Anyone can claim to be a nutritionist, which is why finding a good one can be a challenge. Licensure and credentials are an important place to start, but they don’t necessarily ensure quality, some experts say.

"Nutrition is a controversial and changing area. Keeping up to date requires a lot of work," said Dr. Stephen Devries, executive director of the nonprofit Gaples Institute for Integrative Cardiology in Deerfield, Ill.

The best professionals, he said, have undergone a rigorous formal training program and continuously update their nutrition knowledge.

Red flags that your nutrition professional may be unqualified include over-the-top promises such as a guarantee of permanent or quick weight loss or the idea that diet can cure cancer. Also be wary of practitioners who sell products and who have a one-size-fits-all philosophy. If they can’t support their claims with scientific research instead of anecdotes, consider one who can.

Marion Nestle, who has spent her career telling people how to eat, is not a registered dietitian but holds a New York State license as a nutritionist/dietitian. She has a master’s in public health nutrition and a doctorate in molecular biology.

Nestle suggests approaching anyone’s advice, including her own, with skepticism. She likes nutritionists with "critical thinking skills, those who understand how and why people eat the way they do, focus on food rather than nutrients, and are able to read current research as well as interpret and apply it in context."

"I know people trained in dietetics who can do that," said Nestle, a professor in the department of nutrition, food studies and public health at New York University. "But I know even more nutritionists who are not dietitians who also do that. Would licensing straighten all this out?  Only if it sets academic standards that all nutritionists must meet."

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TYPES OF NUTRITIONISTS

Consumers should know there’s a big difference between the training of a "certified nutrition specialist" and a "certified nutrition consultant." Here’s a look at the meaning behind the credentials.

The following types of practitioners can be licensed in Illinois as dietitian nutritionists:

Registered dietitian: RDs have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree and are trained in all aspects of food and nutrition including medical nutrition therapy. Dietitians spend 1,200 hours in a dietetic internship through an accredited program. About half of RDs work in hospitals, clinics, doctors’ offices and extended-care facilities or nursing homes. Credentialed by the Commission on Dietetic Registration of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Certified nutrition specialist: Must have a master’s degree or a doctorate in nutrition or a doctorate in clinical health care from a regionally accredited university as well as 1,000 hours of supervised experience. Must pass a four-hour board exam on medical nutrition therapy. Often work in clinics, private practice or community settings. Credentialed by the Certification Board for Nutrition Specialists.

Certified clinical nutritionist: Requires a bachelor’s degree, a 900-hour internship and 56 hours of online, post-graduate study in clinical nutrition or a master’s degree in human nutrition from select universities. They approach diet on an individual basis rather than following standard recommendations and often work in clinics and private practice. Credentialed by the Clinical Nutrition Certification Board.

Diplomat of the American Clinical Board of Nutrition: All professionals at the doctorate level who qualify can sit for the two-part exam. Diplomats are most commonly chiropractors and often work in clinics and private practice. Certified by the American Clinical Board of Nutrition.

These providers cannot be licensed in Illinois as dietitian nutritionists but can dispense general nutrition advice:

Holistic nutritionist: Must have a degree from an approved holistic nutrition program and 500 hours of professional experience in the field. Practitioners don’t necessarily follow the government food pyramid guidelines or those promoted by health associations. They do not practice medical nutrition therapy or diagnose disease. Certified by the Holistic Nutrition Credentialing Board, a division of the National Association of Nutrition Professionals.

Certified health coach: The Institute for Integrative Nutrition, one of the larger schools to certify health coaches, offers a yearlong online course that covers 100 dietary theories, ranging from the paleo diet to raw foods. Health coaches "guide and mentor" clients toward achieving personal wellness goals, according to the website.

Certified nutritionist: Credential involves completing a six-week distance-learning program and passing a proctored exam. Offered through American Health Science University.

Certified nutrition consultant: Must have a high school diploma or GED and complete a series of 11 open-book tests, which candidates have a maximum of five years to finish. Credentialed by the American Association of Nutrition Consultants, a group that opposes licensure and registration.