In Britain (and many other countries) dietitian is a protected title. It is illegal to call oneself a dietitian in the UK without a proper qualification and HPC registration; the HPC regulates what dietitians do. This is why we suggest on this blog that – if people are looking for health advice on their diet – they speak to a dietitian. Because of this, when browsing the Internet (nothing to do with Patrick Holford) to see what type of web presence dietitians had, I was surprised to see what personaldietitians.co.uk was selling: a dubious-looking “Revolutionary Fat Loss Powder”, which has been
created by a dietitian specialising in obesity and weight loss. It contains organic ingredients such as ground flax seeds, seaweed and many useful vitamins and minerals all proven to play a role in fat metabolism, appetite control and activate fat loss
Among other things, this powder apparently
Decongests a sluggish liver and detoxifies the body to help you lose weight…Prevents you from losing muscle. When you lose weight you lose water, muscle and fat. However if you lose too much muscle, your metabolic rate drops and this makes it harder for you to lose further weight. The ingredients in the fat loss powder minimise muscle loss and makes it easier to tone up as you lose weight, a feature which many diets tend to ignore…The ingredients in the fat loss powder works with the pancreas and the liver to regulate the production of insulin which stops you feeling hungry and reduces food cravings. People with polycystic ovaries and diabetes have reported improved blood sugars.
There are lots of other claims – I suggest taking a look at the personaldietitians.co.uk page, so you can see these in context. Entertainingly, the site also sells diet chocolate. Sadly, it doesn’t say how or why this works – but, anyway, until they invent diet pork crackling I’m not interested.
It’s easy to laugh at all this – diet chocolate, indeed – but there is a more serious issue at stake. The title of ‘dietitian’ carries a certain amount of weight, in fair part because effective regulation and training means that dietitians generally don’t engage in nonsense like this. Indeed, personaldietitians.co.uk is keen to point out that
To become eligible for registration as a State Registered Dietitian (SRD), or a nutrition professional, you must complete a four-year honours degree course. This includes a period of practical training in hospital and community settings, all of which is approved by the Council for Professions Supplementary to Medicine (CPSM), the regulatory body for State Registered Dietitians.
After qualification, dietitians are expected to keep up-to-date with the scientific literature and care for people in hospital or in the community with regards to everything from general diet to eating disorders. Dietitians also work to promote good health by teaching the public and other health professionals about diet and nutrition.
Personaldietitians.co.uk is apparently linked to the cosmetic surgery company Rubicon Medical; I’m not sure if any dietitians are involved in the running of personaldietitians.co.uk or Rubicon Medical, although personaldietitians.co.uk does offer a “consultation with a personal dietitian or nutritionist”.
I wonder how the BDA and HPC feel about this website and company?
I agree, it is more serious. It’s worrying that people will bandy about references to sound, evidence-based bodies in order to make their cranky health or diet message more respectable. Very misleading, particularly for a reader who without the education to spot where this kind of stuff crosses the Rubicon (couldn’t resist) into health crankiness.
“diet pork crackling ” – didn’t Dr. Atkins do that already? A serious point; there are lots of diet products, sweet and savoury. I have come to the conclusion that it’s best to eat real food and moderate the quantities.
As you say, not good to see the ‘dietician’ designation diluted in this way.
Thanks – I thought there were restrictions on what could be called ‘chocolate’ in Europe, though, which limits the potential for a low cal version? Agree with the ‘eat food, not to much’ idea, anyway.
If you get bored of bog-standard diet chocolate there’s always…Intentional Chocolate.
Endorsed by Lynn McTaggart of “What Doctors Don’t Tell You” and “The Intention Experiment” fame.
it’s chocolate (looks like quality stuff, mmm), that people have meditated over and beamed in positive thoughts, giving it the power to increase well-being by up to 1000%. They call this “intentional nutrition”.
Could this be the start of a dangerous new trend, whereby woo researchers cross-breed different strains of woo, in the hope of creating the ultimate uber-woo?
I’m going to have to post about this now… they even have a published paper to criticize!
“If you get bored of bog-standard diet chocolate there’s always…Intentional Chocolate”
You know, in my less ethically considerate moments, the commercial opportunities pregnant in the alt community really do become quite appealing.
Intentional chocolate. Well, eating chocolate does tend to improve my feeling of well-being :)
Personaldieticians.co.uk either are not updating their website that often or cannot be doing their homework, the Council for Professions Supplementary to Medicine (CPSM) disappeared in July 2003. If you google CPSM, the link to their website takes you straight (as it should) to the HPC site
One for the HPC to investigate. Have already emailed them about this – I assume they will take it more seriously than the Nutrition Therapy Council/ Ofquack version…….
UKdietitian – thanks. Would be interested to hear the result from HPC…
Thanks Martin – it looks personaldietitians.co.uk updated the homepage back in 2006. I can’t find a record of when they updated the Dietitians page.
john – thanks
Before commenting had any of you actually bothered to get in touch with the company itself?
The powder is infact made by a dietitian who has worked and I believe still does work for the NHS. Good research….
I’m sure that I’m not speaking just for myself when I say that anybody and everybody who comments here would be agog to learn more about this “good research”.
My (admittedly limited) understanding of dietitians and their code of practice as HPC people is that they are not permitted to endorse any products so it is extraordinary if this dietitan works for the NHS. Plus – if there is all this “good research”, why isn’t it described on the website? Where are the references?
Why do you think that the BDA and HPC codes don’t apply in this case?
I should imagine that both the BDA and HPC would be a little startled at this interpretation of their guidelines, codes, mandatory requirements etc.
That is a startling set of claims for the “Revolutionary Fat Loss Powder”: as the modern axiom has it, extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof but we don’t even have the benefit of tentative evidence, never mind anything approaching robust clinical evidence for this powder or its effectiveness for obesity interventions.
Your beliefs are socially interesting but clinically of no significance without any references etc. to support them. If you have any references, then please share them.
Sally – I hadn’t got in touch with the company because the claims seemed incredible, and I could not see anything like adequate evidence which might support them.
I’d also be delighted to see references to the research which demonstrates the efficacy of the fat loss powder and diet chocolate – if available. Of course, if the dietitian behind this work would like to get in touch, I would also be pleased to discuss this with them – and, if requested, to publish any responses here.
Sally –
the site ‘Personal Dietitians’ is registered to a Matt Elkins.
‘Personal Dietitians’ is linked to ‘Rubicon Medical’, a site ran by a Janet Elkins.
Neither are registered with the HPC (check out at http://www.hpcheck.org)
If either therefore claim to be a Registered Dietitian they are breaking the law, under the HPC Act (2002). In the UK one cannot use the term ‘RD’ unless registered with the HPC.
It is an offence for RDs to sell supplements, endorse or make unjustifiable claims for any healthcare product – thus if they were RDs they would be liable for censure by the HPC.
The fact they give detailed information about Registered Dietitians on their website does not mean that they are members of this profession. One wonders why it should be there- other than to give some credibility to their marketing.
It will be interesting to learn whether the Elkins are in business with an UK RD and perhaps don’t realise that RDs can not sell, endorse etc.
Catherine – what is the position of RDs who qualified in the US but practise in the UK? Do they take special boards for the UK? Is there any obligation for them to register with either the BDA or HPC to work with the NHS etc or are there special exemptions? If they don’t have to conform to the restrictions that UK RDs do – would they be exempt from the codes that forbid endorsements etc.?
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