What is your current activity level?
🧍‍♂️Sedentary
🚶 Moderately active
🏃 Very active
This will help us personalize your experience
Blog
>

Can a Nutritionist Help with Eating Disorders?

Table of Contents

Key Takeaways

  • Eating disorders impact a person's physical and mental health, requiring multiple healthcare professionals to develop a healthy relationship with food. 
  • A registered dietitian nutritionist is an integral part of the treatment team.
  • Here are some strategies to promote healthy eating habits.

Eating disorders are persistent behavior changes that negatively affect mental status and eating behaviors. The National Eating Disorders Association (NDEA) reports that 28.8 million Americans will suffer from an eating disorder in their lifetime. 

Early intervention may decrease the risk of longer durations of illness and improve quality of life. After a diagnosis of an eating disorder, a healthcare team that includes the primary care provider, a psychologist/therapist, a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN), and caregivers partner to develop a compassionate and evidence-based approach. An RDN is essential to the treatment team. 

In this article, you’ll learn how an RDN can help with eating disorders, the benefits and what to expect when working with one, and some strategies for promoting healthy eating habits. 

{{splash}}

Can a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Help with Eating Disorders?

RDNs are healthcare professionals trained in all aspects of food, the body, and nutrition. RDNs provide nutrition therapy or counseling for someone undergoing treatment for an eating disorder.

RDNs provide compassionate, honest, and practical steps for a person with an eating disorder to move forward toward a healthy relationship with food. They can help educate on how to fuel the body with all types of foods. RDNs can share recommendations related to vitamins, minerals, and macronutrients like carbohydrates, fats, and protein for the body to thrive.

They work as part of the healthcare team for a person recovering from an eating disorder. Each team member works together to address all aspects of the eating disorder.

Benefits of Working with a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist for Eating Disorders 

Registered dietitian nutritionists have rigorous education standards.

A four-year degree with a specially designed nutrition curriculum is required. RDNs take courses on metabolism, biology, chemistry, health conditions, how they relate to food, counseling, interpreting clinical research, and nutrition. They also complete 1,200 hours of supervised practice before taking a rigorous exam to become a dietitian. To keep their credential, they must complete ongoing training and education of at least 75 continuing education credits every 5 years.

Many RDNs get advanced training in eating disorder treatment.

Look for the International Association Of Eating Disorders Professionals Foundation certification labeled as CEDS, CEDRD, or CEDRDN. This certification requires 2,500 supervised practice hours treating eating disorders and an exam. As you seek help from an RDN, ask questions about their experience with eating disorders and their approach or style. 

Ways a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Can Help With Eating Disorders 

An RDN can separate fact from fiction regarding nutrition and foods. While you may have access to unlimited information sources on a smartphone or computer, much of this information is questionable and often does not promote a healthy relationship with food.  

RDNs use evidence-based research to support their eating plans, education materials, and behavioral methods for helping people make lifestyle changes. This can help individuals recovering from eating disorders distinguish between false thoughts about food and their bodies and the truth to achieve remission. 

An RDN can educate on hunger and fullness cues, typical meal spacing, metabolism, and safe, healthy weight gain if needed. They customize the nutrition counseling specific to a person’s needs. 

What to Expect When Working with a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist

It is important to know what to expect when working with an RDN. The severity of the eating disorder will determine the next steps. The NDEA recommends eating disorder treatment by following the following steps:

  1. Address life-threatening medical or mental symptoms.
  2. Stop unhealthy eating disorder behaviors such as food restriction, binge eating, purging, or excessive exercise.
  3. Develop healthy eating habits and nutrition rebuilding.
  4. Challenge harmful thoughts and actions.
  5. Address ongoing medical and mental health.
  6. Develop a plan to prevent relapse.

An RDN will help with all of these steps. For example, gaining a small amount of weight weekly stabilizes heart health if in a life-threatening state. An RDN can help someone gain weight while considering their food preferences and nutrition needs. 

An RDN is critical in developing healthy eating habits and rebuilding nutrition stores. A medical nutrition therapy visit can be virtual or face-to-face. Visits will include reviewing your health history, medications, typical lifestyle, diet, and information from your eating disorder care team.

