Anyone in Australia can call themselves a nutritionist or dietitian, no matter their training. Hence the most important thing is to ensure the practitioner you see is accredited by the relevant authority (the Nutrition Society of Australia has drawn up a voluntary register for nutritionists, so you can access this and find out of the practitioner you plan on visiting is all they say they are; while there is no actual course that guarantees registration, if they are on the register then they are the real deal). But to answer the question, a nutritionist completes a tertiary qualification in any number of fields, among them food science, public health or nutrition. A dietitian completes a tertiary course in food, nutrition and dietetics.

A visit to the nutritionist won’t be subjected to a rebate from Medicare and only a few private health insurers will cover it. However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t consult them for certain situations. If you require help in getting healthy through the right food choices, then a nutritionist is the practitioner you should make an appointment with. An accredited nutritionist will help you:

• Lose weight
• Break a weight-loss plateau
• Increase your energy
• Elevate mood
• Improve sleep
• Improve skin, nails and hair