Jonny Bowden has what would – in most fields – be classed as a rather unusual CV. Mr Bowden (or ‘Dr Jonny’, as his website refers to him, has a ‘PhD’ from Gillian McKeith’s alma mater, Clayton College of Natural Health: a school which is not conventionally accredited, and where it appears that the PhD programme at least sometimes fails to meet the normal academic standards for doctoral work. Also worrying, though, is the uncertainty about when Mr Bowden became a Certified Nutritional Specialist (a status awarded by the Certification Board for Nutritional Specialists, for the American College of Nutrition).
In an interview excerpted from Kevin Gianni’s The Healthiest Year of Your Life, Mr Bowden claims that he “got board certified in the late 90s from the American College of Nutrition, the certifying board of nutritional specialist”. However, the Certification Board for Nutritional Specialists tell us that Mr Bowden sat and passed their certifying exam in 2000 – thus achieving the status of Certified Nutritional Specialist. Given that Mr Bowden has been kind enough to comment on a previous post on this blog, we would be grateful if he could clear up this confusion here.
5 Comments
July 8, 2008 at 10:53 pm
That is a strange memory lapse. I see that Jonny Bowden says this in the Gianni interview.
Which school did he go to for nutrition? Is that the American Health Sciences University you mentioned in another post? Another place with unusual academic standing and gravitas? If I may – I’m confused about that ‘qualification’. Jonny Bowden lists it as a degree but it seems to be a certification.
July 9, 2008 at 9:07 pm
Be happy to clear that up. I actually spent most of 1998-1999 studying for the CNS test, and was actually awarded it in early 2000 as i recall. That’s where the “late nineties” came from. There was a gap between the test and the award. Not sure why this is that important, but no attempt to conceal anything. The CNS was in fact awarded in 2000. I stand corrected.
I did in fact do the 2 year american health sciences course at the time that it was accredited (it no longer is). It did award the CN license (yes it is a license, not a certification)* and no, I don’t use it any longer largely because the CNS supercedes it.
As far as my admittedly somewhat nasty comments about Jane Brody, you are completely right. (Not sure how you read misogyny into an anti-Brody pro-Tara Parker Pope position, but I’ll let that go..) I plead guilty, but with extenuating circumstances. For years I’ve listened as she’s apologized for every bad nutritional idea and establishment position and held a post of enormous influence, pushing the god-awful USDA food pyramid, low-fat diets, and anti-supplement “research” on a public who actually thinks she’s impartial and knows what she’s talking about. Sorry- I got carried away.
Let me know if there’s anything else you’d like to know. I’m really not the Devil, posts on this blog to the contrary. I’m just trying to motivate and educate and inspire people to be healthy.
warmly
jb
July 10, 2008 at 12:31 am
Jonny- thanks for clarifying, and offering to answer some additional questions. We certainly wouldn’t argue that you’re the devil :) However, we do have some concerns over the way you present yourself/the way you are presented, and regarding certain of your nutritional claims.
We’ll think about what questions will be appropriate (it’s late here, so bed’s calling…) Initially, though, could you clarify the length of the AHSU course? As far as I know, it’s a lot less than two years full time (or part-time) nowadays – was it longer when you took the course?
July 10, 2008 at 5:15 pm
Jonny – could you clarify your “anti-Brody pro-Tara Parker Pope position”
Could it be you have issues with Registered Dietitians who are trained in clinical nutrition and therefore challenge some of your recommendations?
But that Tara Parker-Pope – as a journalist – is ripe for Bowdenesque exploitation/ book promotion? Under the guise of ‘science based nutrition’?
I’d be interested to hear your views…
August 12, 2008 at 10:10 pm
You guys continue to amaze me. (this addressed to UK Dietitian). NEITHER jane brody NOR tara parker pope has a nutrition credential, RD or otherwise. My dislike for Brody and my like for Parker Pope has nothing to do with one having the RD credential and one not. A cursory look on google would have shown you that both are journalists. My liking for Tara Parker Pope goes back to her days at the Wall Street Journal when she consistently took reasonable and fair and balanced positions on the things she reported on. And neither of these ladies- including the one whose reporting I loathe- are “ripe” for exploitation by anyone.