Food is increasingly at the center of our concerns, and many television and radio shows discuss it and broadcast reports or interviews on various related topics.
However, few actually allow for a clear distinction between food professionals. Here is a summary of the different titles:
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1. Dietitian:
The title of dietitian is obtained after a three-year (full-time) course. It is a bachelor’s degree that meets the requirements of the royal decree of February 19, 1997, which defines the curriculum and internships necessary to obtain the title of dietitian.
A dietitian wishing to practice in Belgium must have a visa number issued by the SPF Public Health (Federal Ministry of Health). This visa number guarantees that the dietitian is indeed accredited by this ministry. The advantage of this approval for patients is a guarantee of professional quality, obtained notably through the protection of the title of dietitian and the obligation for each dietitian to follow continuing education.
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Since September 1, 2011, only holders of accreditation can practice as dietitians. It is also worth noting that only consultations with registered dietitians (or doctors, of course) are reimbursed by mutual funds!
The training in dietetics is an in-depth study of food knowledge, physiology, and pathophysiology of nutrition. It includes comprehensive theoretical courses on food composition, diet-related diseases and their management, etc., as well as various internships (cooking classes every week, practical sessions on dietary care, followed by internships in hospitals, industry, research laboratories, medical centers…).
Updlf has recently obtained from the SPF Public Health the right for all dietitians to hold the title of nutritionist dietitians.
2. Nutritionist:
Since the title of nutritionist is not protected, anyone who has taken a nutrition course—whether basic or short (or not)—can use the title of nutritionist:
- For example, during my training at UCL in biomedical sciences – Human Nutrition orientation, some pharmacy or medical students chose a nutrition course that included 18 hours of classes per year as an option. These pharmacists or doctors could therefore have a plaque reading “nutritionist.” And in the case of doctors, benefit from support from mutual funds. There are highly qualified doctors and nutritionists, but the sector is not regulated, making it difficult to be certain when entering their consultation offices.
- Other students who have completed the full training in biomedical sciences—Human Nutrition—can also be called “nutritionists.” The Nutrition (Master’s) course is a very comprehensive and in-depth training that covers all aspects of nutrition: (bio)chemistry, physics, physiology, microbiology, anatomy… not to mention, of course, the most important courses in general dietetics, pediatric dietetics, toxicology, etc., as well as the rigor of advanced learning and scientific critique. The Master’s in Biomedical Sciences—Human Nutrition Orientation is a 4-year university course (or 5 years if you have a bachelor’s degree while we take the transition year before going to the Master’s). It includes theoretical courses as well as nearly a full year of internship (usually in a research laboratory). The Master’s in Nutrition alone does not allow for the opening of a consulting practice as it does not meet the requirements of the Royal Decree of 19/02/1997. Generally, students who have taken this course are more involved in research (fundamental or otherwise) in nutrition.
- Finally, there are people who first obtained a degree in dietetics (bachelor’s) and who want to “learn more” or rather deepen their knowledge on the side of dietetics/nutrition and who continue to pursue the Master’s in biomedical sciences—Human Nutrition Orientation. These individuals are therefore truly dietitians and nutritionists as they have in-depth knowledge of all aspects (food, physiology, mechanisms) of nutrition and diet.
3. Nutritherapist:
On the nutritherapy training site, it is stated that “nutritherapy is a discipline that speaks to the body in its own language, with the molecules that compose it (amino acids, fatty acids, vitamins, minerals…) and that allow it to function and close the molecules, derived from plant biochemistry.” The official site even considers defining a dietitian, a nutritionist, and a nutritherapist, and gives the dietitian and nutritionist a somewhat… limited definition! The complete training (12 modules, totaling 180 hours) is currently provided by a nutritional physician (at the training center in Namur). This training and the various conferences offered are open to everyone, whether they have a basic scientific training or not. Nutritherapists regularly resort to dietary supplements, which incur additional costs (and are completely unnecessary). The CFNA website mentions that “it is important to prioritize the complementary relationship between the profession of nutritherapist and that of dietitian.” However, it should be noted that nutritionists do not have accreditation (visa number issued by the federal Ministry of Health) unlike dietitians whose scope is regulated. Their services are therefore not reimbursed by mutual funds or insurance companies.
4. Naturopath:
According to the Union of Naturopaths of Belgium, naturopathy is complementary to conventional medicine. The training is done in 2 cycles: Vital Hygiene Advisor (the training can stop there), then naturopathic health practitioner. It is expensive, more than 4 times the price of a mineral at university! The training includes only a very small part dedicated to nutrition, called “Nutrition and diets” (sic!). It mainly consists of courses such as iridology, hydrotherapy, oligotherapy, apitherapy, etc. None of the teachers are dietitians or doctors. Furthermore, the title of naturopath is not recognized, so the practice is not supervised by any authority, and consequently, one can proclaim oneself a naturopath overnight without any training (see RTBF article). Naturopaths do not have accreditation (visa number issued by the federal Ministry of Health), so their services are not reimbursed by mutual funds or insurance companies.
Conclusion
Do not be swayed by trendy new fads advocating a return to nature, self-healing, or self-care… obviously bad or dangerous, but when you have questions about your diet, it is essential to think twice about the advice received. Especially those recommending the elimination of one food or another food group or prescribing the consumption of dietary supplements.
Also read the article published on the official website of French-speaking dietitians, as well as the one published by RTBF.
The list of dietitians accredited by the SPF Public Health can be consulted at www.lesdieteticiens.be.
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