Definition
A dietitian is a trained expert who helps people choose what to eat to stay healthy or manage medical conditions. They use science about nutrition to create meal plans and give advice.
Etymology
From "diet" (from Greek "diaita," a way of life or regimen) plus the professional suffix "-itian," modeled on words like "physician." The spelling "dietitian" is preferred over "dietician" in many countries.
Kelly Says
Diet originally meant an overall way of living, not just a temporary eating plan. Dietitians still think in that bigger sense: they’re not just about quick fixes, but about how daily food habits shape your long-term health.
Translations
AMአማርኛ
ኑሮ ባለሙያ
nu-roh bah-leh-moo-yah
ARالعربية
أخصائي تغذية
akh-SAH-ee tahd-HEE-yah
BNবাংলা
পুষ্টিবিদ
push-ti-bid
CACatalà
dietista
dee-eh-TEE-stah
CSČeština
dietolog
dee-eh-TOH-lohg
DADansk
diætist
dee-eh-TEEST
DEDeutsch
Dietassistent
dee-eh-tah-SEE-stent
ELΕλληνικά
διαιτολόγος
dee-ah-ee-TOH-loh-gos
ESEspañol
dietista
dee-eh-TEE-stah
FAفارسی
رژیمشناس
rezhim-shenas
FISuomi
ravitsemusterapeutti
rah-vee-tseh-meh-steh-roo-pee
FRFrançais
diététiste
dee-eh-teh-TEEST
GUGU
આહારનિષ્ણાત
aahar-nishnaat
HAHA
masaniyar abinci
mah-sah-nee-yar ah-been-see
HEעברית
דיאטנית
dee-ah-TEH-neet
HIहिन्दी
आहार विशेषज्ञ
aahar visheshagya
HUMagyar
dietetikus
dee-eh-TEH-tik-us
IDBahasa Indonesia
ahli gizi
ah-lee gee-zee
IGIG
dịetịshịan
dee-eh-TEE-shun
ITItaliano
dietista
dee-eh-TEE-stah
KKKK
диетолог
dee-eh-TOH-lohg
KMKM
អ្នកជំនាញអាហារ
nek chomnaak aahaar
MRMR
आहार तज्ञ
aahar tajnya
MSBahasa Melayu
ahli pemakanan
ah-lee peh-mah-kah-nan
MYမြန်မာ
အာဟာရပညာရှင်
ah-hah-rah-pah-nyah-shin
NLNederlands
diëtist
dee-eh-TEEST
NONorsk
dietist
dee-eh-TEEST
PAPA
ਭੋਜਨ ਵਿਗਿਆਨੀ
bhojan vigyaanee
PLPolski
dietetyk
dee-eh-TEH-tik
PTPortuguês
dietista
dee-eh-TEE-stah
RORomână
dietetician
dee-eh-TEH-tsee-en
RUРусский
диетолог
dee-eh-TOH-lohg
SVSvenska
dietist
dee-eh-TEEST
SWKiswahili
mwenye ujuzi wa lishe
m-weh-neh oo-joo-zee wah lee-sheh
TAதமிழ்
பசியால் பாதிக்கப்பட்ட
pasiyaal paadikka-pat-ta
TEతెలుగు
పోషకాహార నిపుణుడు
poshakaahaara nipu-nudu
THไทย
โภชนาการ
pho-chan-akhan
TLTL
dietista
dee-eh-TEE-stah
TRTürkçe
diyetisyen
dee-yeh-TEE-see-yen
UKУкраїнська
дієтолог
dee-eh-TOH-lohg
URاردو
غذائی ماہر
ghizaee mahar
VITiếng Việt
chuyên gia dinh dưỡng
chuyen gia dinh duong
YOYO
dịetịshịan
dee-eh-TEE-shun
ZUZU
isazi sezokwaneleko
ee-sah-zee seh-koh-wah-neh-leh-koh
Ethical Language Guidance
Gender History
'Dietitian' has often been associated with women due to gendered expectations around food, caregiving, and body image industries. This has contributed to under-recognition of male and nonbinary dietitians and to stereotyping the profession as 'feminine.'
Inclusive Usage
Treat 'dietitian' as gender-neutral and avoid assuming the professional is a woman; use neutral pronouns unless you know their pronouns.
Inclusive Alternatives
["nutrition professional","registered dietitian"]
Empowerment Note
Women dietitians and nutrition scientists have shaped public health and clinical nutrition, but their work has sometimes been dismissed as 'domestic' rather than scientific.