The Nebraska Medical Nutrition Therapy Practice Act licenses dietitians as “licensed dietitian nutritionist” and nutritionists as “licensed nutritionist”. Exemptions to licensure allow Holistic Nutrition Professional to work within our Scope of Practice.
Exemption language is annotated in section 38-1812. License or Compact Privilege required; consultation required for practice; activities not subject to licensure. Several of the Exemptions for holistic nutrition professionals are highlighted below:
The Medical Nutrition Therapy Practice Act shall not be construed to require a license under the act in order to:
(5) Provide individualized nutrition information, guidance, motivation, nutrition recommendations, behavior change management, health coaching, holistic and wellness education, or other nutrition-care services that do not constitute medical nutrition therapy as long as such activity is being performed by a person who is not licensed under the Medical Nutrition Therapy Practice Act and who is not acting in the capacity of or claiming to be a licensed dietitian nutritionist or licensed nutritionist;
(8) Aide in the provision of medical nutrition therapy if:
(a) The person performs nutrition-care services at the direction of an individual licensed under the Uniform Credentialing Act whose scope of practice includes provision of medical nutrition therapy; and
(b) The person performs only support activities of medical nutrition therapy that do not require the exercise of independent judgment for which a license under the Medical Nutrition Therapy Practice Act is required;
(10) Perform individualized general nutrition-care services, not constituting medical nutrition therapy, incidental to the practice of the profession insofar as it does not exceed the scope of the person’s education and training;
(11) Market or distribute food, food materials, or dietary supplements, advise regarding the use of those products or the preparation of those products, or counsel individuals or groups in the selection of products to meet general nutrition needs;
(12) Conduct classes or disseminate general nonmedical nutrition information;
(17) Present a general program of instruction for medical weight control for an individual with prediabetes or obesity if the program has been approved in writing by, consultation is available from, and no program change is initiated without prior approval from, any one of the following:
(a) A licensed dietitian nutritionist or a licensed nutritionist;
(b) A registered dietitian or registered dietitian nutritionist;
(c) A certified nutritionist specialist; or
(d) A licensed health care practitioner acting within the scope of such practitioner’s license as part of a plan of care.
Source: Laws 2024, TITLE 172, CHAPTER 61