Look for help with your diet and you will see three words used almost interchangeably: dietitian, dietician and nutritionist. They are not quite the same, and the difference matters when you have a health condition.
Dietitian and dietician: the same job
"Dietitian" and "dietician" are two spellings of the same profession. The Indian Dietetic Association uses "dietitian"; India's 2021 law on allied health professions uses "dietician". Either way, it means a professional trained to plan diets for health and disease.
What a dietitian does
A dietitian is trained in clinical nutrition: how food affects conditions such as diabetes, PCOS, thyroid disorders, kidney and liver disease, heart disease, pregnancy and childhood growth. Most dietitians in India study a B.Sc and M.Sc in food science and nutrition, clinical nutrition or dietetics, and train in hospitals. They assess your health history, medicines, reports and eating habits, and turn them into a plan you can follow.
What a nutritionist does
"Nutritionist" is a broader title. It covers people who work in public health nutrition, sports nutrition, research, the food industry and wellness. Many nutritionists are highly qualified; others have done short courses. The title alone does not tell you the training, so ask.
What the law says
The National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions Act, 2021 lists Nutrition Science Professionals as a recognised allied health category with two roles: dietician (including clinical and food service dieticians) and nutritionist (including public health and sports nutritionists). Registration of professionals under this law was still being set up in 2026.
What "RD" means in India
RD stands for Registered Dietitian, a credential of the Indian Dietetic Association. To earn it, a dietitian needs a qualifying degree, a supervised internship and a pass in the RD examination. The association lists RDs by city on its "Find an RD" page.
Who should you see?
- Diabetes, PCOS, thyroid, high blood pressure, cholesterol, kidney or liver disease: a qualified dietitian, working alongside your doctor.
- Pregnancy, breastfeeding or a child who is not growing well: a dietitian, together with your gynaecologist or paediatrician.
- Weight loss or gain without other health problems: a qualified dietitian or nutritionist.
- Sports performance: a sports nutritionist, or a dietitian with sports experience.
- Eating disorders: a doctor first, with a dietitian and a mental health professional.
Five questions to ask before you book
- What is your degree, and where did you train?
- Have you worked with people who have my condition?
- Will my plan be built on my food, my routine and my reports?
- How often will you review and change it?
- Do you sell supplements or products?
About the dietitian at Healthy Diet Studio
Healthy Diet Studio in Mudichur, near Tambaram, Chennai, is run by dietitian Bhuvana B: M.Sc Dietetics (Gold Medalist) and M.Phil Dietetics from Avinashilingam University, B.Sc Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, and a life member of the Indian Dietetic Association. She has worked at Dr. A. Ramachandran's Diabetes Hospital in Guindy, Columbia Asia Referral Hospital in Bangalore and VLCC Wellness in Dubai, and she consults in Tamil, English, Telugu, Kannada and Hindi. Book a consultation at the clinic or online.
Sources
- The National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions Act, 2021, India Code, Government of India
- Find an RD, Indian Dietetic Association
This article is general nutrition information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor before changing your diet if you have a health condition or take medicines.
