opinion
free from ADA restrictions because they
license dieticians in dietetics only, not
in nutrition. Four states have no licens-
ing in dietetics or nutrition.
Health Freedom
Nut of the Issue
Protecting The People’s
The ADA has published position papers
publicly favoring the use of prepared
Right to Choose
foods, medical diets and procedures
and disfavoring the use of supplements
beyond the government’s Recommend-
ed Dietary Allowance. The ADA counts
among its corporate sponsors and part-
The most basic of human rights is the right to choose what is done
ners many giants in the pharmaceutical
to or goes into our bodies; especially how we choose to treat or not
and food industries. Those listed on its
website include Coca-Cola, PepsiCo,
to treat our own health. Today, continued legislative attempts to
Mars candies and Kelloggs; many fast-
control these rights are underway at the state, national and interna- food chains also exhibit at the ADA’s
tional levels.
annual Food and Nutrition Conference
and Expo. Such products generally
don’t embody the types of nutrition rec-
OpenSecrets.org, a nonpartisan guide to financial influence on
ommended by many nutritionists, and
some dieticians might agree. (Reference
U.S. elections and public policy, reports that in recent years, no
EatRight.org/cps/rde/xchg/ada/hs.xsl/
interest group has spent more dollars lobbying Washington than the
home_10575_ENU_HTML.htm)
pharmaceutical/medical/hospital industry (reference
I am glad to report that I am peri-
OpenSecrets.
odically contacted by ADA-registered
org/lobby/search.php). Legislative strategies are clever. Here, we dietitians who take exception to any
consider how citizens can take a stand in their state to retain or re-
inference that they are not natural prac-
titioners, do not recommend organic
gain their right to choose how they approach their own health care.
foods and alternative diets and are not
schooled in the use of supplements for
immune building and disease preven-
tion. Apparently, there are individual
dietitians who have sought out dietary,
Taking a Stand at the State Level
herbal or nutritional training that goes
beyond their medical nutritional train-
ing. I always tell them it is a freedom
Dietitian-Licensing Legislation
they could lose should their state legis-
lators grant a dietetics board governing
by Dian Freeman authority over what forms of nutritional
practices they follow.
In 33 states, these dietician natural
C
urrently in the United States, regarding nutrition, including food, practitioners, as well as herbalists, clini-
dietitian licensing bills are being diet, supplements and weight loss. This cal nutritionists, certified nutritionists,
passed or proposed at the state could curtail registered dietitians’ in- naturopaths, doctors of nutrition and
level that would designate dieticians as dividual freedoms and activities, while naturopathy and holistic health coun-
nutritionists, thereby legally limiting the also effectively prohibiting thousands of selors of all kinds, are currently free to
dispensing of nutritional recommenda- natural health practitioners and nutri- practice based on whatever combina-
tions and advice solely to registered tionists from legally speaking, teaching tion of training they feel works best for
dietitians who adhere to the tenets or counseling in their professions. their clients. In states where registered
of the American Dietetic Association The ADA website, EatRight.org, dietitians remain unlicensed as nu-
(ADA). When passed, these bills typi- shows that such bills already have tritionists, ADA members, like other
cally charge each state’s dietetic licens- passed in 17 states (see endnote for trained health professionals, can make
ing board with the authority to deter- link). In 29 states, nutritionists and use of the wide array of nutritional
mine the legality of all health practices other natural practitioners still remain information available today.
Southwestern Virginia
14
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