When looking for help with nutrition, you often come across three titles: nutrition specialist, dietologist and nutritionist. They sound similar, but they stand for different education, rights and responsibilities. In Latvia, these differences are set by the Medical Treatment Law (Ārstniecības likums) and Cabinet of Ministers regulations.

Nutrition specialist (uztura speciālists) is a healthcare professional - a functional specialist with second-level professional higher medical education. Only a specialist registered in the Register of Medical Practitioners (Ārstniecības personu reģistrs) may work independently. The right to practise is confirmed by a healthcare professional certificate. A nutrition specialist assesses diet, health status, lab results and medications taken and, when needed, works together with the treating doctor.

Dietologist in Latvia is an additional medical specialty: a doctor certified in a primary specialty who has obtained the additional specialty of dietology. In everyday speech, especially in Russian, any nutrition specialist is often called a "dietologist", but legally these are different professions.

Nutritionist (nutriciologs) is not a profession defined in Latvian legislation and is not a healthcare professional status. The title by itself confirms neither medical education nor the right to provide treatment.

How to choose

  • Check the specialist in the Register of Medical Practitioners of the Health Inspectorate (Veselības inspekcija). It shows the profession, registration period and specialty certificate.

  • Ask whether the consultation will take into account your lab results, health status and medications.

  • Be careful if you are promised a guaranteed result or a specific number of kilograms.

About the author

Svetlana Aleksejeva is a certified nutrition specialist (Mg. sc. sal.), Master of Science in Nutrition and a doctoral candidate in food science. She is registered in the Register of Medical Practitioners, healthcare professional certificate No. A-10567. Clinical practice since 2016, board member of the Latvian Gastrointestinal Diseases Association (GiSA). An online consultation lasts 50-60 minutes, costs 100 € and is held in English, Latvian or Russian.

Book an online consultation

Sources