Your first thought might be weight loss, and you would be right, but that’s not all. Obesity is only one of a great many nutrition-related conditions that dieticians can treat. Nutrition is in fact one of the cornerstones of good health for all.
Nutrition is a science and dieticians are recognised experts in this field. There is a lot of information on nutrition and food freely available and we are constantly bombarded by diet gimmicks. Most of these are not scientifically sound or proven. When you consult a registered dietician, you are protected from misleading treatments and information.
With their expertise, dieticians can provide tailor made nutrition services, taking into account the specific dietary requirements of an individual. Factors taken into account include age, sex, weight, height, activity level, lifestyle and your medical history. Dieticians can translate the latest scientific nutrition research into practical diet and lifestyle recommendations that will help you to achieve optimum health.

Subscribe to our monthly newsletter and stay ontop
of all the nutritional facts and information you need
to know.

Body mass index (BMI) is a tool that can be used to tell how healthy a person's weight is. It is a measure of weight in relation to height. NOTE: BMI can be used by adults between the ages of 20 and 65 years. It is not a reliable test for children, women who are pregnant, or competitive athletes. A dietician can better asses your weight in relation to height in these circumstances.

The number of calories/ kilojoules you need on a daily basis will depend on your age, height, weight, sex and activity level. Your goal i.e. whether you aim to maintain, gain or lose weight will also influence your requirements.

Most people store body fat in two prominent ways - around the middle part of their body (apple shape) and around their hips (pear shape). Having an apple shape (excess body fat around the stomach) is riskier for your health than having a pear shape (excess body fat around the hips or thighs). The waist-to-hip ratio is thus a measurement to determine your overall health risk for conditions such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

Remember to eat breakfast within two hours of waking - this will help to boost your metabolism. Not the breakfast-eating type? Try a low GI cereal bar instead.