Comments on: When did Jonny Bowden become a Certified Nutritional Specialist?

By: Jonny Bowden

Jonny Bowden — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 21:10:39 +0000

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.

By: UKdietitian

UKdietitian — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:15:08 +0000

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…

By: jonhw

jonhw — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 23:31:01 +0000

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?

By: jonny bowden

jonny bowden — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 20:07:51 +0000

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

By: Mary Parsons

Mary Parsons — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 21:53:29 +0000

That is a strange memory lapse. I see that Jonny Bowden says this in the Gianni interview.

I went back to school for nutrition. I got board certified in the late 90s from the American College of Nutrition, the certifying board of nutritional specialists.

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.