Happy Registered Dietitian Day!

 March is, among other things, National Nutrition Month, and today is Registered Dietitian Day.  Maybe you're thinking there's a day for anything and what's a registered dietitian anyway.  As a registered dietitian (RD) myself, I may be a little biased in thinking that we're more than deserving of a little recognition once a year. 

RDs are highly trained professionals who work in hospitals, schools, restaurants, food companies, government, and in your communities to translate the (ever-changing) science of how food and nutrients affect health and well-being into practice.  We make sure that sick people in hospitals get the nutrients they need to heal; we train food service employees so they don't create or spread food-borne illness; we teach and support breastfeeding mothers; we create healthy, safe menus for school children; we help food companies develop new products; we teach patients with diabetes how to control their blood glucose through food; we develop public health programs to combat malnutrition and obesity; we teach, tweet, pin, and blog to share our love of food and health with the world.  Our work helps to enhance lives, lower health care costs, and take away people's fear of foods.

How's a dietitian different from a nutritionist?  In many states, anyone can call herself a nutritionist, regardless of training or education.  Some dietitians call themselves nutritionists, but the term dietitian is regulated by the Commission on Dietietic Registration (CDR).  The CDR mandates at least a bachelor's degree; extensive coursework in food science, physiology, biochemistry, research methods, and management; a 900-1200 hour supervised internship; and passing a comprehensive national examination before a nutrition professional can call herself a dietitian.  Nutrition is a second career for me, so it took me nearly 5 years, not all full-time and with breaks to have a few children, to earn my credentials.  Like nearly half of all RDs, I have an advanced degree, and many of us also receive additional certifications in specialties like sports nutrition, nutrition support (e.g., tube feeding), weight management, or diabetes education.

What don't RDs do?  We are not the food police!  We don't judge what you eat.  We don't push pills and supplements.  We don't shame and blame.  We don't follow every last food trend.  We try to educate, motivate, and help people see food as an enjoyable part of life that can enhance and promote health.  I'm proud to be a registered dietitian, and tonight, I raise a glass to all my fellow RDs.