How to become a Trusted Nutrition Professional
Who are the real nutrition professionals?
The public is beginning to recognize the importance of nutrition and lifestyle factors in promoting health and longevity. Medical providers like doctors, physician assistants & nurse practitioners are excellent at diagnosing & treating medical conditions, diseases and injuries with medications and procedures. These interventions can be life-saving and are incredibly important for the health of their patients! However, when it comes to diet and lifestyle, physicians receive very little training, if any. The average US medical school provides a whopping 25 hours of nutrition education.
Alternatively, others may look to the internet for their nutrition information. The issue with this is that there are a lot of people who promote their own PERSONAL OPINIONS/ BIAS about dietary & eating behaviors without proper research to back up these claims. People have all sorts of agendas for pushing different diets. What these people are missing is the understanding about individual differences. The truth is there is no one size fits all approach to diets. We all have unique genetics, medical conditions, lifestyles, cultures, goals etc. which play into the diet that best suits each individual. Reading information on the internet that is not coming from a Certified Nutrition Specialist or Registered Dietitian can lead to more confusion and can cause harm.
So, what is the difference between a CNS & RD?
Registered Dietitan
An RD (or RDN) is a nutrition and diet professional governed by the commission of dietetic registration (CDR).
RD path:
Education: Obtain a bachelor’s or master's degree from a nutrition program at an accredited school. The governing body for registered dietitians is the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). *By January 1, 2024, a master’s degree will be required to sit for the CDR exam.
Supervision: Complete a dietetic’s internship consisting of 1,200 hours of supervision from a licensed nutrition professional.
Exam: Pass the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) Exam. The exam is 145 questions consisting of:
25% principles of dietetics
40% nutrition care for individuals and groups
21% management of food and nutrition programs and services
14% foodservice systems
4. Licensure: Depending on the state, licensure may be required to practice nutrition counseling. Be sure to check ahead of time to see what your state requires. Licensure requires a fee and continuing education credits. This ensures that the nutritionist stays up to date with the science of nutrition and dietetics. Licensure ensures that the nutritionist is practicing at a high standard of care and abiding by the code of ethics. If the RD fails to operate in this manner, they can risk losing their license.
Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS)
CNS is a nutrition professional governed by the Board of Certified Nutrition Specialists (BCNS). CNS requires a master’s or doctoral degree in the field of nutrition or health sciences. Its focus on functional and personalized nutrition takes a root cause approach to healing the individual. It is a nationally recognized credential.
CNS path
Obtain a master’s degree in nutrition or a related field from a regionally accredited university. Coursework requirements include nutrition science, biochemistry, anatomy & physiology, life sciences, and behavioral sciences. *Master’s degree is required.
Supervised Practice Experience: 1,000 hours of clinical practice supervised by an approved nutrition professional with a minimum of 3 years experience. These hours must include personalized nutrition assessment and interpretation; nutrition intervention, education, counseling and ongoing care; and nutrition monitoring and evaluation. These hours can be completed in a clinical setting, internship, institution or community setting.
Must pass the certification examination for nutrition professionals. This is a 200 question exam covering a broad spectrum of nutrition science and clinical competencies. Passing this test demonstrates mastery of this material.
Licensure: Depending on the state, licensure may be required to practice nutrition counseling. Be sure to check ahead of time to see what your state requires. Licensure requires a fee and continuing education credits. This ensures that the nutritionist stays up to date with the science of nutrition and dietetics. Licensure ensures that the nutritionist is practicing at a high standard of care and abiding by the code of ethics. If the nutritionist fails to operate in this manner, she can risk losing her license.
Code of Ethics and scope of practice
Both RDs and CNSs abide by a code of ethics and a strict scope of practice. These ethics include practicing with evidence-based interventions, practicing with integrity and the client’s interest at the center, practicing within the scope of practice, work to reduce disparities within the health industry, etc. Abiding by HIPAA regulations for client privacy is required.
RDs and CNSs also must practice within their scope of practice. This means that they must know when to refer out and collaborate with doctors and mental health professionals. Specific scope of practice is determined by the state in which a practitioner is practicing.
If an RD or CNS is not abiding by the code of ethics and practicing within the scope of practice, they are subject to lawsuits and loss of licensure. This is meant to hold the practitioner accountable.
What about health coaches, personal trainers and FNTPs?
Health coaches, functional nutrition therapist practitioners (FNTPs), and personal trainers
are not required to have a nutrition degree
do not require supervised practice
do not need to pass a certifying exam
do not require continuing education hours
Therefore they cannot:
Order or interpret labs
Provide dietary counseling for disease states
Treat specific diseases with medical nutrition therapy
These professions can play an important role in an individual’s health when they stay within their scope of practice. Health coaches can empower and inspire an individual to take command of one’s own health and personal trainers are experts in physical activity.
Summary
CNSs and RDs require a degree from an accredited university, Supervised practice hours, passing of an exam and continuing education credits. These rigorous steps are why these two credentials are considered the most prestigious and well-qualified nutrition credentials. They are the only nutrition professionals that are able to obtain state licensure to practice nutrition therapy.
