Q&A

Dietitians are qualified and regulated health professionals that assess, diagnose and treat dietary and nutritional problems at an individual and wider public-health level. They are not the same as nutritionists.  The title of ‘dietitian’ is the only food and nutrition title that is protected by law. Only those registered with the statutory regulator, the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) can use the title.

Dietitians use the most up-to-date public health and scientific research on food, health and disease which they translate into practical guidance to enable people to make appropriate lifestyle and food choices.  They work in the NHS and in private clinics. They work with healthy and sick people in a variety of settings. 

They often work as integral members of multi-disciplinary teams to treat complex clinical conditions such as diabetes, food allergy and intolerance, IBS syndrome, chronic fatigue, malnutrition, kidney failure and bowel disorders.