In-person vs online IBS nutritionist: which is better for you?

If you’re trying to get help with your IBS, one of the early decisions is whether you want to see someone in person at a clinic, or work with someone online via video call.

I personally work exclusively online with clients across the UK and internationally at Goodness Me Nutrition. This post will help you work out whether working with someone online is for you or not.

The short answer

• For most IBS work, online and in-person are equivalent in clinical effectiveness. Studies show telehealth dietetic interventions for IBS produce the same outcomes as face-to-face care.
• What matters most is the practitioner, not the format. A specialist online can give you more targeted advice than a generalist in person.

What ‘online IBS nutritionist’ means

Since 2020 many private health practitioners have moved online. We all had to become more used to using video conferencing during the pandemic and I found it made more sense to continue working online so I’ve stuck with it since then.

Additionally, as an IBS nutritionist, unless you are constantly seeing clients back to back it doesn’t make sense to rent out a room in a clinic. I don’t want to only be available the few days a week when I have space arranged in a clinic. And my clients often want to change appointment times, so being online gives us both more flexibility.

In a typical online programme, you would expect:

• Video consultations via Zoom, Google Meet or a secure equivalent. Telephone calls if video isn’t an option.
• A secure online client portal with your plan, food diary, resources and notes.
• Email or message support between sessions.
• Digital intake forms before the first session

Online working can be a good fit for this kind of work because we are talking, reflecting, using food tracking, all of which work just as well via video and shared digital tools as in real life.

When an online nutritionist is better

1. Access to specialists

When you see someone online no matter where you live you can choose someone based on whether they’re a good fit for your situation, not whether they happen to share your postcode. The UK has a small number of IBS and SIBO specialists and they may not live anywhere near you.

2. Flexibility

An online appointment reduces the duration of the whole appointment process. There is no travel, parking, sitting in waiting rooms so seeing me online means you can fit a 45-minute session into a lunch break or between meetings.

3. Less stress, especially for IBS sufferers

Driving to a new clinic, finding parking, sitting in a waiting room not knowing where the loo is. For many people with IBS this is quite stressful. If you’re at home, in clothes that don’t squeeze your tummy, with your cup of peppermint tea and a familiar bathroom nearby most people tend to feel more relaxed.

When an online nutritionist doesn’t work

Online nutritionists for IBS use video calls for the sessions with online forms and sometimes shared documents to collect your information. If you’re not comfortable with using a computer to fill in forms then most online practitioners will help you set things up. However, if you don’t know how to access the right forms or use Zoom then in person sessions might be better for you.

I always offer my clients the choice to fill in a paper version of the forms and send me a photo of them if they can’t complete the info online.

Some people find video calls genuinely uncomfortable or anxiety producing, so if you know you hate using screens to talk to people it might not work well.

Direct comparison

	Online	In-person
Access to specialists	Anywhere in the UK or internationally	Limited to clinics within travel distance
Cost	Often slightly lower (no clinic overhead)	Usually higher in cities like London
Time commitment	Just the session length	Session plus travel, parking, waiting
Time off work needed	Rarely	Often
Comfort	At home, familiar space	New environment, sometimes stressful
Can show food and kitchen	Yes	No
Tech needed	Webcam, internet, sometimes apps	None
Loo nearby	Always	Hopefully
Clinical effectiveness for IBS	Equivalent to in-person	Equivalent to online

Practical tips for getting the most from an online session with a nutritionist

• Set up properly: Sit somewhere quiet, with the camera at eye level (a laptop / phone on a couple of books works fine). Side-light is more flattering than overhead light if that matters to you.
• Do the intake forms in advance: Most online practitioners send digital forms before the first session. Filling them in saves time when we’re together so you get the most from each call.
• Have things to hand: If you’re showing food, supplements, test results or your kitchen, have them ready.
• Ask for audio-only if you need it: If video is really not for you, ask. Most practitioners will offer audio-only as an alternative.

How to decide

Two questions to think about:

• Is there an IBS specialist near you, or will you have to settle for a generalist? In my experience working with someone who has skills in the area you need help with makes much more difference than working with someone who is nearby.
• Do you have a strong personal preference for in-person? If you genuinely loathe video calls and your local clinic has someone good, in-person is fine. If you are wary just because you haven’t done online before, it’s worth a try.

Common questions

Is an online IBS nutritionist as effective as in-person?

Yes. Multiple studies of telehealth dietetic interventions for IBS show equivalent outcomes to in-person care. What drives results is the quality of the practitioner and the structure of the programme, not whether you’re in the same room.

Can I do an online consultation if I live abroad?

Yes. UK-based online practitioners regularly work with clients in Europe, the Middle East, the US, Asia and Australia. The clinical work is the same. We sometimes need to agree scheduling around time zones.

Do I need fancy equipment for an online consultation?

No. A laptop or tablet, a stable internet connection, and somewhere quiet to sit is enough. I use Zoom of WhatsApp video calling which are free for you to use.

What if my internet drops out?

It happens occasionally and normally we can switch to a phone call to finish the session.

So what is best?

If you’ve got a really good IBS-specialist nutritionist who offers in person sessions that could work well for you. If you don’t (and most people don’t), online opens up the entire UK to you. You get to choose based on specialism, approach and fit, rather than postcode.

If you’d like to see whether working with me online would be a fit, I offer a free 30-minute discovery call. All my work is online, with clients across the UK and internationally. We can talk through your situation and whether online would work for you.