The Hidden Treasures of Health: Benefits of Seeing a Dietitian
- Karla Andrade
- Nov 17, 2024
- 4 min read
Updated: 4 days ago
What is a Dietitian? Do people even know what they do other than tell us to eat some fruits and vegetables? Why would you want to go see one? According to the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, a Dietitian is a “health professional who is an expert in nutrition and the human diet.” They are educated and licensed individuals who help promote health and prevent chronic diseases through the use of dietary interventions.
They are pretty much experts in the field of nutrition and know the intricacies of what it means to eat healthy. It is a much more complicated field than people make it out to be due to the amount of creativity and considerations that need to be taken in account for when dealing with each individual’s preferences and limitations. Therefore, we can see they play a critical role in healthcare by treating and catering to each individual’s unique circumstances.
So then we might wonder why do most people not think about seeing a Dietitian? It is estimated that hospitals only refer patients to a Dietitian about 16.8% of the time for health services (Eglseer & Bauer, 2020). Truth be told is that Dietitians are often overshadowed by nurses and other practitioners. They are not thought of as an immediate choice to go to when one wants to improve their health. However, they are just as important in the field in healthcare as they can provide services that no other practitioners provide. Therefore, more respect should be directed towards them instead of other practitioners getting all the praise. Did you know that doctors get only 25 hours of nutrition education in medical school (Stanford Medicine, 2019). Compared to a Dietitian, who dedicated their entire career to nutrition, why would a doctor be more credible in giving nutrition advice to the public? Here are some of the most notable skills a Registered Dietitian provides to their clients that other physicians do not:
Personalized Nutrition Plans
One of the most notable things a Dietitian does is create personalized meal plans for each of their clients. Many factors are taken into account for when meal plans are created. These include things such as health conditions, lifestyle, and personal food preferences. We can see that Dietitians work hard to ensure your nutrition goals are met through whatever means necessary. Dietitians can also learn a lot about a client by seeing what parts of the meal plan they might enjoy more than others and then further adjust accordingly.
Disease Prevention and Management
Nutrition is one of the biggest factors which determine our long-term health as food contains the three macromolecules essential to life. Also known as proteins, carbohydrates, and fats, food is the building block for all of our bodies. Chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and obesity are incredibly detrimental to one’s quality of life. According to the Cleveland Clinic, illnesses are closely linked to what you eat (Clinic, 2020). Therefore, seeing a Dietitian will be the proper expert in guiding someone towards the right path of how their disease can slowly be treated or completely prevented.
Weight Management
Moving on to one of the biggest reasons a person might want to see a Dietitian is weight management. According to weight loss statistics, about 49.1% of US adults try to lose weight in a given 12 months. This is an alarmingly high number which truly depicts how prevalent the issue is. Therefore, why not go see an expert in food; one of the sole determinants in how much a person weighs. A proper diet catered to a client, coupled with a consistent exercise routine will help many achieve their goals of reaching their desired weight and physique.
Sports Nutrition
It is no secret that athletes can benefit from seeing a Dietitian. This is due to the vast correlation that proper foods can have on athletic performance. Dietitians can provide lots of guidance on what foods an athlete can eat and what supplements they may want to take in order to enhance recovery, increase hydration, increase strength, and so much more.
Nutrition Education
Finally, one of key skills Registered Dietitians can provide is nutrition education. Nutrition has been so complicated due to the amount of conflicting information that is present in the media. There are so many diet trends, misinformation, and conflicting information that it is hard to determine what is right from wrong. So seeing a Dietitian might settle this internet debate once and for all as they have dedicated a whole life learning the complexities of nutrition. It will provide clarity with what is true information and what may be the correct path for each individual’s goals.
As we can see, a Dietitian is actually really skilled and knowledgeable when it comes to food. They should be acknowledged as genuine experts in the field of nutrition and nearly everything about how different food affects the body. With this in mind, Dietitians can be seen through different methods. This can be in-person consultations and demonstrations through a clinic. Or they can be seen in a more convenient form such as online consultations where plans and advice are provided to people through virtual meetings and online documents. There are many options to improve your health, but if you feel that your goals consist of something nutrition related, then a Dietitian is a no-brainer as the health practitioner who should be seen.
References
Clinic, C. (2020, December 21). 8 Reasons to See a Dietitian. Cleveland Clinic; Cleveland
Clinic.
Eglseer, D., & Bauer, S. (2020). Predictors of Dietitian Referrals in Hospitals. Nutrients,
12(9), 2863.
Phoenix, S. (2023, February 8). Weight-Loss Statistics 2023 | Surprising Facts & Data. Great
Green Wall.
Science, M. C. C. of M. &. (2023). Dietitian. College.mayo.edu.
Sukala, D. B. (2018, January 1). Doctor vs Dietitian: Who Knows More About Nutrition?
Settling the Debate. Dr Bill Sukala.
Why Medical Schools Need to Focus More on Nutrition. (n.d.). School of Medicine.
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