Many people choose to see a registered dietitian if they are looking to learn more about how to eat healthy or to overcome challenges related to food. Before making an appointment, it’s helpful to know what to expect. In this post, we will walk you through what you can expect during your first visit with a professional.
Dietitian vs. Nutritionist
Before we dive into the details of your first appointment, we should review the difference between a registered dietitian and a nutritionist because these terms are often used interchangeably. While they may sound the same, these jobs are actually quite different, and the level of treatment and support you receive will differ.
A registered dietitian is a board-certified expert and has advanced education in dietetics. A typical nutrition or dietetics curriculum includes 4 years of courses, including biology, chemistry, medical nutrition therapy, food service management, and consumer science.
Prospective dietitians must complete 900 to 1200 hours of unpaid supervised practice hours in clinics or hospitals. Then, they must pass a national exam to receive their credentials. These exams are put forth by the governing body of dietetics, like the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics in the US or the Dietitians Association of Australia.
Registered dietitians are specifically trained to address medical conditions, behavioral issues, and more. And they must complete continuing education courses to maintain their certification. By 2024, dietitians in the US must hold a master’s degree before obtaining their credentials, making this a more prestigious profession.
On the other hand, a nutritionist is a broader term that refers to someone who has expertise in a health-related field. There is no governing body or set of standards for nutritionists. As a result, anyone could refer to themselves as a nutritionist — chiropractors, doctor of osteopathic medicine, etc. However, some states do place limits on how the term “nutritionist” can be used.
Nutritionists can lack the expertise to address medical conditions, provide nutritional counseling, and more. While they can provide general advice, they often cannot provide the medical support that you would receive from a dietitian.
So the takeaway, all registered dietitians are nutritionists, but not all nutritionists are registered dietitians. You may also notice that a registered dietitian will often take insurance, whereas a nutritionist will be solely cash pay. A doctor may refer you to a dietitian as well, but not necessarily a nutritionist.
Why Visit a Dietitian
Dietitians can do much more than help you lose weight. Because dietitians are trained in a clinical setting, they can interpret lab results and help you identify food sensitivities and understand how your body reacts to different foods. They can help you manage medical conditions, like:
- Diabetes
- Heart disease
- Obesity
- Cholesterol
- PCOS
- Kidney disease
- Cancer
As a result, dietitians can help you gain new cooking skills, overcome pitfalls and obstacles related to food, help you boost your energy, and more. They can also help you navigate the grocery store, plan meals effectively, and develop new cooking skills.
What to Expect in Your First Appointment
Your first appointment with a dietitian will usually follow the same model as set forth in Medicare — regardless of whether your insurance covers your visit or not.
- Initial nutrition and lifestyle assessment
- Individualized or group nutritional counseling
- Personalized assistance to help you manage health conditions
- And follow-up visits to assess your progress and fine tune your care plan
In your first visit, you will focus on the assessment and personalized counseling. Altogether, your appointment will usually last anywhere from 45 to 60 minutes. Let’s dive deeper into each of these aspects.
Assessment
Your dietitian will ask you questions or have you fill out a survey to determine your current lifestyle, goals, and overall health. They will also take some measurements, including, weight, height, and other metrics that can be used to develop a nutrition prescription. You’ll have the chance to talk to your dietitian about what you like to eat, how often you eat, medications you take, and more. This assessment will help your dietitian understand where you are at and what you want to achieve as a result of your visits.
You may also be asked to perform certain lab tests or food sensitivity tests, depending on your health needs. This could also take place before your first visit so that your dietitian has your results and can discuss them with you during the appointment.
Counseling
Your dietitian will consider everything you discuss and provide tailored counseling around your diet. This could include a nutrition prescription with specific macronutrient and micronutrient amounts. This may also include setting daily or weekly goals, like changing your snacking schedule, cutting out certain foods, etc. Your dietitian may also recommend group counseling sessions as part of your treatment plan.
By the end of your first visit, you and your dietitian should establish clear goals for you along with a clear action plan to help you make progress.
What to Expect in Subsequent Visits
To make lifelong changes, you will need to meet with a dietitian multiple times so that they can coach you and help you navigate obstacles — change is never easy, and a dietitian can help support you as you make big changes surrounding food!
You’ll likely have several follow-up visits with your dietitian, and you may even want to continue seeing your dietitian regularly for months or even years. And that’s great!
During these subsequent visits, your dietitian will check in with you on your progress and the changes you’ve implemented so far. You will also discuss challenges you might be facing. Your dietitian will provide you with additional resources to help address these challenges. And they may tweak your treatment plan based on your current needs.
Of course, you should always take advantage of your time with your dietitian to ask any questions or let them know about any concerns you have.
If you’re looking for a dietitian, we have a vast network of registered dietitians and would love to help you find the right fit. Send us an email at support@eatlove.is so we can put you in touch with an expert.