Nutritionists versus dietitians: there's a healthy difference between them

With growing public awareness of the importance of good nutrition, many of us choose to seek professional advice on how to improve our diets. But should you go to a dietitian or a nutritionist?

Most people assume they are one and the same. To confuse matters, in Hong Kong, the term dietitian translates as yin yeung see in Cantonese, while nutritionist is yin yeung hok kah. Because yin yeung hok kah is not well understood by the public, many nutritionists call themselves yin yeung see, or dietitians, says Terry Ting Ho-yan, president-elect of the Hong Kong Nutrition Association (HKNA).

The definitions and educational backgrounds of dietitians and nutritionists initially appear to be indistinguishable. According to proficiency standards published by the Singapore Nutritionist and Dietetics Association (SNDA), both nutritionists and dietitians are degree holders in nutrition, and both rely on the science of nutrition to promote health and prevent nutrition-related problems. Both may assume wide-ranging roles in health promotion, food service management, research, administration and consulting. But a key difference in the standards is that a nutritionist's expertise is confined to the concerns of healthy people, while a dietitian may advise both the healthy and the sick.

The HKNA's scope of practices is more explicit: nutritionists may not engage in individual dietary counselling, group therapy or medical nutrition therapy. But dietitians may advise individuals and groups on nutrition-related matters, and they may modify diets of patients in hospital to treat diseases and health concerns such as obesity.

Why the difference? It's all down to postgraduate training. Although dietitians and nutritionists both begin their careers with a university degree in dietetics, food and nutrition, or a related area, dietitians undergo practical training via a clinical placement or dietetic internship after graduation. Dietitians are highly regulated and must pass an exam to hold a licence as a registered dietitian.

In Hong Kong, dietitians must have a postgraduate diploma (or MSc) in human nutrition and dietetics from the Hong Kong University SPACE Institute or an equivalent qualification from the US, Britain, Canada or Australia.