It’s a New Year, and I hope you are as excited as I am about helping your clients succeed in 2022. Like many of you, I see an upswing in inquiries during January. People are ready to start anew, focusing on change and healthy lifestyles. While it is exciting to hear from prospective clients, I want to gently remind everyone that we must be careful to always work within our Scope of Practice.
Know and work within your Scope of Practice
Our job as holistic nutrition professionals is to provide sound, science-based advice to our clients about nutrient-dense foods and healthy lifestyles. We do not offer Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT), the “provision of nutrition care services for the treatment or management of a disease or medical condition.” MNT is for licensed healthcare professionals to perform, not for holistic nutrition professionals.
Use the appropriate title
As we try to set ourselves apart from others in the nutrition industry, the NANP would like to remind you to use the title you earned from your school or program, which appears on your diploma/certificate. Most states protect the titles “Dietitian” and “Nutritionist.” So unless you are a Registered Dietitian or a Certified Nutritionist, please be sure to never refer to yourself or imply that you are licensed or certified by the state.
For those who have earned the board certification credential from the NANP, the correct title is Board Certified in Holistic Nutrition® or BCHN®. Please do not use “Board Certified Holistic Nutritionist” since “Nutritionist” is a protected title.
Understand the laws of your state
While the NANP Legislative Affairs Division is working tirelessly to expand the rights of practitioners to work in each state, it’s essential to be aware that each state has differing laws. What is legal in one state may be considered a misdemeanor in another, punishable with monetary fines and jail time.
Exemptions for holistic nutrition professionals are outlined on our interactive legislative affairs map. For our members, one of the many benefits includes personalized consultations with me. If you would like further guidance regarding your scope of practice, please contact me to schedule an appointment.
In health,
Laura
Laura Waldo, NTP, BCHN®
National Association of Nutrition Professionals
Legislative Affairs Specialist
