{"id":724,"date":"2013-08-21T08:48:40","date_gmt":"2013-08-21T15:48:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.medicalfitnessnetwork.org\/?page_id=724"},"modified":"2019-09-16T08:11:14","modified_gmt":"2019-09-16T15:11:14","slug":"what-to-expect-from-a-rd","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/dietitians\/what-to-expect-from-a-rd\/","title":{"rendered":"What to Expect from a Dietitian"},"content":{"rendered":"

What to Expect from a Dietitian<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"Diet<\/a>The title Registered Dietitian (RD) is a professional credential, just like a Registered Nurse (RN) or Medical Doctor (MD).\u00a0 This title is legally protected and can only be used by those authorized by the Commission on Dietetic Registration.<\/p>\n

While many \u201cnutritionists\u201d provide advice that is not backed by sufficient research, RDs are trained to critically evaluate studies and base their advice on the most up-to-date research.<\/p>\n

\u00a0RDs are trained to provide you with safe and effective nutrition counseling to treat and prevent certain medical conditions.<\/em><\/p>\n

Some in the general public do not realize that there is a difference between a \u201cnutritionist\u201d and a Registered Dietitian.\u00a0 We want to help the community by providing a network of qualified RDs.\u00a0 We list each dietitian\u2019s education and specialty certifications, allowing you to search for RDs with the specific knowledge and skills you need.<\/p>\n

What is a Registered Dietitian?<\/b><\/h2>\n

A Registered Dietitian (RD) is a food and nutrition expert who has met the academic and professional requirements for the RD credential. \u00a0These requirements include:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Obtaining a bachelor\u2019s degree with courses approved by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND).<\/li>\n
  2. Completing an accredited, supervised practice program (often referred to as a dietetic internship).<\/li>\n
  3. Passing the national RD examination.<\/li>\n
  4. Completing continuing professional education requirements to maintain the RD credential.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Additionally, about 50% of RDs hold advanced degrees and some have specialty certifications.\u00a0 Some of these certifications include Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE), Certified Specialist in Renal Nutrition (CSR), Certified Specialist in Pediatric Nutrition (CSP), Certified Specialist in Oncology Nutrition (CSO), and Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics (CSSD).<\/p>\n

    The majority of RDs work in the prevention and treatment of disease, where they use medical nutrition therapy (MNT) and work as part of a healthcare team.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \"Diabetes<\/a>These RDs typically work in hospitals, private practice, or other healthcare facilities.\u00a0 They use their experience and evidence-based nutrition knowledge to assess, educate, and counsel patients with medical conditions and other nutrition concerns.\u00a0 Some of the medical conditions may include heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, kidney disease, digestive disorders, osteoporosis and disordered eating.<\/p>\n

    A large number of RDs work in community-based settings and in academia\/research, while a growing number work for food companies and in other non-traditional work settings such as corporate wellness and sports nutrition.<\/p>\n

    We want to educate the consumer about what to look for when selecting an RD and what to expect from them.<\/p>\n

    The following is a list of these attributes:<\/b><\/p>\n