19 Sep Online Nutritionist – Virtual Dietitian Services

In 2020, the world went virtual. Online nutritionists, online nutrition coaches, and telehealth services abound. Some people, though, worry that with virtual appointments, they’re not getting the same level of care. Today, we’ll discuss our online and virtual nutrition counseling programs in NYC, including everything from support groups to corporate visits, and individualized medical nutrition therapy.

What is the difference between an online nutritionist and a registered dietitian?

Every dietitian is a nutritionist and nutrition coach, but not every nutritionist is a dietitian. There are key differences between nutritionists and dietitians regarding qualifications, regulations, and scope of practice.

A nutritionist and a registered dietitian (RD) are both professionals who work in the field of nutrition, but there are important differences in their qualifications, training, and scope of practice:

1. Education & Training:

• Registered Dietitian (RD or RDN): Must complete a bachelor’s degree in nutrition or a related field, followed by an accredited supervised internship and pass a national examination. Many also hold advanced degrees or certifications in specialized areas of nutrition.
• Nutritionist: The term “nutritionist” is not regulated in many regions, so anyone can call themselves a nutritionist without formal education or training. However, in some areas or for certain certifications (like Certified Nutrition Specialist or CNS), nutritionists do need formal education and experience.

2. Certification & Licensing:

• Registered Dietitian: Is required to be licensed or certified to practice in many states and must meet continuing education requirements to maintain their credential.
• Nutritionist: The certification and licensing requirements vary by state or country. In many cases, there is no legal requirement to be licensed as a nutritionist, though some nutritionists obtain certifications to demonstrate expertise.

3. Scope of Practice:

• Registered Dietitian: Can work in clinical settings like hospitals, schools, or government agencies, and are trained to diagnose and manage medical conditions through diet (e.g., diabetes, heart disease). They are often the only professionals legally recognized to provide medical nutrition therapy (MNT).
• Nutritionist: May offer general advice on healthy eating or lifestyle, but unless certified or regulated, they typically do not work in clinical settings or provide medical nutrition therapy.

4. Regulation:

• Registered Dietitian: Highly regulated by national and regional organizations, ensuring a standardized level of expertise.
• Nutritionist: May or may not be regulated, depending on the region, and the level of training can vary widely.

At NYC Nutritionist, we are a team of registered dietitian nutritionists who provide patients with MNT — evidence-based dietary interventions to help them improve their wellness, manage chronic disease, and reach weight loss goals.

How is seeing an RDN online different than seeing one face-to-face?

Our team of RDNs have been seeing patients via our safe telehealth platform for years.  Depending on each person’s needs, mobility challenges, or personal preferences, we see patients both virtually and at our offices in New York and New Jersey. The quality of care patients receive does not change, though there are some tests and appointments that can only been done in office.

• Body composition testing
• Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) testing

At-Home Functional Nutrition Tests:

As functional dietitian nutritionists, we always ask why. We can order many diagnostic tests for you. They are easy to use and arrive to your home. We’ll go over the results with you, and based on your unique wellness and health needs, we will create individualized dietary interventions. These at-home tests include:

• Salivary Cortisol Test
• Dutch Hormone Test
• Pinnertest

NYC Nutrition – Online Group Counseling:

One of the most powerful ways to get continued support if you’re healing your relationship with food and body, are recovering from disordered eating or an eating disorder, want to learn how to cook healthier meals in the company of others, want continued to support to reach your weight loss goals, among other things, is through virtual support groups

Guided sharing with others with similar goals can be a great complement to your medical nutrition therapy. It’s a low-cost way to become active in a community and connect with others. Here are some key advantages of virtual nutrition support groups:

• Meet people with similar nutrition goals.
• Discuss experiences and challenges.
• Share best practices and strategies.
• Get easy-to-prepare, budget recipes.
• Feel more confident about food and food choices.

Online Corporate Nutrition Experiences:

Our team of registered dietitians offers the latest nutrition insights for your organization. As trusted professionals in the healthcare field, our Registered Dietitian Nutritionists deliver personalized, expert guidance for your customers, clients, and employees. We tailor our corporate nutrition programs to fit your organization’s needs.

Favorite corporate nutrition and wellness program topics include:

1. Gut Healthy Nutrition Tips

2. Anti-Diet Approach To Health

3. Nutrition For Immunity & Anti-inflammation

4. Healthy Relationship with Food

5. Healthy Weight Management

6. The Core 3 Healthy Eating Plan

Popular cooking demo topics:

1. Dinner in less than 30 minutes

2. Easy lunches on-the-go

3. Healthy/holiday sides

4. Satisfy your sweet tooth

5. Plant-based plates

Explore our suite of online nutrition services from the comfort of your home and/or office. We look forward to working with you!