Dietician: law and professional requirements



The very latest from the diet front say that more than 30% of Italians are overweight . Nearly 3 million people in Italy suffer from diabetes, with an increase in the incidence of type 2, even among children; this is what the most recent researches linking this trend partly to the effects of the crisis on nutrition explain : we spend less on food and eat worse .

In this panorama, the figure of the dietician, who intervenes, informs and works not only to treat but also to prevent appears to be increasingly important.

Who is the dietician?

The dietician, also known as a nutritionist, is a medical professional who specializes in human nutrition and who has a degree in medicine, followed by a specialization in dietology or food science .

Regularly enrolled in the register, the dietician can diagnose, prescribe drugs and formulate diets suited to the constitution and the peculiar situation of the individual. The dietician deals with various cases, ranging from dietary imbalances, obesity, overweight or excessive thinness, but also of pathologies connected to dysfunctions of various types that cause man's weight imbalances, such as hyper or hypothyroidism.

How to become a dietician

In Italy, according to the law, the dietician, or the medical specialist in nutrition, is certainly the most complete professional figure in this field. As already seen, to become a dietician it takes the 6 years of the degree in Medicine plus 4 years of specialization in Dietolology or in Food Science

    There are two other professional categories that deal with nutrition but differ considerably from that of the dietician:

    • the nutritionist, or a professional recognized by the State, usually a graduate in biology, who deals with consulting and information. According to the terms of the law, the nutritionist is able to make precise evaluations on the nutritional needs of man, but he cannot be considered a dietician doctor, who can make diagnoses or prescribe drugs.
    • the dietitian, or a food technician, subordinate to the doctor with regards to diagnosis and treatment. He is not a doctor, but has a degree in dietetics and is therefore a food specialist; like the nutritionist, he cannot prescribe drugs.

    What does the dietician do and where does he work?

    The role of the dietician is fundamental, not only to outline diets tout court, but also and in particular for what concerns the advice in case of physical or psychological pathologies that go to unbalance the nutrition, the health of the organism and its well-being.

    It should not be forgotten that the role of the dietician is fundamental for the help he can offer in all those cases of eating disorders, typical of young adulthood, such as anorexia , bulimia , binge-eating and more recent disorders such as orthorexia, often working in partnership with psychologists or other doctors.

    In addition to hospitals, within the Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition service, the dietician can work in various facilities, including gyms, schools, fitness centers, spa and health facilities, municipalities and public companies.

    It can otherwise operate independently, at its private practice, or by associating with other health professionals, creating a mixed study.

    In Italy there are various associations and institutions that deal with dietology. We remind, for example, AIDAP (Italian Association for Food and Weight Loss Disorders ), ANSISA (The National Association of Food Science Specialists), ADI (Italian Association of Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition). Point to stay updated on this is the website of the Ministry of Health .

    Curiosity : one of the best known dieticians on the Italian scene is Pietro Migliaccio. Professor Migliaccio graduated in medicine and surgery at the Sapienza University of Rome. Among the various activities and jobs carried out, including research in various food sectors, he is president of the Italian Society of Food Science (SISA).

    Previous Article

    Açai: properties, use, contraindications

    Açai: properties, use, contraindications

    Açai ( Euterpe oleracea ) is a plant of the Arecaceae family . Its berries are rich in anthocyanins, vitamins and minerals and perform a cholesterol-lowering and antioxidant action. Let's find out better. Açai Property The berries of this palm are a rich source of anthocyanins (plant pigment that gives them the typical purple red), proteins , essential fatty acids, fibers , vitamins and minerals . ...

    Next Article

    Symbolism of the god Vishnu

    Symbolism of the god Vishnu

    Vishnu, sometimes also called Hari, Vasudeva, Narayana and Jagannatha (only some of the best known among his thousands of names) is one of the main deities of the Hindu pantheon, he represents the protector and preserver aspect of the supreme being and sometimes represents being supreme tout court Despite having Vedic origins, in reality in these ancient texts his role was not at all prominent, and he had to wait for the development of his figure in the Puranas so that he assumed the very high role he now holds in Hinduism ...