Why You Should Be Careful About Getting Nutrition Advice From a Coach or Trainer

By Kayley George, RDN, LD

How would you feel getting treated by a doctor who does not have an “MD” title after his name or a nurse who does not have “RN”? You’d probably run the other direction if you found that out. MD or RN isn’t just two letters put together. These titles are earned after years of studying and training and we, as a culture, respect that. Similarly, an RD is a registered dietitian who is licensed to provide nutrition education and medical nutrition therapy. Even doctors are limited in their nutrition training and scope of knowledge. Practicing nutrition and giving nutrition advice to the people without a license can be dangerous and at times, life-threatening. To become a dietitian requires a bachelor's degree in nutrition, a 1200-hour internship, passing the RD exam, and then becoming state-licensed before practicing. Moving forward, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics will now require a master’s degree before taking the RD exam. All of these laborious steps were not created in vain, but actually to keep patients safe.

Recently in Florida there was a case where a Crossfit coach Heather Del Castillo was providing nutritional services without any license. In 2014, Castillo started a one-on-one health coaching business in California. Then she moved to Florida in 2015  and continued with her business. In 2017, her business was shut down when a licensed dietitian filed a complaint with the Florida Department of Health against illegal nutrition practice without a license. Apart from being shut down, she was fined $750 and was warned of jail time if she continues with her business. From her perspective, Castillo says that she is practicing her first amendment - freedom of speech by giving nutrition advice. She claims she is doing the same thing as people who have online blogging websites, social media accounts, and published books that have nutrition information about the latest diets. 

Is there any truth to Castillo’s argument? Let’s first recognize that all of these influencers and platforms giving out nutrition information are different from one-on-one coaching advice. She was counseling people on specific dietary habits and lifestyle changes, so that means their health decisions revolve on her recommendations and treatment. So her case is very different from people's blogs, social media accounts, etc. which provide information on a public level, not a personal level. It’s also important to understand that this example is one of the reasons why we have such a high rate of obesity and other metabolic conditions - because of poor dietary advice. Every time you turn around, there is a new diet promoted by these “certified health coaches” and “nutrition experts” that people start following religiously. Then that fad is quickly over and it’s on to the next. People see the before and after photos, the reviews, the people raving on social media and hop on the bandwagon. People are drawn to the quick fixes. 

In June 2019, Castillo’s case was dismissed by the federal court judge, saying that Florida’s legislature made the correct decision and has protected the health and safety of the people by making the license mandatory for nutrition practice. However, Castillo had appealed for the dismissed case against the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The new court decision will come out soon, so we will stay up to date on any news regarding this case. 

This same issue is seen among the titles “nutritionists” and “dietitians”. Although these terms are used interchangeably, there is a big difference between the two. Earlier we talked about the legal process of becoming a dietitian, which is different from a nutritionist. In the United States, a nutritionist isn’t required to have a degree or become licensed before practicing. They can simply do an online program to start practicing. Or it could be your health-obsessed neighbor who calls themselves a nutritionist. Heck, your grandma could be a nutritionist! On the other hand, dietitians apply medical nutrition therapy and evidenced-based practices from years of education and training. For that reason, nutritionists cannot call themselves dietitians. 

We’ve actually seen many horror stories of unlicensed practitioners causing harm to their patients through uneducated practice. One example is a case from Maryland where an unlicensed practitioner who preaches fasting advised his type 1 diabetic patient to stop taking insulin and start fasting. The patient passed away in one week because insulin intake is vital for a type 1 diabetic because their body cannot produce it anymore. Thankfully the practitioner was sentenced for his crime, but there are more of these “experts” still out there.

Nutrition is an emerging field and we are experiencing both the highs and lows that come with that.  All of these new nutrition trends and “experts” support the idea that people want natural and holistic treatments instead of popping more pills. This is why credible information has become even more important. Cases like Castillo’s teach us how risky it can be to practice something in which you are not even an expert. Be wary of the nutrition “experts” or influencers you find on social media. Take a closer look at their credentials and education. As with anything on the internet these days, we all must learn to be more scrupulous about what information we are consuming and if it’s a valid recommendation for us personally.

Contact me, a registered dietitian specializing in diet, nutrition and healthy weight loss, for a FREE nutrition consultation today!

Published on Feb 9, 2021 at 5:11 pm