American Association of Nutritional Consultants

The American Association of Nutritional Consultants (AANC) is an organisation which seeks to enhance the reputation of Nutritional and Dietary Consultants by consolidating them into a professional organisation.

It offers examination and certification, or association membership which requires 11 examinations and the payment of the membership fee of $400. The organisation also offers an insurance program.

The association runs no checks on the qualifications of its certified members. Science writer Ben Goldacre subscribed his deceased cat Henrietta, purchasing "certified professional membership" on Hettie's behalf for $60,[1] and Australian nutritionist Rosemary Stanton's late Old English Sheepdog.[2] In 1983, nutrition scientist Victor Herbert registered a poodle and a cat;[3][4] despite the wide publicity given to this fact, Herbert was able to register another dog as a member the next year.[3] Another person registered the pet hamster of his daughter[3] and another person was accepted after providing only a certificate from a nutrition diploma mill.[3] Clearly, none of these members are "professional" nutritionists.

As a result, this organisation has been criticised by Quackwatch for selling membership certificates to unqualified individuals.[3]

Notes

  1. ↑ Goldacre, Ben. "Dr Gillian McKeith (PhD) continued", The Guardian, September 30, 2004.
  2. ↑ Stanton, Rosemary (2000). "Nutrition: who can you believe?" (PDF). The Skeptic 20 (2): 25. Retrieved 2011-02-10.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Stephen Barrett, "The American Association of Nutritional Consultants: Who and What Does It Represent?" Quackwatch, 2005.
  4. ↑ Marie A. Boyle, Sara Long (2008). Personal Nutrition (7, revised ed.). Cengage Learning. p. 26. ISBN 978-0-495-56008-1

Further reading

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