The Expert Guide to Dietitian in Hong Kong

Prevention and control of disease from daily dietary habits becomes more popular and Dietitian is the perfect role to learn from. Dieticians can provide us with nutrition knowledge and also provide direction for changing eating habits and behaviors.

Learn more about dietitian specialties and fees, contact information, and insurance coverage.

Dietitians must require a bachelor's, master's, postgraduate diploma or doctorate degree in Nutrition and Dietetics from the following 4 associations accredited universities, and have passed formal supervised clinical practice training in a hospital, communities, and dietary management associations.

• England: The Health & care professions council
• USA: Commission on Dietetic Registration 
• Canada: Provincial Dietetic Registration
• Australia: Dietitian Australia

A Dietitian is different from a Nutritionist. A Dietitian is a person who must have undergone clinical nutrition training at a designated university and have practiced in a hospital or community center for more than 6 months.

A nutritionist can be anyone who is majoring in food and nutrition with Bachelor's degree. 

However, there is no law in Hong Kong to regulate people who packaged themselves as a dietitian and use it for profit.
Only successfully registered dietitians with the Hong Kong Dietitian Association(HKDA), the Hong Kong Nutrition Association(HKNA), and/or the Hong Kong Association of Practising Dietitians have clinical experience and are qualified to provide individual nutritional therapy.

Note: Some non-qualified nutritionists will package themselves as "nutrition expert", "approved nutritionists", etc. It is recommended that you check the professional qualifications of nutritionists when choosing onepersonalized.

In summary, a dietitian can cover/replace the work of a nutritionist, but a nutritionist cannot directly replace a dietitian.

Types of Dietitians:

Clinical dietitian

Mainly provides clinical nutrition services in hospitals, providing patients with a nutritionally balanced diet and nutritional therapy. They can assess the patient's condition, and monitor and implement nutritional therapy.

Community Dietitian 

Works in the Department of Health, Community Health Centers, Rehabilitation Centers, Schools, and Non-Profit Organizations. Promote nutrition information and disease prevention to the public; provide dietary counseling and follow-up plans on chronic diseases in the community.

Private Practice Dietitian

Works in private medical centers/clinics. Provide nutritional services to institutions and individuals.

Food Service Dietitian

Provide nutritional information in large catering institutions (fast food restaurants, student lunch box suppliers, airline meals) to manage and coordinate the operation and hygiene issues, They can design meal plans as well.

Sports Dietitian

Works in sports academies and fitness centers to provide individual or group nutritional counseling for different exercise types and intensities to help improve sports performance.

When your doctor suggests you reach out to Dietitian. Other common signs and conditions that prompt you to see a dietitian include:

• Overweight/obesity
• Underweight
• Eating disorder
• starting a new diet/exercise plan
• Prevent and control by using a diet

You can find dietitians in public or private hospitals, private clinics, community centers, and non-profit organizations.

1. Dietitians in Public Hospitals

In the public sector, there are 23 public hospitals in Hong Kong that provide nutrition consultation services.
 

2. Dietician in Community Center

There are 4 community service centers in Hong Kong that provide nutrition consultation services.

3. Dietitians from the private sector

You can search for Dietitians according to their locations here.

For Nutrition consultation service in the community center: First consultation fee is about HK$280-HK$440, and each subsequent consultation is HK$240-HK$440.

Private sector fee: According to our data research, the first consultation fee in the private sector ranges from HK$100 to over HK$1380, and then HK$250-HK$1000 for each subsequent consultation. Most organizations suggest that the plan lasts for 2 months or above, there will be 1-2 interviews per week, so the whole plan will charge from $5000-$30000, depending on the length of the case, the experience of the dietitian, etc. The above fee does not include the cost of nutritional supplements or other special treatments.

According to Alea, Dietitian consultations can not be ensured to be reimbursed under doctor specialist fees. In some of the plans, services that are directly related to the injury and with a doctor's referral may be covered. If you have any health insurance questions or looking to maximize your coverage, contact an expert at Alea at [email protected].

If you have any health insurance inquiries or want the highest compensation, please contact Alea specialists, email [email protected] or call+852 2606 2668 for inquiries.