’d be seeing a dietitian. In addition, if you’re dealing with a medical condition, a disability, complex medications, tube feeding, swallowing difficulties, or anything that requires clinical training, you want a dietitian. Lastly, if you want to access Medicare, NDIS, DVA or private health rebates, you need an APD.
If you’re not sure which category you fall into, that’s fine. Give me a call on 07 5616 6549 or book a free discovery call through thompsondietetics.com.au and we can figure it out together, no obligations.
