A person who can give nutrition advice and prescribe diets is called a ____________.

• A. Nutritionist
• B. RD
• C. PhD
• D. Registered Dietitian

Answer: (D)

The ability to give nutrition guidance and tailor or prescribe dietary plans rests with a credentialed professional who has completed specific education, supervised practice, and passed a national exam. That credential is the Registered Dietitian. This title is protected and requires ongoing professional development, so RDs are trained to provide medical nutrition therapy and create diet plans for various health conditions.

A nutritionist is a broader, less regulated term and may not have mandatory licensing to diagnose or prescribe diets, so it’s not the consistently correct answer. A PhD indicates advanced academic study, often in research, but it doesn’t by itself grant clinical prescribing rights. So the best choice is a Registered Dietitian.