Health
State regulation of dietitians may — or may not — be scrapped
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By PATRICK LYONS
Capital News Service
LANSING – A recommendation to the governor that would scrap the planned regulation of dietitians and nutritionists has alarmed the state’s dietitians. Kathy DeGrow, a lobbyist for the Michigan Dietetic Association, said the problem with the move is the need to preserve the occupation’s credibility. She said all dietitians have the knowledge and experience to be considered nutritionists, but not all “nutritionists” are qualified to be considered dietitians. All dietitians must be registered with the American Association of Dietitians, but nutritionists are not registered. “There are people who are calling themselves ‘nutritionists’ but they do not have the same credential as a professional who would have a license and a well-defined educational background,” she said.