The Mystery Behind RDN

Picture taken from
http://www.fitness4phoenix.com/what-makes-a-good-nutritionist/

A fellow technician I work with brought it to my attention that there is a new and optional credential for Registered Dietitians (RD) that is called Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN). After being approved by both the Board of Directors of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the Commission on Dietetic Registration it is very much official. It is optional and doesn't mean a dietitian using RD has more, less, or different roles and powers as someone choosing to use RDN.



You can read more about what the Academy has to say at http://www.eatright.org/rdn/ .  I happen to have today off work (SCORE!) but if you don't and don't have time to read the whole statement, here's a brief summary:

• "Every Registered Dietitian is a Nutritionist, but not every Nutritionist is a Registered Dietitian"  This is the title of the report and one reason for the creation of the RDN credential.  Many people get the title dietitian and nutritionist confused;  a dietitian has gone through the appropriate schooling and passed a test to become an RD while the term nutritionist is broad.  Anyone could call them self a nutritionist but not everyone can call them self a dietitian.  It's kinda of like a psychiatrist and psychologist...I always get them confused but I know they're not the same and one can be both but one cannot.  A cop and police officer are the same thing, a dietitian and nutritionist aren't always the same thing.  Did I confuse you more? Or did ya get it? I think they're doing this to help avoid confusion...?

• Incorporating nutritionist in the credential gives a broader concept of wellness.The Academy now includes nutrition in its title; it used to be the ADA (American Dietetic Association) and now is the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. 

• The RD and RDN credential have identical meanings and legal trademark definitions

• Using RDN instead of RD is optional, "The RDN credential is offered as an option to RDs who want to emphasize the nutrition aspect of their credential to the public and to other health practitioners"