HOW TO GET RELIABLE NUTRITION ADVICE

Anyone can call himself or herself a "nutritionist"—someone with at least four years of education and training in the field, someone with a medical degree and some formal nutrition education, someone with a degree (M.D., Ph.D., Sc.D., M.A., B.S., and a host of others) whose training is in an entirely unrelated field, and someone with no degree or formal training who has just decided to be a "nutritionist." Unfortunately, the voices of unschooled quacks are often heard over those with sound background and knowledge. Fortunately, for those wanting to avoid the eccentricities and misinformation of self-styled nutritionists, there are reliable alternatives.

One of the best is the registered dietitian (R.D.). Once relegated almost exclusively to the kitchens of hospitals, schools, and other institutions, increasing numbers of dietitians in recent years have begun working directly with the public, offering professional personal nutrition counseling. A registered dietitian has completed a prescribed course of study in dietetics or nutrition at an accredited college or university, plus an internship in a hospital or other professional setting, or three years of specialized work experience, or a master's degree in nutrition or a related field with six months' work experience. In addition, an R.D. must pass a registration examination and must maintain proficiency and up-to-date knowledge through continuing education. Most qualified dietitians belong to the American Dietetic Association (ADA), which established the above educational requirements. The ADA also has associate members, who are dietitians-in-training. Qualified nutritionists might also belong to one of the following organizations: the Society for Nutrition Education (SNE), the American Society of Clinical Nutrition, or the American Institute of Nutrition (AIN).

As so aptly noted in Environmental Nutrition, a bimonthly newsletter edited by three R.D.s, "an ethical nutritionist does not promise cures or guarantee results. . . . Nor do qualified nutritionists believe in superfoods having special, health-giving properties. While there are, of course, foods with a high nutrient density, the emphasis should always be on the overall quality of the diet, not on a few special foods. . . . Ethical, well-trained nutritionists do not recommend an array of expensive vitamin, mineral, or protein supplements since the nutritional needs of nearly all people can be met through the diet." Nor does the reliable nutritionist rely on "spurious diagnoses" of conditions like "adrenal insufficiency" or "hypoglycemia," which can rarely be confirmed by appropriate medical tests performed by physicians without a vested interest in some dietary scheme.

The new breed of dietitian works as a private practitioner on a consulting basis, usually through referral by a physician. Some work independently and can be reached through listings in the Yellow Pages, the local medical society, or departments of nutrition at community colleges, universities, or university-based medical centers. A consulting dietitian can provide general nutrition advice or, with a doctor's referral, specific advice individualized to your particular situation—your health problems, family circumstances, life style, and abilities. The consulting nutritionist delves into your current eating habits, your routine, and your medical needs. A trial meal plan is developed and revised as needed. A wide selection of foods and simple menu planning, shopping schemes, and meal preparations are emphasized. The emphasis is on a realistic, enjoyable nutritional plan that you can follow easily for the rest of your life. A consulting dietitian can help you if your problem is obesity, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, liver disease, ulcer, gout, etc., or if you're "just" an ordinary healthy person who's interested in staying that way.

For general nutrition information, there are many reliable sources that supply excellent material—including menu plans and recipes no cost or for just a minimal charge. Among them are local health departments (some, like New York City, have a Bureau of Nutrition); county cooperative extension services (where a staff nutritionist can provide telephone advice), located throughout the nation in affiliation with land-grant colleges and universities; departments of nutrition at community colleges, universities, and medical centers; local chapters of the American Heart Association, American Dietetic Association, and American Diabetes Association; and in some areas, local medical societies.

You might also consider subscribing to such newsletters as the following: Nutrition and Health, prepared and published six times a year by the Institute of Human Nutrition, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, 701 West 168 Street, New York, New York 10032; Environmental Nutrition Newsletter, prepared by three dietitians and published ten times a year by Environmental Nutrition, Inc., 52 Riverside Drive, Suite 15-A, New York, New York 10024.

For those who are more politically oriented, the following independent "action" newsletters may prove stimulating: Nutrition Action, published twelve times a year by the Center for Science in the Public Interest, 1755 S Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20009 (annual subscription fee includes membership in the organization, two nutrition posters, and a 10-percent discount on other of the center's health publications); CNI Weekly Report, published fifty times a year by the Community Nutrition Institute, 1146 Nineteenth Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20036.

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