For those on the hunt for a healthier new self in the New Year, your Better Business Bureau recommends digesting dietary advice with caution.
"Nutritional guidance from uneducated or illegitimate sources is often useless, sometimes dangerous, and almost always unnecessarily expensive," stated Robert W.G. Andrew, CEO of BBB serving Alaska, Oregon and Western Washington.
Lookout for dietitians and nutritionists who:
- Do not extensively study medical and dietary histories before prescribing nutritional adjustments.
Rely heavily on complicated computer analyses or software to endorse expensive supplements.
Diagnose deficiencies based solely on hair analysis.
Advise adopting erratic eating habits to produce dramatic weight loss results.
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, dietitians and nutritionists must meet proper licensing, certification or registration requirements set forth by the state. Consult the American Society for Nutrition or Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics for help finding registered consultants. Look for credentials, such as the following, and ask if the issuing institution is accredited:
C.C.N. - Certified Clinical Nutritionists
R.D. - Registered Dietitians
C.N. - Certified Nutritionists
For more health tips and BBB Business Reviews, visit bbb.org.