Individuals can accomplish a healthy relationship with food through many different solutions. An RDN will partner with you to create an individualized eating plan. After each session, you try the plan and provide feedback on what went well and what was challenging. 

The eating plan is changed based on your response and needs. You may work with an RDN for several months or longer. The frequency of visits usually lessens as you develop a stronger, healthy relationship with food. 

An RDN  will use creative and compassionate strategies to help you develop peace with food and eating. 

{{local}}

Meal Planning Tips for Eating Disorder Recovery

A key feature of eating disorder recovery is meal planning. An RDN will help you to create a meal plan detailing how often to eat and what foods to pair together. Meal planning allows you to have success with a new eating style. 

Meal planning can be overwhelming, but here are some simple tips to get you started. 

Planning can help reduce stress around meals and eating.

Consider planning for one week at a time. This means less time thinking about food and less time at the grocery store. You may need support from friends and family with grocery shopping or cooking. For stressful or busy days, you might keep pre-packaged meals and snacks on hand.

Meal planning helps provide a sense of control.

You can mentally prepare for the problematic foods to incorporate into the eating plan. Planning can reduce decision fatigue, which happens when you tire from too many decisions. Change is hard; anticipating a planned change makes it more manageable.

Meal planning helps you to meet nutrition and health goals. 

Planning for a week at a time helps you eat various foods and nutrients for your body to thrive. Consider two to three options for each meal and use leftovers for lunch or dinner to reduce time, food waste, and save money. Keep balanced snack options at home like nuts and fruit, cheese and vegetables, or crackers, meat, and cheese. 

Other Strategies to Promote Healthful Eating Habits

Your eating disorder care team will provide specific strategies to promote healthful eating. Some examples include:

  • Mindful eating: being aware and present when eating foods and drinks.
  • Identifying triggers or times when you are tempted to return to past eating habits. Knowing your triggers can help you seek support and alternative activities. 
  • Stress-relieving activities like yoga, stretching, walks, music, or volunteering.
  • Support from family and friends.
  • Limiting negative influences such as other people struggling with eating disorders or social media promoting unhealthful eating habits. 

Takeaways

It takes courage to seek out help for an eating disorder. A registered dietitian nutritionist is uniquely trained to partner with you on your path to a healthy relationship with food. Many have advanced training in eating disorders. 

An RDN works with your care team to stabilize your nutrition status, help replenish the body with nutrients, develop healthy eating behaviors, and create a customized eating and meal plan, along with a plan to prevent relapse. 

How a Dietitian Can Help

Partner with a compassionate eating disorder professional. Registered dietitians nutritionists are an integral part of your care team as you start treatment and move into recovery.

{{splash}}

FAQs

  1. What profession helps people with eating disorders?

Registered dietitian nutritionists, primary care providers, therapists, and psychologists help people with eating disorders. Other health professionals, such as physical therapists and pharmacists, can assist. 

  1. What qualifications do you need to help people with eating disorders?

Look for a registered dietitian nutritionist. This credential certifies they have met the national criteria to care for patients and their medical and nutrition needs. Dietitians can also get advanced eating disorder training with CEDS, CEDRD, or CEDRDN certifications.

  1. Can people with anorexia see a registered dietitian nutritionist?

People with anorexia can and would see significant health benefits from seeing an RDN. Often individuals with anorexia are malnourished and need assistance building their nutrition stores back and learning to separate fact from fiction regarding nutrition, food, and their body. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What profession helps people with eating disorders?

Registered dietitian nutritionists, primary care providers, therapists, and psychologists help people with eating disorders. Other health professionals, such as physical therapists and pharmacists, can assist.

What qualifications do you need to help people with eating disorders?

Look for a registered dietitian nutritionist. This credential certifies they have met the national criteria to care for patients and their medical and nutrition needs. Dietitians can also get advanced eating disorder training with CEDS, CEDRD, or CEDRDN certifications.

Can people with anorexia see a registered dietitian nutritionist?

People with anorexia can and would see significant health benefits from seeing an RDN. Often individuals with anorexia are malnourished and need assistance building their nutrition stores back and learning to separate fact from fiction regarding nutrition, food, and their body.

