Healthful daily nutrition is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle. When you need support in improving the dietary choices you make each day, who can you go to for help? If you are confused about the roles of dietitians, nutritionists, and health coaches, you are probably not alone. Part of the confusion may lie in the fact that there are different criteria for what each can tell you, depending on the state in which you live. Furthermore, many states are making new changes to their laws and regulations related to licensing, registration, and certification of any healthcare professional practicing nutrition. Because proposed laws don’t receive a lot of media coverage, their passage and enactment can come as a jolting surprise to both consumers and healthcare practitioners.

For example, as of mid-January, 2020, New Jersey enacted a new law requiring that dietitians and nutritionist be licensed. The new law also usedthe terms “dietitian” and “nutritionist” interchangeably. As the licensing board will not be organized for a year, their state licensing will not be implemented until then. Most observers are interpreting this new law to saythat in New Jersey only registered dietitians (RDs), Certified Nutrition Specialists® (CNSs), or any individual practicing medical nutrition therapymust obtain this license in order to continue doing so. Those delivering nutrition advice without an advanced degree and the RD or CNS credential will still be able to do so only as long as they do not target a medical condition.

A sampling of the variety of regulations among states…

• Florida requires that both nutritionists and dietitians be licensed to practice.
• California does require a dietitian to be licensed, but not a nutritionist.
• North Carolina requires that nutritionists be licensed only for advice related to medical conditions.
• Arizona has expanded regulations to include a new title, registered dietitian nutritionist, for practitioners who must meet the qualifications of the credentialing agency for the American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
• Iowa is removing from its laws the word “dietetics” and related licensing requirements.

Because of the ever-changing regulatory landscape, healthcare consumers and healthcare practitioners are both encouraged to research the current regulations of their home state, keeping in mind that the information found online may not reflect themost recent changes.If you are relocating to a different state, it would be unwise for you to assume that the regulations will be the same as they were in your old location.

As you review information on state regulations regarding the sharing of nutritional information, you will note that there tend to be two general approaches: (1) healthcare professionals must be licensed to share nutritional information, and (2) healthcare professionals must be licensed to share nutritional information as medical therapy, while licensing is not required of those who share lifestyle nutritional information. There are critics who say that regulations are too restrictive. Others feel there are not enough regulations. As your state may be the next to propose changes, you may want to stay abreast of trends in nutrition regulations.

Issue: Differing laws related to access to nutritional information.

AHHA strives to maintain a neutral position on issues and viewsknowledge as power. For those interested in this month’s issue and learning more about this topic the articles cited below were selected to offer you some resources to begin your research.

New JerseyAssembly Bill 1582 (1/13/20)
LegiScan

Licensure for Registered Dietitian/Nutritionists Now Law (1/15/20
by New Jersey Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
AHHearald.com

New Jersey
American Nutrition Association

Key Active State Legislation/ Active State Bills 2020
American Nutrition Association

MNT Versus Nutrition Education
EatRightPro Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

Who gets to give dietary advice? Health coach fights law (5/30/19)
by Candice Choi
AP News

Nutrition Practice Laws: Overview
Council of Holistic Health Educators

Nutritionist, Licensed Nutritionist, and Registered Dietitian Requirements By State [not entirely up-to-date]
NutritionED.org

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