National Nutrition Month: The Role of a Registered Dietitian
March is National Nutrition Month, a fabulous time to consider the role of nutrition and nutrition professionals in our culture and our daily lives. Eating is something we need to do regularly throughout our entire lives to sustain us and aid in our health and well-being. We are busy people in an ever-demanding world; having a knowledgeable and trustworthy resource for nutrition information is essential. Nutrition is a science; it doesn’t occur in total isolation. It’s impacted by and can affect our mindset, stress levels, sleep, physical activity, and more. With nutrition being an integral part of our lives, sometimes seeking support is well-warranted and a great next step.
Registered Dietitians (RDs) are health professionals who are experts in the field of nutrition science. To become a dietitian, individuals must earn a bachelor’s degree and complete a master’s degree program followed by a 1200+ hour supervised practice experience, all through specifically accredited programs. At this point, graduates are eligible to take the national registration exam conducted by the Commission on Dietetic Registration to earn the “RD” title. In many states, licensure is also a requirement to practice, and 75 hours of continuing education is required every 5 years. As part of this training and protected titles, Registered Dietitians have a code of ethics and scope of practice by which they abide.
For the sake of differentiation, the term nutritionist does not have any formal regulations or education requirements in the United States. There is no exam, regulated credentialing, or protection for the title—meaning anyone can call themselves a ‘nutritionist’. Certification programs are available, but these aren’t regulated, and thus, information can vary widely.
Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Day is celebrated annually on the second Wednesday of March. We thought it was a great time to define what a dietitian is, what they do, and the settings in which they work. RDs blend research, nutrition, behavioral science, and social science to promote health, prevent and manage disease, and guide individuals on dietary choices aligned with their health goals. There are a variety of different roles a dietitian may have within their career, depending on the setting in which they work, the populations they serve, or areas of specialization.
Dietitian Job Settings
Clinical dietitians work in hospitals on the inpatient side of nutrition care. They meet with patients who are navigating an existing condition or were newly diagnosed and guide them with education and strategies for the nutrition management of their symptoms and/or diagnosis, which is referred to as providing medical nutrition therapy. Clinical dietitians also support patient care through nutrition-focused physical assessments, malnutrition screenings, calculating energy needs, ordering oral nutrition supplements (such as Ensure or Boost) to supplement dietary intake, and selecting the appropriate modes of administering nutrients, whether by mouth or requiring assistance from feeding devices. An example of what might occur with a patient in the cardiac or heart health unit is that a dietitian provides education on a low-sodium diet and answers questions about adjustments to make to their nutrition choices and food purchases once they return home. Dietitians collaborate with other care providers in the clinical setting, such as nurses, doctors, physical therapists, and social workers.
Dietitians in food service management may work in hospitals, long-term care, assisted living facilities, and for state and local governments. They develop menus according to guidelines, standardize recipes, establish budgets to manage food costs, and facilitate programs and projects within the organization. In most cases, the RD role in this setting is not one of direct patient care, but rather behind the scenes in the kitchen or office spaces. Yet the work they do does have a direct impact on the health and nutrition of the individuals they serve.
Community dietitians may work for local or government organizations, such as public health clinics, schools, community centers, fitness centers, and corporate wellness programs. They focus primarily on developing and implementing nutrition programs and outreach targeting the needs of specific populations, such as older adults, low-income families, or people with chronic conditions. Assisting individuals in learning and implementing health-supportive behaviors through nutrition education and counseling is the foundational focus.
Outpatient dietitians can be associated with a hospital, clinic, or private practice. In this role, RDs provide nutrition counseling to patients following a referral from a healthcare provider or someone from the community seeking guidance for nutrition and lifestyle change. In this setting, a dietitian may specialize in a particular patient population or condition, such as bariatric surgery, digestive health, or women’s health.
In addition to these various roles, dietitians may also work in research, management, media, sales, consulting, teaching, public policy, writing, and publications
Our Approach at Summerfield Custom Wellness
At Summerfield, our dietitians are a mix of highly seasoned and new professionals with an abundance of knowledge and passion for serving our patients. Our services are oriented toward a blend of outpatient care and community wellness. We offer individual nutrition counseling via telehealth appointments, virtual group classes, and wellness programs. We see individuals who are referred by a provider, who are part of a worksite wellness program, or who just hear about us and decide we’re the right fit for their needs.
Our approach specializes in the intersection of integrative, clinical, and functional approaches that consider all aspects of lifestyle. What exactly do we mean by this? Integrative blends conventional and complementary medicine to combine researched and evidenced-based therapies to create a personalized action plan that is best for each individual patient. Clinical nutrition involves assessing markers of nutrition status, lab values, health history, and existing conditions. Functional means we have a patient-centered approach to the management of health conditions through the understanding that our bodies are an interconnected web of systems, therefore treatment requires addressing the root cause and supporting health and healing from “the ground up”. If you’re thinking this all sounds like a lot, you’re right, and we believe there is a place for all of it when providing comprehensive, patient-centered care.
Many of our team members have worked in various nutrition settings and came to Summerfield because of our approach. Our RDs bring their in-depth knowledge of biology and behavior change to meet each person where they are now on their health journey while learning and supporting their health goals for the future. In our experience, we find that people want to take action and make changes for their health, but they feel overwhelmed by where to start, they have trouble being consistent, or they aren’t sure what information to trust. Having a dietitian on your healthcare team to provide essential education, evaluate online information, and provide ongoing support and accountability ensures you build the skills and habits for prioritizing your health now and in the future.