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Telehealth for nutrition care and services

Setting up telehealth to provide nutrition care

Telehealth helps expand access to education, resources, tools, and guidance to improve nutrition and physical activity for patients.

On this page:

Nutrition professionals who use telehealth

A variety of qualified nutrition specialists use telehealth to deliver care effectively and safely. Each plays a unique role in supporting a patient’s health through personalized nutrition care:

  • Registered Dietitians. These professionals provide medical nutrition counseling and therapy for a wide range of conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, gastrointestinal disorders, and obesity. Using telehealth, dieticians conduct nutrition assessments and create customized dietary plans. They may offer ongoing counseling and monitor patient outcomes.
  • Nutritionists. These specialists play a vital role in promoting physical well-being. They offer guidance on healthy eating habits, weight management, lifestyle changes, and preventive care. Nutritionists use telehealth to deliver nutrition education and support behavior change. They provide meal planning tailored to patient preferences and goals.
  • Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialists. These specialists focus on diabetes self-management. They use telehealth to educate patients on blood sugar control, carbohydrate counting, and insulin use. They also use telehealth to provide guidance on healthy lifestyle changes. These professionals use remote patient monitoring and mobile health apps to promote behavior changes.
  • Certified Nutrition Support Clinicians. These professionals provide nutrition support for patients with complex needs. This includes those requiring tube feeding or IV nutrition. Telehealth allows clinicians to monitor nutrition regimens, assess tolerance, and adjust feeding plans. They may also use telehealth to collaborate with medical teams and caregivers. This is particularly important for patients in home care or long-term care settings.
  • Other Specialty Certifications for Nutrition Professionals. There are additional specialty certifications that allow professionals to provide specialized services for specific populations or conditions. Some examples include Board Certified Specialist in Pediatric Nutrition, Board Certified Specialist in Oncology Nutrition, Board Certified Specialist in Gerontological Nutrition, and Board Certified Specialist in Obesity and Weight Management.

Licensure compacts. There are many compacts between states that make it easier for health care providers to practice telehealth across states. The Dietician Licensure Compact allows dieticians licensed in a participating state to deliver services in other participating states.

Selecting telehealth technology

Before using telehealth, providers should consider several key technology components. This ensures an effective, secure, and patient-friendly experience. This includes:

  • HIPAA-compliant platform. A telehealth platform must comply with federal HIPAA privacy and security standards. This helps protect sensitive health information that is captured and recorded during virtual visits. When selecting telehealth technology, look for features like secure video, encrypted messaging, and user authentication.
  • Device compatibility. Telehealth technology should be able to operate on different devices, including smartphones, tablets, laptops, and desktops. Consider the system's compatibility with digital health devices. These include glucose monitors, smart scales, wireless blood pressure tools, and fitness trackers. It should also be compatible with nutrition-related mobile health apps that support data sharing and provide real-time feedback.
  • Patient portals. Providers can use secure, user-friendly patient portals. Portals can enable appointment scheduling and allow users to upload food logs or lab results. They can be used to exchange messages and track nutrition goals.

Overcoming challenges

Using telehealth for nutrition care offers many benefits. However, it is important to prepare for potential challenges. These may include:

  • Technology barriers. Patients must have consistent access to high-speed internet to support virtual visits. Patients also need access to technology devices like tablets, smartphones, or computers. Some patients may have limited experience using technology. It is important that patients are comfortable and confident using telehealth technology.
  • Access to food. Through telehealth, nutrition providers can assist patients who have uncertain access to food or those living in food deserts. They can connect them to resources such as: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP), as well as food banks and pantries.
  • Individualized care considerations. While telehealth can expand access to nutrition care, providers should also consider individual patient needs. Virtual visits aid in developing personalized meal plans that integrate each patient’s personal preferences and restrictions.

