Dietitian vs nutritionist or naturopath: What’s the difference?

The terms "dietitian", "nutritionist" and "naturopath" represent distinct professions with different qualifications, roles and regulations. Read on to learn the differences between a dietitian, nutritionist and naturopath.

What do dietitians do?

Dietitians aim to help you manage and improve your health through your diet. A dietitian is also able to prescribe tailored nutrition advice for medical conditions, also known as medical nutrition therapy.

To be a dietitian in Australia, you must complete an accredited University-level dietetics degree. Dietitians who meet this criteria and complete and comply with the Accredited Practising Dieticians program are called Accredited Practising Dietitians. Dietitians often work in hospitals and clinics, aged care services and private practices.

Dietitian services

Dietitians can provide personalised nutrition advice based on scientific evidence. They can also help with a range of health problems like obesity, food allergies, high cholesterol, diabetes, cancer and gastrointestinal disease.

If you have extras cover with Medibank, you may be able to claim benefits towards consultations with a recognised dietitian, depending on your level of cover. Log in to My Medibank or download the My Medibank app to check your cover, waiting periods and limits.

What do nutritionists do?

A nutritionist provides advice to help you improve or manage your health through your diet.

They should have a tertiary qualification in nutrition, food science or public health. Nutritionists can be accredited or registered depending on their level of qualifications and their approach can vary. However, nutritionists are not regulated by the government which means that unqualified individuals may call themselves nutritionists. If you do decide to go to a nutritionist for advice, check their qualifications in advance to make sure they are suitable for your needs.

What do naturopaths do?

A naturopath practices complementary or alternative medicine that may be used alongside other medical treatment and therapeutic techniques.

Naturopathy is a complementary therapy and has a holistic and preventative focus, using non-invasive approaches to improve your overall health and wellbeing. Naturopaths may provide dietary and lifestyle advice as part of their service, along with other therapies like herbal medicine, homeopathy, counselling and tactile therapies like massage.

Naturopaths are not regulated by the government. As a minimum, a naturopath should have an Advanced Diploma in Naturopathy or Health Science, and should be registered with professional body like the Australian Naturopathy Practitioners Association Inc. Naturopathy may be used to complement other medical therapies but not in place of them.

There is a lack of clinical evidence that naturopathy is effective in helping to support the prevention or treatment of medical conditions, so it's a good idea to speak to your GP about your options and preferences before starting therapy.

Finding the right support

If you're looking for personalised nutrition support, start with your GP, who may be able to provide advice on the right service for you, or even recommend an Accredited Practising Dietician, nutritionist or naturopath in your local area who specialises in particular issues that are relevant to you.