Dietitian vs Nutritionist - what is the difference?
All dietitians are qualified nutritionists, but not all nutritionists are dietitians.
At ABC Nutrition, we are a team of experienced and qualified dietitians and nutritionists - meaning you can trust us when it comes to nutrition.
What is a dietitian/dietician?
A dietitian (often misspelled as ‘dietician’) is an expert in nutrition. They apply scientific knowledge about food and nutrition to individuals and groups to promote optimal health outcomes. A dietitian is qualified to provide treatment, education and support to people requiring nutrition information and advice relating to medical and surgical treatments and in the management of chronic diseases (such as diabetes and heart disease), as well as for general health.
Dietitians are New Zealand’s only nutrition professionals regulated under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance (HPCA) Act 2003. Unlike the title “nutritionist”, the title “Dietitian” is legally protected. By law, to practise in New Zealand and to call yourself a ‘dietitian’ or New Zealand Registered Dietitian (NZRD), an individual must be registered with the Dietitians Board and hold a current practising certificate, work within a specified scope of practice, participate in a continuing competency programme and adhere to a Code of Ethics.
To become a Registered Dietitian in New Zealand, practitioners must complete an approved university pathway—typically a relevant three-year bachelor’s degree with the required nutrition science prerequisites, followed by a two-year master’s degree in dietetics. Earlier training pathways included an 18-month postgraduate diploma, meaning Registered Dietitians have generally completed at least 4.5 to five years of university study in nutrition science, nutritional assessment and medical nutrition therapy. Dietitians are qualified to provide nutrition counselling for both general wellbeing and complex health conditions. They are the only nutrition professionals recognised to deliver clinical dietetic care in hospitals and eligible ACC nutrition services. Dietitians may also work in private practice, community and public health, research, education, government and the food industry.
All dietitians are degree-qualified nutritionists.
However, degree-qualififed nutritionists need to complete a Masters degree and be registered with the Dietitians Board to be dietitians.
At ABC Nutrition, all our dietitians are registered with the NZ Dietitians Board and hold a current Annual Practising Certificate. They are also all paid members of Dietitians New Zealand and have completed relevant safety and police checks.
Registered Dietitians
NZ Dietitians Board Approved
Working with Kiwi’s since 2008
What is a nutritionist?
The title “nutritionist” is not legally regulated or protected in New Zealand. This means anyone can call themselves a nutritionist, regardless of whether they hold a recognised nutrition qualification—or have completed any formal training at all. Some self-proclaimed nutritionists and online influencers may simply have a personal interest in food and wellness or may have completed only a short day-long nutrition course. Before accepting nutrition advice, it is therefore important to check the person’s qualifications, professional registration and area of expertise.
Most reputable nutritionists in NZ will be registered with the NZ Nutrition Society and able to call themselves Registered Nutritionists. Just like the term 'dietitian', 'Registered Nutritionist' is a protected title. To be called a Registered Nutritionist (Reg Nut), a person must have completed a bachelor's degree majoring in Human Nutrition from a reputable New Zealand University and completed a minimum of 2-3 years working in the field of nutrition. They must also provide evidence of ongoing competency. An Associate Registered Nutritionist is for those who have recently graduated with a bachelor's degree (majoring in nutrition) or equivalent qualification but have not yet acquired the work experience needed for full registration.
A Registered Clinical Nutritionist (RCN) holds a separate, voluntary registration through Clinical Nutritionists Aotearoa. This requires completion of an approved nutrition course incorporating clinical training and at least 300 hours of clinical practice. RCNs do not necessarily require the same university-level nutrition science degree or professional experience required of a Registered Nutritionist. A Registered Nutritionist is generally a higher academic and experience threshold than a RCN. Neither nutritionist registration (Reg Nut or RCN) is regulated under the HPCA (2003) Act.
Who can you trust for nutrition advice?
With the internet and social media so unregulated, you may be turning to an average Joe Blog for nutrition advice rather than a qualified nutrition professional. Anyone and everyone has their own view on nutrition online - whether it be going Keto, sugar-free, or cutting out gluten or carbs. But with so much information out there, who can you trust?
Nutrition advice is now coming from all types of people - influencers, celebrities, TV chefs, personal trainers, health coaches and even Joe (or Joanna) Blog. So how do you spot the real experts amongst all the pseudo-science touting nutrition gurus?
We recommend looking out for the following:
It pays to do your homework. Check all the credentials and qualifications behind those you are turning to before you go signing up to the next diet fad.
It's not only the qualifications that are important but also the quality of those 'qualifications' - a 3 day online nutrition course from an unheard-of university is completely different to having completed a Master's or Post-Graduate degree in Nutrition from a reputable university.
Don't be swayed by a blogger or influencer’s perceived 'success' on social media, such as their number of followers, celebrity status or physical appearance.
Just because someone is 'successful' online doesn't necessarily make someone qualified!
Advice should be based on robust scientific evidence, rather than emotional testimonials or one-off biased studies.
"What works for me" can be a powerful tool to sway individuals into pursuing a certain dietary lifestyle but it may have very little / if any, credible scientific evidence to back it up.
Remember, it's not always the truth you're reading or seeing depicted on your favourite influencer’s page. It's often a very photoshopped and edited version of someone's life and may not be an accurate representation.
At ABC Nutrition, we have done the homework for you. All of our team have completed tertiary qualifications in nutrition and are NZ Registered Dietitians.
Ready For Qualified & Experienced Nutrition Advice?
If you’d like expert guidance, accountability, and individualised recommendations based on the latest scientific evidence, our dietitians are here to help.
You don’t have to figure it out alone.