We all know that what we eat and how we move our bodies can have major effects on our physical and mental health. Unfortunately, this is well know within the wellness community and, as a result, the number of resources supposedly giving out nutrition advice has increased dramatically over the past decades (think about social media!).
Therefore, knowing who to trust when you need support around your eating habits can be really hard – I get it.
There is no legal definition of the term “nutritionist” and there is no specific course or exam to pass to use this title, and this can increase confusion when seeking for nutritional advice. To protect the public, there are a few government-approved health practitioner register. However, it it estimated that many people practicing as Nutritionist are not register in any of them and I will urge you to stay away from them.
What I’ve been noticing is that when it comes to food, everyone believes to entitled to give out nutrition advice and describes themselves as “an expert”! From Health Coaches and Fit experts to Dietitians and Nutritionists, it can be overwhelming and confusing to understand who is really qualified.
In this paragraph, we will discover together who can you trust for nutrition advice and from who you should run away!
Who can give personalised nutrition advice in the UK?
Registered Dietitian (RD)
Registered Dietitians (RD) have obtained at least a four-year degree in nutrition/dietetics at universities accredited by the British Dietetic Association. They are expert in treating and managing specific medical condition using scientific based nutritional advice. They typically work in the NHS, private practice, private healthcare company or medical research. RD, is a legally protected title, regulated by the Health Care Professional Council (HCPC).
The BDA has a specific section for sports nutritionist called “Sports and Exercise Nutrition Register” (SENR). The SENR is a voluntary register for nutrition professionals who have the ability and competences to work autonomously as a Sports and Exercise Nutritionist “with performance oriented athletes, as well as those participating in physical activity, sport and exercise for health”. You can read more about it here.
If you are a professional athlete or professional dancer, I would urge you to seek nutrition support by a nutritionist or dietitian specialising in sports nutrition as the general nutrition guidelines may not be appropriate for you.
Registered Nutritionist (ANutr & RNutr)
Registered Nutritionist have obtained at least a three-year degree in nutrition at university and most of the time along with a postgraduate qualification. They use scientific, evidence-based nutrition advice to share the impact of food and lifestyle on individuals’ health. They are member of the Association for Nutrition (AfN) a voluntary government-approved register. Registered Associate Nutritionist (ANutr) are newly graduates, which need to have an additional 3 years supervised practice to become Registered Nutritionist (RNutr). This is something I’m in the process of transferring to next year.
The Association for Nutrition has been striving to ensure professional regulation for the title “Nutritionist” to ensure it can only be use by those meeting the high standard required. This will ensure legal protection with international recognition. A legally protected title would reduce the confusion among the public and media.
Nutritional Therapist
Nutritional Therapists have obtained a diploma or undergraduate degree in nutritional therapy accredited by either British association for Applied Nutrition (BANT), Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC) and General Regulatory Council for Complimentary Therapies (GTCCT).
This title is recognised as a form of complementary medicine along with other holistic approaches. Nutritional therapists use a mixture of science-based and non evidence-based advice.
With an increase number of health gurus online with no nutritional qualification, as a registered nutritionist I aim to fight the culture of influencer or celebrities giving out nutritional advice based on their own habits, because “it works for them”. Thus, I must highlight that even though we will all eat the same and do the same training, we will still look completely different. What works for someone, may not be the right choice for you. A registered nutritionist or dietitian will always use a evidence-based approach, meaning that their advices have been scientifically proven with studies.
To ensure I stay up-to-date with the latest research around nutrition, the AfN requires me to to do CPD and periodically undertake courses to be competent and able to support my clients at the best of my capabilities.
Finally, anyone who uses a title other than Registered Dietitian (RD), Registered Nutritionist (ANutr or RNutr) or Nutritional Therapist (evidence based!) is not qualified to give out personalised nutritional advice.
What should you do to protect yourself?
If you need support and want to receive personalised nutrition advice, ask anyone about their qualifications and see if they are appropriately qualified. Finally, search for professionals with a legally protected title, such as the ones mentioned above.
As a registered nutritionist (ANutr & SENr) I used a gentle personalised approach, based on science to help you achieve your health goals or support your sports performance. Get in touch with me now at francesca@fsnutritionist.com to start working with me today if you need help.
