What is a Dietitian?

We have noticed that a lot of people do not really know what a Dietitian does beyond some very common responses about "weight loss", or "telling me what to eat". We hope to expand your knowledge around the specifics of what a Dietitian can do, and debunk some of the myths that surround Dietitians in general.

What is the role of a Dietitian?

A Dietitian is a healthcare professional specialising in the field of food, nutrition, and dietetics. They utilise their knowledge and expertise to promote healthy eating habits, prevent and manage various medical conditions, and offer personalised dietary advice.

The title of a Dietitian is legally protected and requires advanced qualifications and training from a university. This is different to a Nutritionist, who may not have undertaken the rigorous education and accreditation process. Dietitians undergo regular education and training to stay updated with the ever-evolving field of nutrition and utilise this knowledge to assist their clients.

How can WHAM Dietitians assist you?

Our Dietitians cater to a diverse range of clients and conditions, including but not limited to;

· Paediatrics and adults.

They specialise in various areas such as:

· understanding healthy eating,

· adopting a non-diet approach,

· addressing malnutrition,

· managing dysphagia,

· tube feeding,

· managing fussy and limited eating,

· providing guidance for diabetes, cardiovascular disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure.

If you have a different condition that is not listed above, this does not mean that dietary intervention is not useful to you. Doing a little bit of research or asking our Dietitian questions may help you determine whether Dietetics is for you.

What should you expect when seeing a Dietitian at WHAM?

First session: During your initial session, we will take the time to get to know you, understand your background, and determine how we can collaborate effectively. We will discuss the reason for your visit and conduct a comprehensive assessment to ensure that our services are tailored to your specific needs.

We will ask you about:

· Your personal health and medical history

· Your interests, daily routine, and activities

· Your digestive health

· Your food preferences, likes, and dislikes

· Your level of physical activity and exercise

· Any questions you may have

Depending on the time required for the assessment and getting to know you, we may not implement strategies until our second session, typically scheduled 2-3 weeks after the initial meeting. Often these strategies are not restricting your food choices and they definitely are not designed to make you feel guilty about your food intake or lack thereof, which is a common misconception about how a Dietitian will help change your food habits.

Ongoing sessions: We will schedule future sessions based on your needs and preferences, allowing you to regularly check in with your Dietitian. During these sessions, we will review and refine strategies, assess what is and isn't working for you, and address any challenges you may encounter. Whilst tracking your progress as needed.

Thank you for taking the time to read our blog! We hope you learned something new.

If you have any questions or feel that Dietetics is something you would like to pursue, please do not hesitate to reach out to us at admin@whamcare.com.au 

Written by Shara Foster