Nutrition advice from non-experts could be “ruff”

I have been waiting for a “National Nutrition Month” blog idea to come to me… and it’s finally here!

To be honest, I’ve been a bit underwhelmed by ADA’s theme, “it’s a matter of fact”. When you’re competing with Lost, American Idol, and guitar hero you need to be exciting. Well, no more ho-hum, this media release by ADA is humorous — and true!

Turns out a relative of the ADA President Connie Deikman recently received credentials as a nutritionist — too bad he has four legs and barks. Yep, her best friend and pet is a certified nutritionist. While dogs are wonderful companions, I promise you they are useless nutritionists.

The moral of the story is check your creds. Anyone can benefit from the advice and support of a registered dietitian. With four to six years of academic training and a 9-12 month professional internship experience, the RD creds are tried and true.

Believe me, as an IT geek turned almost-RD, the accreditation agency that doles out those precious letters guards them like a watchdog.  And I don’t think there will be any canines in line anytime soon.

Full press release below.

Would you take food and nutrition advice from someone who eats from a bowl on the kitchen floor and likes to chase squirrels?

Sir Edward of Dundee (a.k.a. Eddie) Diekman of St. Louis, Mo., has two main “qualifications” for dishing out nutrition advice:

1. He is a member in good standing of the American Association of Nutritional Consultants, with a certificate to prove it.
2. His owner is a registered dietitian.

Eight-year-old Eddie is an English cocker spaniel belonging to registered dietitian Connie B. Diekman and her husband Leo. Connie is the president of the American Dietetic Association and the director of university nutrition at Washington University in St. Louis. Eddie obtained membership in the American Association of Nutritional Consultants in January, and he has a certificate to prove it.

“Consumers beware: Not all nutritionists are created the same,” Diekman says. “Eddie is living, barking proof that anyone can become a member of an organization of purported nutrition experts, even if they have no more qualification to give nutrition advice than a dog.

“When you need trusted, accurate, timely and practical nutrition advice, you need to seek the advice of a registered dietitian,” Diekman says.

During National Nutrition Month, the American Dietetic Association urges all consumers to look for the RD credential: “RDs know the science of nutrition,” Diekman says. “Our required degrees in foods, nutrition, dietetics, public health or related fields such as biochemistry, medicine or a nutrition specialty in family and consumer sciences come from well-respected, accredited colleges and universities.”