Nutrition is a vital part of healthcare, influencing health, development, and disease prevention and management.
Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT), guided by registered dietitians, uses nutrition to manage health conditions through customized plans, which can involve dietary changes, supplements, or specialized feeding.
This approach is supported by general nutritional guidance like the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and is part of the growing “Food is Medicine” movement.
Nutrition Healthcare
Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT): A therapeutic approach to treat medical conditions through a personalized nutrition plan. Primary care providers or specialists often recommend it for conditions like diabetes or kidney disease.
Role of professionals: Registered dietitians and clinical nutritionists create and implement these plans. They may specialize in areas like kidney disease or diabetes.
Integrated approach: MNT is designed to work alongside other medical treatments, such as medication, and can sometimes help manage conditions to a point where medication is not needed.
Personalized plans: A registered dietitian will create a unique plan based on your specific needs, health goals, and lifestyle. The plan can involve avoiding certain foods, increasing intake of others, or taking supplements.
Specialized nutrition: For those with difficulty eating or digesting, MNT might include specialized support like tube feeding (enteral nutrition) or IV nutrition (parenteral nutrition).
Prevention and management: Proper nutrition is crucial for preventing chronic diseases like obesity, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. When these conditions exist, nutrition plays a key role in their management.
“Food is Medicine” movement: This movement emphasizes the importance of food and nutrition as tools for both preventing and treating illness, advocating for the integration of nutrition-based interventions into mainstream healthcare.
Insurance coverage: Many health insurance plans cover nutritional counseling as a preventive service. For example, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires plans to cover nutrition counseling.
Government guidance: The Dietary Guidelines for Americans provides evidence-based advice on what to eat to promote health and prevent disease
Chiropractors Specializing in Nutrition
Chiropractor Healthcare Taxonomy Code 111NN1001X
Nutrition chiropractors integrate dietary advice with chiropractic care to promote overall health, focusing on how nutrition impacts the body’s musculoskeletal and nervous systems.
They provide personalized plans for diet, portion control, and hydration, and recommend specific foods and supplements to address deficiencies, support recovery, and manage conditions like inflammation, stress, and weight gain.
Nutritionists
Dietary & Nutritional Service Provider Healthcare Taxonomy Code 133N00000X
A specialist in adapting and applying food and nutrient knowledge to the solution of food and nutritional problems, the control of disease, and the promotion of health.
Nutritionists perform research, instruct groups and individuals about nutritional requirements, and assist people in developing meal patterns that meet their dietary needs.
A nutritionist is someone who has completed undergraduate and/or graduate training in the discipline of nutrition without necessarily meeting the academic and experience requirements to qualify for the Registered Dietitian designation.
Nutrition Education Nutritionists
Nutritionist Healthcare Taxonomy Code 133NN1002X
Nutrition education nutritionists assess clients’ nutritional needs, develop personalized meal and nutrition plans, and provide counseling on healthy eating habits.
They work to educate individuals and groups about nutrition, promote healthy lifestyles, and create educational materials and programs to help people make informed food choices.
Registered Dietetic Technicians
Dietary & Nutritional Service Provider Healthcare Taxonomy Code 136A00000X
A Dietetic Technician, Registered (DTR)/Nutrition and Dietetics Technician, Registered (NDTR) is an individual holding a nationally protected title issued by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) to qualified individuals who obtain an associate’s degree or higher and complete a sliding set of academic, examination, and practice requirements accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) or established by CDR, the nature of which are dependent upon the level of academic degree obtained.
The scope of practice of the NDTR focuses on food, nutrition, and dietetics practice, as well as related services.
NDTRs work under the supervision of a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) when in direct patient/client nutrition care, and may work independently in providing general nutrition education to healthy populations.
Patient/client populations include individuals receiving individualized care who have medical conditions or diseases, as well as at-risk individuals receiving personalized nutrition guidance as part of preventive health care.
Registered Dietitians
Dietary & Nutritional Service Provider Healthcare Taxonomy Code 133V00000X
Registered dietitians (RDs) are healthcare professionals who specialize in food and nutrition.
