Dietitian

A dietitian is a registered health professional with expertise in food and nutrition. Registered dietitians are the only registered nutrition profession in Aotearoa New Zealand recognised by the New Zealand government (under the HPCA Act) and many private health insurers. Dietitians need to be registered with the New Zealand Dietitians Board.

To become a dietitian you need to have a three year accredited undergraduate Health Science degree as well as a two year accredited Master of Dietetics degree or comparable training. The training must be endorsed by the New Zealand Dietitians Board.

Dietitians can work in a variety of settings. They work with people in:

• public and private hospitals
• private practice businesses
• medical centres and health clinics
• aged care facilities
• food industry organisations
• media
• sports teams
• government and non-government organisations
• schools and tertiary education institutes.

Dietitians provide nutrition advice to individuals or groups of people to improve their health and well-being. They work with both healthy and sick people to prevent or treat a wide range of conditions ranging from heart disease and diabetes through to coeliac disease and food allergies. They may work with sports teams and provide dietary advice to enhance athletic performance.

During a consultation a dietitian will assess what your body needs for optimum health and provide evidenced-based, personalised dietary advice to help you understand the impact food and nutrition may have on your health.

Dietitians provide nutrition information to the public through work with government and non-government organisations such as Diabetes New Zealand or the Heart Foundation, develop or modify recipes and nutrition information within food industry organisations.

Dietitians may lecture at tertiary education institutes such as universities and polytechnics, be actively involved in research, publish journal articles and present findings at conferences.

There are many reasons to speak with a dietitian, it’s important to work with a dietitian who has expertise in your area of need. Dietitians can help you to:

• lose or gain weight
• improve athletic performance
• manage digestive issues
• manage medical conditions, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, coeliac disease
• manage food allergies or intolerances
• manage eating disorders.
  
  

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Youi can search the find a dietitian(external link) directory on the Dietitians NZ website. and filter for region and area of specialty. 

The cost to see a dietitian will vary depending on if you are seen in the public health system or privately. For some conditions you may be able to see a dietitian free through your local hospital or outpatient services. In most regions, this service is limited. The consultation fee for a private practice dietitian will vary depending on time and expertise, it's worth looking into whether your insurance provider will cover the fee.

What separates a dietitian from a nutritionist is the level of training and qualifications gained as well as legal requirements to practice as a registered health professional. There is no specific qualification or legal registration process required for someone to call themselves a nutritionist.

However, to become a registered nutritionist in Aotearoa New Zealand someone must have an undergraduate degree. So, while one nutritionist could be well trained, another nutritionist may have no formal training. Always check a nutritionist's qualifications. You can also see if they are registered with the Nutrition Society of New Zealand.