Nutrition Consultant Based on the Book Legal

Nutrition Consultant

Based on the book

Legal guidelines: Nutrition consultant

According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, dietitians and nutritionist jobs numbered 60,300 in 2008 (Dieticians and Nutritionists, 2011, BLS). Because of concerns about health problems related to nutrition and weight, demand for nutrition experts is growing in America. Of the 46 states with laws governing nutrition practitioners, 33 states require licensing, 12 require statutory certification, and 1 requires registration. "As a result, interested candidates should determine the requirements of the state in which they want to work before sitting for any exam" (Dieticians and Nutritionists, 2011, BLS).

In the state of California, non-licensed professionals are allowed to provide weight management and nutrition services. "Consistently one of the healthiest states in the country, California is home to more nutrition based-business and industry than any other state' (California nutritionist, 2011, Nutritionist World). California has a registration licensure law, which is the least restrictive form of state regulation regarding healthcare professionals in the field of nutrition. Unregistered individuals are allowed to give advice about nutrition, so long as they do not misleadingly label themselves as a licensed or registered dietitian. Most nutrition consultants only have B.A.s, while the requirements for becoming a RD are far more extensive. The "Commission on Dietetic Registration of the American Dietetic Association awards the Registered Dietitian credential to those who pass an exam after completing academic coursework and a supervised internship" (Dieticians and Nutritionists, 2011, BLS).

RDs often operate out of healthcare facilities, while nutrition consultants may operate out of wellness centers. Both may operate in private practice as well. Even if the center does not have specific guidelines and protocols for staff to follow, in the interests of his or he own professional survival, the consultant should avoid making claims that could be misinterpreted.

The nutritional consultant must be careful to confine his or her advice to his or her area of expertise, and not delve into other areas of medicine. For example, he or she can give advice on weight loss, but not specifically tell a diabetic patient how to manage his or her diabetes. This can be a legal grey area, given that diabetes can be improved by changes in diet for some patients, but the nutritional consultant cannot encourage the patient to ignore doctor's orders and imply that his or her advice supersedes that of a licensed physician.

Nutrition consultants must be extremely careful to accurately state their credentials and experiences to clients, to establish their credibility but also to establish the fact that they are not a licensed RD. Because California has such liberal licensing laws, there is often a wide variety of practioners with dubious qualifications that may be operating within the state. The nutritional consultant should establish his or her philosophy during the first meeting, and not over-promise the potential results that can be gleaned from taking his or her approach to nutrition. Any tests performed by the consultant should be explained thoroughly to the client in layperson's terms to minimize confusion.