References

View all references
Nourish has strict sourcing policies and prioritizes primary sources, including medical organizations, governmental agencies, academic institutions, and peer-reviewed scientific journals. Learn more about our medical review process and editorial guidelines.

See a Registered Dietitian with Nourish

  • Covered by insurance
  • Virtual sessions
  • Personalized care
Schedule an appointment

Frequently asked questions

No items found.

Find a virtual dietitian in {State}

Find a dietitian near you

Covered by insurance.
Question 1

Are you more thirsty than usual?

Question 1

Are you urinating more than usual?

Question 1

Is your blood sugar level consistently high?

Question 1

Do you experience extreme hunger or fatigue?

Question 1

Do you have blurry vision or numbness and tingling in your hands and feet?

Question 1

Do you experience frequent infections or slow-healing wounds?

Question 1

Do you have a family history of diabetes?

Your Result

Your results are in!

While you don’t seem to be at risk for prediabetes or type 2 diabetes based on this quiz, please contact your healthcare provider with any concerns. If you want to learn more about diet and lifestyle changes with diabetes, find a registered dietitian covered by insurance with Nourish.

Your Result

Your results are in!

You should seek guidance from your healthcare provider about the possibility of prediabetes or type 2 diabetes.

If you want to learn more about diet and lifestyle changes with diabetes, find a registered dietitian covered by insurance with Nourish.

Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Test
OR
Oregon
38.547134, -122.816383
Charleston
SC
South Carolina
32.7884363, -79.9399309
Paterson
NJ
New Jersey
40.916611, -74.172188
Palmdale
CA
California
34.576469, -118.116096
Lancaster
CA
California
34.697472, -118.144524
Murfreesboro
TN
Tennessee
35.845619, -86.390266
Santa Rosa
CA
California
38.547134, -122.816383
Eugene
OR
Oregon
44.052151, -123.091187
Shreveport
LA
Louisiana
32.523659, -93.763504
Clarksville
TN
Tennessee
36.527279, -87.360336
Cary
NC
North Carolina
35.7882893, -78.7812081
Salem
OR
Oregon
44.944099, -123.040283
Newport News
VA
Virginia
37.087082, -76.473015
Chattanooga
TN
Tennessee
35.0457219, -85.3094883
Akron
OH
Ohio
41.0842496, -81.6777863
Providence
RI
Rhode Island
41.823990, -71.412834
Tallahassee
FL
Florida
30.438255, -84.280731
Peoria
AZ
Arizona
33.7528919, -112.4902079
Sioux Falls
SD
South Dakota
43.536388, -96.731667
Yonkers
NY
New York
40.930790, -73.898293
Fayetteville
NC
North Carolina
35.052666, -78.878357
Rochester
NY
New York
43.156578, -77.608849
McKinney
TX
Texas
33.214561, -96.614456
Moreno Valley
CA
California
33.920891, -117.261162
Fremont
CA
California
37.548271, -121.988571
Frisco
TX
Texas
33.150673, -96.823608
Spokane
WA
Washington
47.658779, -117.426048
Boise
ID
Idaho
43.6008183, -116.2421086
Port St. Lucie
FL
Florida
27.273270, -80.342148
Irving
TX
Texas
32.814018, -96.948891
Winston-Salem
NC
North Carolina
36.096260, -80.243736
St. Petersburg
FL
Florida
27.773056, -82.639999
Laredo
TX
Texas
27.507130, -99.507500
Jersey City
NJ
New Jersey
,
Buffalo
NY
New York
42.8867166, -78.8783922
St. Louis
MO
Missouri
38.627003, -90.199402
Chandler
AZ
Arizona
33.3062031, -111.841185
Durham
NC
North Carolina
35.994034, -78.898621
Lincoln
NE
Nebraska
40.806862, -96.681679
Pittsburgh
PA
Pennsylvania
40.440624, -79.995888
Greensboro
NC
North Carolina
36.072701, -79.793900
St. Paul
MN
Minnesota
44.954445, -93.091301
Newark
NJ
New Jersey
40.735657, -74.172363
Lexington
KY
Kentucky
38.040585, -84.503716
Stockton
CA
California
37.957703, -121.290779
Honolulu
HI
Hawaii
21.306944, -157.858337
Cleveland
OH
Ohio
41.499321, -81.694359
Arlington
TX
Texas
32.7355816, -97.1071186
Oakland
CA
California
37.804363, -122.271111
Long Beach
CA
California
33.770050, -118.193741
Raleigh
NC
North Carolina
35.779591, -78.638176
Omaha
NE
Nebraska
41.256538, -95.934502
Colorado Springs
CO
Colorado
38.833881, -104.821365
Fresno
CA
California
36.737797, -119.787125
Albuquerque
NM
New Mexico
35.084385, -106.650421
Memphis
TN
Tennessee
35.117500, -89.971107
Washington DC
WA DC
Washington, DC
38.889805, -77.009056
Las Vegas
NV
Nevada
36.169941, -115.139832
Seattle
WA
Washington
47.606209, -122.332069
Charlotte
NC
North Carolina
35.2272086, -80.8430827
Sacramento
CA
California
38.590576, -121.489906
Richmond
VA
Virginia
37.540726, -77.436050
Surprise
AZ
Arizona
33.629002, -112.330170
Mesa
AZ
Arizona
33.415184, -111.831474
Louisville
KY
Kentucky
38.252666, -85.758453
Des Moines
IA
Iowa
41.586834, -93.624962
Lakewood
CO
Colorado
39.704708, -105.081375
Kansas City
KS
Kansas
39.112701, -94.626801
Reno
NV
Nevada
39.529633, -119.813805
Tacoma
WA
Washington
47.258728, -122.465973
Aurora
CO
Colorado
39.7405111, -104.830994
Oxnard
CA
California
34.197659, -119.175949
Amarillo
TX
Texas
35.221996, -101.831299
Henderson
NV
Nevada
36.039524, -114.981720
Vancouver
WA
Washington
45.633331, -122.599998
Gilbert
AZ
Arizona
33.352825, -111.789024
San Bernardino
CA
California
34.115784, -117.302399
Columbus
GA
Georgia
27.800583, -97.396378
Hayward
CA
California
37.668819, -122.080795
Milwaukee
WI
Wisconsin
43.038902, -87.906471
Lubbock
TX
Texas
33.576698, -101.855072
Norfolk
VA
Virginia
36.850769, -76.285873
Tulsa
OK
Oklahoma
36.153980, -95.992775
Garland
TX
Texas
32.914341, -96.636559
Fort Lauderdale
FL
Florida
26.124161, -80.143593
Tucson
AZ
Arizona
32.248814, -110.987419
Salt Lake City
UT
Utah
40.760780, -111.891045
Corona
CA
California
33.875670, -117.568840
Madison
WI
Wisconsin
43.073051, -89.401230
Huntsville
AL
Alabama
34.7014286, -86.6597495
Kansas City
