Our LTE to the Washington Post

Regarding the Consumer Reports article, “Dietitians can provide skilled advice on how to eat more healthfully” [June 3], reprinted in Washington Post:


Instead of encouraging consumers to improve their health via nutritional advice tailored to their personal needs and resources, this “article” is a thinly veiled advertisement for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND). It summarily dismisses the diverse, highly credentialed, and rapidly developing field of non-RD nutrition professionals, while finding no worse criticism for nutritionists than “they may suggest you take vitamins.”

Perhaps Consumer Reports simply did not realize the following: to the AND (a trade association for dieticians, not a medical organization), nutritionists are competition: competition they strive to eliminate through a campaign of monopolistic state nutrition licensing laws. (1)

Considering the AND has recently been criticized by the media for accepting sponsorships from junk food companies (those continuing education classes the AND boasts of? They’re brought to you by Coca-Cola), they’ve probably been hoping to eke out some positive press. (2,3) However, we encourage all those seeking nutrition advice to conduct their own research and choose a nutrition health professional with the education, credentials, and experience with which they are personally comfortable.

Gretchen DuBeau, Esq.
Executive Director,
Alliance for Natural Health USA, Bethesda DuBeau’s group advocates for natural-health practitioners and consumers.

(1) Forbes.com Is The ADA Intentionally Using State Legislatures To Block Alternative Nutrition Providers?
http://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelellsberg/2012/07/10/american_dietetic_association_2/
(2) NY Times Report Faults Food Group’s Sponsor Ties http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/23/business/report-questions-nutrition-groups-use-of-corporate-sponsors.html?_r=1&
(3) Actual Continuing Professional Education classes from RD’s from Coke’s “Beverage Institute”: http://beverageinstitute.org/us/webinar/childrens-dietary-recommendations/