Dietitians

Dietitians are experts in food and nutrition. They help you understand how what you eat can affect your health.

If you are living with certain chronic conditions such as diabetes, cancer, obesity or food allergies, dietitians can help you adjust your diet to improve your health and wellbeing. 

Dietitians also work in hospitals, where they help manage nutrition for people with illness or injury. This may include developing diets for specific health conditions and managing enteral (tube) feeding or parenteral (intravenous) nutrition when a person cannot eat enough food.

In Australia, dietitians are different from nutritionists. All dietitians are nutritionists. However, nutritionists cannot call themselves dietitians, unless they have a dietetics qualification.

Both dietitians and nutritionists are qualified to work in areas such as public health, research and teaching, or in the food industry. Dietitians are also qualified to work in private medical practices, medical centres or hospitals.

In Australia, the dietetic profession is regulated by the National Alliance of Self Regulating Health Professions (NASRHP) (Opens in new tab). You must have completed an accredited university degree in nutrition and dietetics (Opens in new tab) to become a qualified dietitian and join the Accredited Practicing Dietitian (APD) program.

The APD program is run by Dietitians Australia (Opens in new tab). This program is the only qualification for dietitians recognised by the Australian Government (for Medicare and the Department of Veterans' Affairs' purposes), many state governments and private health insurers.

Dietitians can only maintain their APD status if they participate in ongoing training and education throughout their careers. They also must follow the Dietitians Australia code of conduct (Opens in new tab).

The profession of nutritionist is not regulated in Australia. This means that anyone can call themselves a nutritionist without having any specific training.

It is important you check the credentials of your healthcare professional before making an appointment.

You may see a dietitian to help you manage your diet if you are living with some chronic health conditions such as:

• high cholesterol or diabetes
• cancer
• kidney disease, gastrointestinal disease or heart disease
• malnutrition
• eating disorders
• overweight and obesity
• food allergies or intolerances

Dietitians can help you maximise your health and wellbeing at any age or stage of life, including:

• infancy and childhood
• pregnancy
• menopause
• ageing

You can see a dietitian as part of your holistic healthcare in the community, or when you are in hospital as part of your health management team.

Your first appointment with a community dietitian usually takes 60 to 90 minutes.

During your first appointment, your dietitian will spend time getting to know you and will ask you questions about your:

• medical history
• food habits and lifestyle
• what you want to achieve

Your dietitian may ask you to keep a food diary or fill out a questionnaire before or after your appointment.

Your dietitian will explain how your diet may be affecting your health. They can give you personalised nutrition and diet advice. This can also include tips on food shopping. Your dietitian may recommend certain changes to your lifestyle and give you an eating plan.

Your dietitian may recommend follow-up appointments to follow your progress. This is important in helping you achieve your health goals and improve your wellbeing.

During your follow-up appointments, your dietitian may adjust your plan based on your progress. You should feel comfortable to ask questions, express any concerns or share any difficulties you are having.

The costs for seeing a dietitian vary — you should check before you make an appointment. Medicare may cover some visits, but only if your doctor has referred you and you have a Chronic Disease Management Plan.

If you have private health insurance, your insurer might cover some of the cost. It is a good idea to check with your private health insurer before your appointment.

Here are some general questions you could ask your dietitian:

• What are your qualifications? Are you an Accredited Practising Dietitian?
• What do you charge for a consultation? Do you have concession rates? Do you offer any Medicare, DVA or other rebates?
• Do you offer telehealth services?

You may also want to ask your dietitian specific questions about how they can help you:

• Do you have experience with my health condition?
• Can you help me identify and manage any food allergies or intolerances?
• Are there any foods I should not eat?
• Can you help me with a meal plan that fits my budget, culture and lifestyle?
• What foods am I missing from my diet?

Your doctor can refer you to a dietitian or you can ask your family and friends for a recommendation.

The Dietitians Australia website (Opens in new tab) allows you to search for an Accredited Practising Dietitian. It can also show you if a dietitian has been suspended or is facing disciplinary procedures.

You do not need a referral to see a dietitian. You can choose to see any dietitian you wish.

However, if you would like to access some government benefits such as Medicare, NDIS (the National Disability Insurance Scheme) or the Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) you might need a referral from a GP.

You may find it helpful to see your GP before your appointment. They may refer you for blood tests that can help your dietitian give you the best advice.

Learn how a dietitian can help you (Opens in new tab) at Dietitians Australia.

Visit the Dietitians Australia website to read short articles about diet and health (Opens in new tab).

Eat for Health have tips for eating well (Opens in new tab) that can help you make healthy food choices.

Languages other than English

The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating (Opens in new tab) shows you the recommended portions of each food group to eat every day is translated into many languages.

Information for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples

View the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Guide to Healthy Eating (Opens in new tab).