They use their expertise to help individuals and communities improve their health and well-being through evidence-based food and nutrition recommendations.
Registered dietitians play a crucial role in promoting health and preventing disease through evidence-based nutrition interventions.
They provide personalized support, education, and guidance to help individuals make informed food choices and achieve their nutritional goals.
Registered Dietitians Specializing in Gerontological Nutrition
Registered Dietitian Healthcare Taxonomy Code 133VN1101X
Gerontological nutrition registered dietitians assess and address the unique nutritional needs of older adults by designing personalized meal plans, monitoring their health, and providing education.
They help combat age-related issues like malnutrition, manage chronic diseases through nutrition, and ensure proper nutrient intake—especially of protein, vitamin D, and calcium—while also considering food-medication interactions.
Registered Dietitians Specializing in Metabolic Nutrition
Registered Dietitian Healthcare Taxonomy Code 133VN1006X
Metabolic nutrition registered dietitians (RDs) specialize in treating individuals with genetic metabolic disorders by creating and managing individualized nutrition care plans.
They evaluate patients’ nutritional status, develop therapeutic nutrition plans, and educate patients and families on managing their conditions through diet.
They also monitor patient progress, collaborate with a healthcare team, and stay current on research and treatments for these complex disorders.
Registered Dietitians Specializing in Obesity and Weight Management Nutrition
Registered Dietitian Healthcare Taxonomy Code 133VN1201X
Registered dietitians (RDs) who specialize in obesity and weight management provide personalized, evidence-based plans that go beyond basic meal plans to include comprehensive nutrition therapy and lifestyle guidance.
They assess a client’s overall health, create tailored meal and nutrition plans, offer education on healthy eating habits, and provide ongoing coaching and support to help clients achieve and maintain long-term weight management and health goals.
Registered Dietitians Specializing in Oncology Nutrition
Registered Dietitian Healthcare Taxonomy Code 133VN1301X
Oncology nutrition registered dietitians create personalized nutrition plans for cancer patients and their families to help manage the side effects of cancer and its treatments, such as nausea, weight loss, and taste changes.
They provide nutritional assessments, offer guidance on eating, recommend specific diets, advise on supplements, and assist with feeding tubes or other nutrition support.
Registered Dietitians Specializing in Pediatric Nutrition
Registered Dietitian Healthcare Taxonomy Code 133VN1004X
Pediatric nutrition registered dietitians (RDNs) specialize in the dietary needs of infants, children, and adolescents, providing personalized nutrition advice, creating meal plans, and educating families on healthy eating habits.
They work with children who have medical conditions like diabetes, food allergies, or digestive issues, and also help with growth problems, picky eating, and achieving a healthy weight.
These dietitians collaborate with other healthcare professionals to ensure comprehensive care.
Registered Dietitians Specializing in Renal Nutrition
Registered Dietitian Healthcare Taxonomy Code 133VN1005X
Renal nutrition registered dietitians create and manage personalized meal plans for individuals with kidney disease to help slow its progression, manage symptoms, and support overall health.
They specialize in the unique dietary needs of people with chronic or end-stage kidney disease, including those on dialysis or after a transplant, by guiding them in managing intake of protein, sodium, potassium, and fluids.
Their role also involves providing education and support, monitoring patient progress through lab results and health goals, and working with the broader healthcare team to coordinate care.
Registered Dietitians Specializing in Sports Dietetics Nutrition
Registered Dietitian Healthcare Taxonomy Code 133VN1501X
Sports dietitians are registered dietitians who work with athletes to create personalized nutrition plans that enhance performance, aid recovery, and support overall health.
They assess an athlete’s needs, create custom meal and hydration plans, counsel on topics like nutrient timing and supplements, and provide education to help athletes make informed food choices.
These professionals support athletes of all levels, from amateurs to professionals, with responsibilities that can include consulting with coaches and chefs to ensure the best nutrition is available.