Registered Dietitian Day

March 11th is Registered Dietitian Day. This is the second annual day of recognition for our nation’s food and nutrition experts. Registered Dietitians work hard to improve the nutritional well being of our nation and people worldwide.

What is a Registered Dietitian (RD)?

Anyone can claim they are a nutritionist; however an RD has the education, training, and exam tested skill set to ensure they are a food and nutrition expert. The background of an RD includes a 4 year undergraduate if not advanced degree in nutritional science, dietetics, or food administration from an accredited college or university. They must then go on to complete an internship comprised of clinical and community nutrition, along with food administration rotations. Upon successful completion of their internship, they must sit for a practical exam that earns them the RD credentials.

Dietitians are employed not only in clinical settings such as hospitals, dialysis centers and outpatient clinics, but also in schools, public health programs, not-for-profit agencies, nursing homes, fitness centers, food industry, research and development, and private practice. Dietitians help their clients translate the science of nutrition into key solutions for everyday life and optimum health. The dietitian’s goal is to help people make positive lifestyle changes to lower their risk for disease and improve their nutritional status.

A dietitian can help you develop a personalized eating plan to lose weight, better manage a disease such as diabetes or high blood pressure, or control symptoms of a food allergy or intolerance. There are many stages in the life cycle that a dietitian can help fine tune nutritional status; pre conception, pregnancy, early childhood, teenage years, adulthood, and retirement age. It is never too early or too late to start making key changes in your diet and lifestyle to improve your health.

Another integral role of the dietitian is to help weed out the misinformation and nutrition quackery so prevalent in our society. It can often be a daunting task to research and locate factual nutrition information. An RD is your one stop shop to get the facts on nutrition science and how these findings relate to your health status. It’s always amazed me how many people follow nutrition advice they’ve received from their hair dresser or the checkout clerk. You wouldn’t let your barber give you medical advice on a suspicious mole, you’d consult a specialist! Your best bet to avoid well meant, but potentially false nutrition advice, consult a dietitian. They are your nutrition expert.

To get more information or locate a Registered Dietitian in your area contact the American Dietetic Association.