Establishing a strategy to provide nutrition care using telehealth

To deliver effective and sustainable nutrition care through telehealth, providers should establish a clear strategy:

  • Conduct a virtual nutrition assessment. Providers should perform a thorough virtual assessment that captures the patient’s current nutritional status and lifestyle habits. This includes reviewing dietary intake, daily routines, medical history, and any food allergies or dietary restrictions like gluten intolerance or the need for a low sodium diet. They can also assess biometric data using technology.
  • Assess readiness for change. Understanding a patient’s motivation and readiness to make lifestyle adjustments is critical when designing a plan they can commit to. To assess a patient’s commitment to a new nutrition plan, it is important to explore the patient’s willingness to change behaviors. This assessment can be done using telehealth.
  • Co-create a personalized action plan. Virtual collaboration with patients to design a care plan ensures it reflects their goals, preferences, and daily routines. This makes it more sustainable and achievable. Key considerations include aligning tele-nutrition interventions with the patient’s unique needs and involving the patient in decision making.
  • Leverage technology and digital health tools. Integrating digital health tools into nutrition care enhances tracking, accountability, and communication between appointments. This includes using digital devices, like Bluetooth-enabled fitness trackers or smart scales, to automatically track steps, weight, and activity. This also includes encouraging use of mobile health apps to track meals, confirm portion size, and access healthy recipes. A patient may use digital access to a patient portal to upload food logs, ask questions, and view nutrition education resources. It’s important to share online resources with patients to provide trusted nutrition guidance and planning tools.

Innovative approaches that increase engagement

Providers can incorporate creative, technology-enabled strategies to make learning about nutrition and physical activity fun and engaging. Using interactive, personalized, and motivational tools helps promote behavior change and keeps patients motivated. These approaches are particularly valuable in virtual care environments:

  • Gamification. Incorporate mobile health apps that use points, badges, challenges, or rewards for meeting dietary and lifestyle goals. Gamified features can help sustain motivation, particularly among children, teens, and competitive adults. They turn nutrition tracking into an engaging experience.
  • Virtual grocery shopping. Take time to help select healthy foods by virtually joining the patient as they do their grocery shopping online. This is an opportunity to help the patient consider different products, compare food labels, and select healthy choices for snacking.
  • Virtual cooking classes. Offer synchronous (live) or asynchronous (recorded) cooking demonstrations to teach patients to prepare healthy meals using affordable ingredients. These sessions build skills, boost confidence, and create a sense of community. They are especially effective when shared with families or peer groups.
  • Nutrition training sessions. Provide individual sessions or group telehealth sessions to review key nutrition topics. These may include understanding food labels, controlling portion sizes, reading ingredient lists, and making healthy swaps. Group sessions can also foster peer learning and accountability.
  • AI-powered nutrition assistants. Integrate digital health tools or mobile apps that use artificial intelligence (AI). AI can be used to generate real-time, personalized diet recommendations based on users’ health data, preferences, goals, and dietary restrictions. These tools can adapt recommendations dynamically as users log meals or change behaviors.
  • Social media and peer communities. Facilitate the creation of private online groups. Participating patients can encourage one another. They can share meal preparation photos or favorite healthy recipes. They can participate in friendly challenges. Providers can also share curated content, such as educational videos or trusted mobile health apps.

More information:

Telehealth and Remote Patient Monitoring — U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Telehealth for chronic conditions — U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Leveraging Remote Patient Monitoring in Your Practice — U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Telehealth Privacy Tips for Providers — U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Nutritional Counseling Checklist (Audio-Only) — California Telehealth Resource Center

Nutritional Counseling Checklist (Audio-Video) — California Telehealth Resource Center

Dietician Licensure Compact — Multi-Discipline Licensure Resource Project

Spotlight

MOVE! is a national weight management program developed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. It helps veterans lose weight and improve their overall health. The program focuses on healthy eating, physical activity, and behavior change by offering support through group sessions, individual counseling, and virtual options. Learn more about the MOVE! weight management program.