Dietitians Make a Difference
Want to help a client trim down? Research says send them to a dietitian.
Some face time with a registered dietitian can be an important part of a successful weight loss program. That’s the conclusion of an investigation published in Family Practice.
Researchers from East Carolina University studied older female adults on Medicare who had obesity. Participants who received regular therapy sessions with a dietitian lost, on average, 2.7 pounds. Control group members, who did not receive counseling from a nutritional professional, gained an average of 0.5 pound during the study period.
Dietitians are specially trained to make nutrition diagnoses and develop personalized nutrition plans, which many fitness professionals are not qualified to perform.
Matthew Kadey, MS, RD
Matthew Kadey, MS, RD, is a James Beard Award–winning food journalist, dietitian and author of the cookbook Rocket Fuel: Power-Packed Food for Sport + Adventure (VeloPress 2016). He has written for dozens of magazines, including Runner’s World, Men’s Health, Shape, Men’s Fitness and Muscle and Fitness.
