Can You See a Dietitian for Disordered Eating by Telehealth? What a Video Consult Involves

If your relationship with food feels stressful, rigid or out of control, you might wonder whether a dietitian can help, and whether a video appointment is a reasonable way to start. For many people it can be one part of the picture. For some, it is not enough on its own.

This article is general information only. It is not a diagnosis or personal advice. If you are worried about your health or safety right now, please speak to your GP or another member of your treating team.

What “disordered eating” can look like

Disordered eating covers a range of patterns that do not always meet the criteria for a diagnosed eating disorder, but can still affect wellbeing. Examples include:

• skipping meals or going long stretches without eating, then eating a lot later
• strict food rules, and guilt or anxiety when you break them
• cycles of restricting and bingeing
• feeling unable to stop eating, or eating in secret
• cutting out whole food groups without a medical reason
• thoughts about food, weight or body shape taking up much of your day
• compensating for eating through over-exercising or other behaviours

Only a qualified health professional can tell you where you sit on this spectrum. You do not need to be sure about a label before asking for help.

What a dietitian can help with

A dietitian’s role is the nutrition side of care. Depending on your situation, that can include:

• working out what regular, adequate eating looks like for you, in practical terms
• gently untangling food rules and “good” or “bad” food labels
• planning meals and snacks that fit your day, your family and your culture
• supporting you through situations that feel hard, such as eating out, festivals or shared family meals
• working alongside your GP, psychologist or other practitioners so everyone is giving consistent messages

Food from home matters here. Many South Asian families share meals, offer food as love, and comment freely on what and how much you eat. Those dynamics can make recovery harder or easier, and a dietitian who understands them can help you plan around them rather than ignore them.

Nutrition support is not a replacement for medical or psychological treatment. Where there is serious medical risk, you need a medical team involved.

What a telehealth session involves

A video consult is much like an in-person one, held through a secure video link from somewhere private at home.

Before the session. You will usually be asked for some background: your health history, what you are hoping for, and what you currently eat. If you have a GP referral or mental health plan, you can mention it. Many people find it helpful to jot down what they would like to talk about.

During the session. Expect a conversation, not a lecture. A typical first appointment covers:

1. what has been going on with food and eating, at whatever level of detail you are comfortable sharing
2. your usual day of eating, including drinks and snacks
3. how you feel around meals
4. what you would like to change, and what feels too hard right now
5. a small number of realistic first steps

You decide what you share and the pace. You are not expected to explain everything in the first session.

After the session. You will usually agree on a few manageable actions before the next visit. Follow-ups are often shorter and more focused.

Where telehealth works well

• You may feel more at ease talking about food from your own space.
• There is no travel, which helps if anxiety makes leaving home hard, or you live far from a suitable practitioner.
• You can access a dietitian who understands your cultural background and language wherever you live in Australia.
• Family members or carers can join, if you want that.

Where it has limits

Telehealth cannot do everything. A dietitian cannot take physical measurements, blood pressure, heart rate or blood tests through a screen. If you are medically unwell, losing weight rapidly, fainting, having chest pain or palpitations, or struggling to eat or drink, you need in-person medical assessment, and in an emergency you should call 000.

Some people also find that being on a screen makes it easier to hide how they are really doing, or that they prefer face-to-face contact. A good practitioner will check in on this and tell you honestly if another format, or a higher level of care, would suit you better.

Who else should be involved

For many people, the best support is a team. That can include:

• Your GP, who can check your physical health, discuss options and coordinate care.
• A psychologist or psychiatrist, for the thinking and emotional side of eating difficulties.
• A dietitian, for the practical nutrition work.

Your GP is a good first stop if you are unsure where to begin. They can also advise whether a Medicare plan might apply to you. Our article on Medicare EPC explained covers how some referral pathways work in general terms.

If you need to talk to someone urgently, Lifeline (13 11 14) is available 24 hours a day.

About Karma Nutrition

Shilpi at Karma Nutrition is an Accredited Practising Dietitian and Accredited Nutritionist with training in CBT-, DBT- and ACT-informed approaches to eating. Consultations are in English, Hindi or Punjabi, in person on the Gold Coast or online. You can read more about the mental health and nutrition service, or see how online consultations work for people elsewhere in Australia.

Reaching out is a reasonable first step, and you do not have to have it all figured out before you do.

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