MO
Missouri
39.099728, -94.578568
Irvine
CA
California
33.684566, -117.826508
Chula Vista
CA
California
32.640072, -117.084038
Denton
TX
Texas
33.215530, -97.132446
Aurora
IL
Illinois
41.7571701, -88.3147539
Baton Rouge
LA
Louisiana
30.4494155, -91.1869659
Columbus
OH
Ohio
39.961178, -82.998795
Baltimore
MD
Maryland
39.2908816, -76.610759
Detroit
MI
Michigan
42.331429, -83.045753
Chesapeake
VA
Virginia
36.7183708, -76.2466798
Atlanta
GA
Georgia
33.7489924, -84.3902644
Birmingham
AL
Alabama
33.5206824, -86.8024326
Scottsdale
AZ
Arizona
33.501324, -111.925278
Cincinnati
OH
Ohio
39.103700, -84.513610
North Las Vegas
NV
Nevada
36.201946, -115.120216
Riverside
CA
California
33.980602, -117.375496
Plano
TX
Texas
33.019844, -96.698883
Minneapolis
MN
Minnesota
44.977753, -93.265015
Salinas
CA
California
,
Anaheim
CA
California
33.836594, -117.914299
Springfield
MO
Missouri
37.208958, -93.292297
Fort Wayne
IN
Indiana
41.077469, -85.137489
Phoenix
AZ
Arizona
33.448376, -112.074036
Bakersfield
CA
California
35.3738712, -119.0194639
Garden Grove
CA
California
33.774269, -117.937996
Anchorage
AK
Alaska
61.2163129, -149.894852
Indianapolis
IN
Indiana
39.768402, -86.158066
Nashville
TN
Tennessee
36.162663, -86.781601
Tempe
AZ
Arizona
33.425522, -111.941254
Mobile
AL
Alabama
30.695366, -88.039894
New Orleans
LA
Louisiana
29.951065, -90.071533
Knoxville
TN
Tennessee
35.960636, -83.920738
Grand Rapids
MI
Michigan
42.963360, -85.668083
Fontana
CA
California
34.102890, -117.435760
Elk Grove
CA
California
38.418129, -121.393257
Cape Coral
FL
Florida
26.5625742, -81.9438802
Grand Prairie
TX
Texas
32.745499, -97.003532
Fort Collins
CO
Colorado
40.588970, -105.082458
Killeen
TX
Texas
31.117119, -97.727798
Modesto
CA
California
37.639095, -120.996880
Oklahoma City
OK
Oklahoma
35.468491, -97.521263
Santa Ana
CA
California
33.745571, -117.867836
Ontario
CA
California
34.063343, -117.650887
Brownsville
TX
Texas
25.9015688, -97.4984005
Montgomery
AL
Alabama
32.379223, -86.307739
Hialeah
FL
Florida
25.857595, -80.278107
Springfield
MA
Massachusetts
42.102051, -72.585762
Toledo
OH
Ohio
41.652805, -83.537865
Pembroke Pines
FL
Florida
26.007765, -80.296257
Overland Park
KS
Kansas
38.974819, -94.683601
Little Rock
AR
Arkansas
34.746483, -92.289597
Glendale
CA
California
34.142509, -118.255074
Roseville
CA
California
38.752125, -121.288010
Wichita
KS
Kansas
37.687176, -97.330055
Huntington Beach
CA
California
33.659485, -117.998802
Augusta
GA
Georgia
33.4709714, -81.9748429
Worcester
MA
Massachusetts
42.271389, -71.798889
Virginia Beach
VA
Virginia
36.852924, -75.977982
Oceanside
CA
California
33.1958696, -117.3794834
Santa Clarita
CA
California
34.456043, -118.571335
Philadelphia
PA
Pennsylvania
39.952583, -75.165222
Corpus Christi
TX
Texas
27.800583, -97.396378
Portland
OR
Oregon
45.512230, -122.658722
Denver
CO
Colorado
39.739235, -104.990250
Boston
MA
Massachusetts
42.3554334, -71.060511
Atlanta
GA
Georgia
33.7489924, -84.3902644
Chicago
IL
Illinois
41.8755616, -87.6244212
Orlando
FL
Florida
28.538336, -81.379234
Jacksonville
FL
Florida
30.332184, -81.655647
Tampa
FL
Florida
27.950575, -82.457176
Long Island
NY
New York
40.757801, -73.940033
Queens
NY
New York
40.728226, -73.794853
Bronx
NY
New York
40.8466508, -73.8785937
Staten Island
NY
New York
40.643501, -74.076202
Brooklyn
NY
New York
40.6526006, -73.9497211
New York
NY
New York
40.712776, -74.005974
San Jose
CA
California
37.342205, -121.851990
San Francisco
CA
California
37.774929, -122.419418
San Diego
CA
California
32.834686, -117.130775
Los Angeles
CA
California
34.052235, -118.243683
El Paso
TX
Texas
31.761877, -106.485023
San Antonio
TX
Texas
29.387428, -98.496574
Dallas
TX
Texas
32.776665, -96.796989
Fort Worth
TX
Texas
32.755489, -97.330765
Houston
TX
Texas
29.760427, -95.369804
Austin
TX
Texas
30.2711286, -97.7436995

Book an appointment with a {category} dietitian

Covered by insurance.

Book an appointment with an online dietitian

Covered by insurance.

Find a

dietitian covered by insurance

No items found.
Disordered eating
Weight loss medication
Mental Health