Diet Counseling

Diet counseling is a service provided those who have special dietary needs or need remedial diet plans. According to Education Portal, diet counselors work in hospitals, clinics and in care facilities, sometimes with a team of other diet and counseling experts, to help improve a client's nutritional habits.

Expert Insight

• The leading causes of death in the United States are associated with poor diets, according to Dr. Michael P. Pignone and his associates at the Division of General Internal Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine. Poor diets can lead to heart disease, hypertension, stroke, some forms of cancer, adult-onset diabetes, osteoporosis and obesity. Along with diet and exercise, the researchers found diet counseling is an effective way to help clients improve their eating behaviors and health. In addition, the National Library of Medicine states that up to 40 percent of older adults are malnourished.

Benefits

• Individuals who get the most benefits from diet counseling are geriatric patients and those who have a disease because of poor eating habits, such as diabetes. Diet counselors implement appropriate diets in care facilities and nursing homes to reduce the population of those who were inadequately nourished. Similarly, counselors help women who are pregnant, and patients with disordered eating learn about and set up healthy meal plans and lifestyle changes related to behavioral eating.

Special Populations

• Special populations that diet counselors often serve are pregnant women, infants, children and the elderly. A pregnant woman who does not have a healthy diet has a higher chance of giving birth to a baby who has a low birth weight. The same diet counselor who aided a woman while she was pregnant may also provide her guidance while the child is growing up to ensure he is receiving adequate nutrition.

  The elderly have special needs that a diet counselor can help address, as many diseases and disorders require the modification of nutrients to help avoid health-related complications. Nutritional intake values that may need adjusting include calories, sodium, water, fat and protein.

Effectiveness

• According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the study conducted by Dr. Pignone and his research team found patients who underwent diet counseling changed the amount of dietary fats, fruits, vegetables and dietary fiber consumed. The National Library of Medicine adds that when a patient receives diet counseling, his whole family begins eating healthier because family members encourage each other to do so. In addition, diet counseling helped encourage individuals to increase their physical activity.

Qualifications of a Diet Counselor

• At minimum, a diet counselor should hold a bachelor's degree in counseling and/or nutrition. Education Portal states that diet counselors may also have a degree in nutrition education. The Bureau of Labor Statistics says some states require diet counselors to obtain licenses to work in this field. The bureau also advises diet counselors be accredited by the Commission on Dietetic Registration of the American Dietetic Association as a Registered Dietitian.