Answer is ....when it’s someone like me! Now I’m very keen on the subject of nutrition and health. I may think I know a thing or two about the subject and I may think that I am qualified to pass on this knowledge to other people (!) - after all I have an actual degree in Biology and I’ve read a lot of books on the subject of Health & Nutrition. I'll even admit that in the past I’ve tried out the Dukan Diet. But could I just print up my business cards, hire a room and start dishing out nutritional advice?
Well yes I could because incredibly in the UK there is nothing at the moment to stop someone like me setting myself up as a "nutritionist", "food therapist", "nutritional counsellor", "dietary guidance counsellor" etc, and proceeding to dish out dietary advice to the unsuspecting general public. I can do this quite legally with no actual formal qualifications in the subject of nutrition. It might be good advice: it might be bad. So how are people like you and me supposed to know who is qualified to give us accurate, evidence based advice regarding our dietary habits and their possible impact on our general health and wellbeing?
The British Dietetic Association has this to say on the subject: “ Registered Dietitians (RDs) are the only qualified health professionals that assess, diagnose and treat diet and nutrition problems at an individual and wider public health level. Uniquely, dietitians use the most up to date public health and scientific research on food, health and disease, which they translate into practical guidance to enable people to make appropriate lifestyle and food choices”
The BDA goes on to note, and this is the important bit: “Dietitians are the only nutrition professionals to be statutorily regulated, and governed by an ethical code, to ensure that they always work to the highest standard.”
Sadly “Nutritionist” is not yet a statutorily registered title and so while some practioners who use this title may well have a degree in Nutrition from a reputable university, and adhere to professional codes of conduct, some may not. Some may have done a correspondence course or they may just be enthusiastic well meaning amateurs who have decided to turn a hobby into a job.
For more information on how this all works, and if you're interested - you can refer to a leaflet produced by the British Dietetic Association. This explains the differences between registered Dietitians and Nutritionists, and I’d suggest that before you hand over any of your hard earned cash for dietary advice, or even consider signing up for any so called “Nutritional Counselling”etc etc, you’d be well advised to check on the credentials of the person you’re about to consult with. I think that’s good advice! even coming from an amateur like me!
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