Would you trust a fat dietitian?

[CarrotIsApple]

What's your opinion?

I worked in the food industry for over 30 years and a significant amount of that was in legal labelling.
I could tell you everything about what is on a food label from additives to calories.
I'm fatter than fat.
Just because you know something, it doesn't mean you can actually do it!

No. I could probably get the same information myself from google. I'd need someone to be an inspiration.

No.

I had to bite my tongue when being lectured by my diabetic nurse about my weight - she weighed at least 5 stone more than I did.

I have never ever met a fat one in 40 years of working for the NHS. I'd guess they don't take their own advice which is up to them.

If I were seeing a dietitian to advise me on weight loss I would quite like one who had once been fat and now wasn’t. THAT would be useful.

Well I'm not sure if I'd not trust them but I certainly wouldn't walk away very motivated by their advice

Not a morbidly obese one perhaps, but I would actively prefer a dietician who was a little overweight or without a washboard stomach. Someone who has had the problems rather than some person who has won the genetic lottery and has no idea about how it feels to really struggle with your weight.

Nope

I would ask how they can give such information when it clearly doesn't work for them. If I was paying privately I would ask that...I don't want to waste my money.

No

Agree that someone who has struggled with the issue and succeeded would be far more inspiring than someone who either had never had that problem or had it but not solved it.

@AvaCallanach

Not a morbidly obese one perhaps, but I would actively prefer a dietician who was a little overweight or without a washboard stomach. Someone who has had the problems rather than some person who has won the genetic lottery and has no idea about how it feels to really struggle with your weight.

Not everyone with washboard won genetic lottery and had no weight issues. My mate has a six pack and could probably pick my fat arse up👀 She was a fat arse once too. Not morbidly obese but borderline obese. Then she found CrossFit. She also does some kind of rehabilitation with patients and is yraining in nutrition etc now (qualified in something I don't know the qualifications)

Nope. I don’t think you can compare an overweight dietician to a doctor that smokes/drinks. Everyone has vices and doctors generally do not specialise in smoking/drinking addictions, where a dietician is there specifically to help you control what you eat. I’d be less inclined to trust someone who can’t follow their own advice

Depends. Is she genuinely fat or is this a MN 'OMG she's so gross. She's at least a size 6' ?

I don’t really know much about what dieticians do, so I suppose it would depend on the context.

If they were advising me how introduce new foods to a pick eater - yes

If they were advising me what to look for on food labels to avoid allergens or manage a specific medical condition - yes

If I genuinely did not know what foods to eat to maintain a healthy weight - yes, but who really falls into that camp now?

If I needed support to lose weight - no, sorry, their own weight would have the effect of casting doubt on how usable their advice was

As pp said it depends what I was seeing them for. Of course dieticians can advise on diets for various health problems and many other things, but if I was trying to lose weight I would want to know the person was going to advise me to do something I could probably stick to. If they can't even stick to it themself with all their knowledge and ability to taylor things to suit their needs, then it is probably not going to work for me as someone who struggles with a lot of things about losing weight. At the same time just because someone is slim doesn't mean I would trust their advice either. They may not understand my problems and may lose weight more easily than I do or whatever.

Yes, if they had up to date knowledge and training, in the same way that I would trust a doctor, nurse or any other HCP who had obesity for the same reason.

No. We've got a personal trainer at our gym who smokes like a chimney and drinks loads, I just feel like they can't really believe in what they're doing.

Yes. It isn't a dietician's job to lose weight, or even to make other people lose weight. Only the patient can do that. It's the dietician's job to give you the right information (and not necessarily about weight loss).

Yes, if they gave sound advice. My favourite ever slimming world consultant and yes I know they're not dieticians!! Was a very large lady. She'd had a lifelong battle with eating and SW helped her a great deal. She was a brilliant leader because she understood how hard it could be. She was prepared to challenge us but also understood where we were coming from. You don't have to be perfect to do your job!

Yes. All the dieticians I know predominantly deal with frail underweight patients. They have some involvement with over weight diabetic patients.

Do you mean dietician? They're a registered HCP. Do you mean nutritionist who you are more likely to pay privately for advice on diet and weight loss.

I’ve worked with 3 dietitians and their knowledge and skills went far beyond weight loss. As mentioned above, picky eaters, swallowing difficulties, nutritional content, allergies.
My son saw one for gastric reflux and food choices. An office colleague was in charge of hospital meals (nutrition meal planning quality control).

Of course I would.
Dieticians do far, far more than help people make a decision to lose weight, and give them access and support.
Any hospital’s ICU couldn’t care for their intubated patients without the input from a dietitian. Why would it make it a difference if s/he were overweight?

I assume that since the question was popped in weight loss section, OP would be asking/or asked about weight loss, rather than health issues?
I might be obviously wrong though!

@UseOfWeapons

Of course I would. Dieticians do far, far more than help people make a decision to lose weight, and give them access and support. Any hospital’s ICU couldn’t care for their intubated patients without the input from a dietitian. Why would it make it a difference if s/he were overweight?

I think it's a fair assumption that OP was asking this question in relation to weight loss.