Nutrition & detox

Nutritionist

นักโภชนาการ

A nutritionist is trained in nutrition science and gives information and guidance on how food affects health and wellbeing.

IntensityGentle

Origin

International

History

Modern nutrition science; in Thailand, Mahidol University’s Institute of Nutrition (founded 1977) launched the country’s first master’s degree in nutrition

Licence in Thailand

Not required

Where it comes from

Nutrition became a science through research on nutrients, metabolism and public health. Nutritionists apply this knowledge in public health programmes, research, the food industry, education, media and private practice.

In Thailand, nutrition science grew out of the fight against child malnutrition. Mahidol University’s Institute of Nutrition was founded in 1977 to address national nutrition problems; it launched the country’s first master’s degree in nutrition that same year and later contributed to Thai nutrition labelling, the Thai Food Composition Tables and the Healthier Choice logo.

Unlike “dietitian”, the word “nutritionist” is not always a regulated title. In the United Kingdom it is not protected, and a voluntary register (the UK Voluntary Register of Nutritionists, run by the Association for Nutrition) identifies qualified Registered Nutritionists.

The principle

A nutritionist works from evidence about food and health. A typical starting point is the WHO’s principles of a healthy diet: adequacy, balance, moderation and diversity, with at least 400 g of fruit and vegetables a day, free sugars below 10% of energy and less than 5 g of salt a day.

Nutritionists generally offer guidance and education for healthy people or communities. Assessing and treating nutrition problems in patients is the role of a registered dietitian, a distinction made both by the British Dietetic Association and by Thai law.

What people come for

Understand the basics of a balanced diet
Read food labels and compare products
Plan healthier everyday meals for yourself or your family
Get reliable information on popular diets and trends
Support community, school or workplace nutrition projects

How it works on the body

A nutritionist works through food choices and information, not through physical treatment of the body.

A session, step by step

01
Your questions
You explain what you would like to understand or change about your eating.
02
Current habits
The nutritionist looks at what you usually eat and drink and your daily routine.
03
Information
You receive evidence-based information, for example on healthy-diet principles or food labels.
04
Practical ideas
Together you identify a few simple, realistic changes to try.
05
Referral if needed
If a medical condition is involved, a good nutritionist suggests you see a doctor or a licensed dietitian.

Precautions

Ask about training: a degree in nutrition science is a good sign; in the UK, look for registration (RNutr or ANutr).
If you have a medical condition, are pregnant or take regular medicines, see a doctor or a licensed dietitian for diet therapy.
In Thailand, giving therapeutic diets to patients counts as dietetics and requires a healing-arts licence in dietetics.
Be cautious with anyone who presents themselves as a nutritionist to sell supplements or promise fast weight loss.

Complementary practice: does not replace medical advice.

In Thailand

In Thailand, nutrition is taught at university level, notably at Mahidol University’s Institute of Nutrition, which has trained nutrition graduates since 1977 and works on national food and nutrition policy. Since the 2020 Royal Decree, however, the protected professional title for clinical nutrition care is “dietitian” (นักกำหนดอาหาร): assessing patients’ nutritional status, planning nutrition therapy and adapting diets to a disease must be done by someone holding a healing-arts licence in dietetics. One reason for the law, according to a 2022 Thai legal review, was that people describing themselves as nutritionists or nutrition therapists sometimes gave advice without dietetic training; the review cites a Thai FDA case where a weight-loss supplement falsely claimed a nutritionist’s endorsement and a loss of 15 kg in one week.

Frequently asked questions

Is a nutritionist the same as a dietitian?

Not exactly. Both study nutrition, but in Thailand and the UK only the dietitian is a regulated title allowed to assess and treat nutrition problems in patients. A nutritionist usually offers general guidance and education.

When should I choose a nutritionist?

For general questions about healthy eating, food labels or everyday meals when you have no particular medical condition.

How do I know a nutritionist is qualified?

Ask about their degree and where they studied. In the UK, registered nutritionists appear on the UK Voluntary Register of Nutritionists.

Can a nutritionist prescribe supplements?

A nutritionist can give information, but supplements are not a substitute for a varied diet. If you take medicines or have a health condition, ask your doctor or pharmacist first.

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