Dietitians slam Nutrition and Health Claims Regulation
The British Dietetic Association (BDA) has criticised EU health and nutrition rules barring dietitians from recommending a product within its labelling, advertising or promotion.
The group claims the Nutrition and Health Claims Regulation, which went live earlier this month, will restrict reliable advice from qualified dietitians, but clears celebrities to make such endorsements.
Registered dietitians work with the media and industry to ensure nutrition messages are accurate and based on science, said the BDA. However, celebrities are not typically degree qualified in nutrition or bound by codes of professional practice, leaving consumers open to inaccurate or overstated information about food and nutrition, it claimed.
“It’s bizarre that it’s ok for celebrities to endorse food, but not dietitians,” said registered dietitian Dr Carrie Ruxton, who has worked with Coca Cola, the United Kingdom Tea Council and Kellogg. “Most people trust dieticians. What celebrities say isn’t necessarily untrue, but who’ll believe them?”
Ruxton explained that the BDA already has guidelines in place, stating that one brand cannot be promoted above another. “I couldn’t tell people to eat Flora, but I could advise them to buy polyunsaturated margarine and people might not know what that is, so then I could mention brands as examples.”
While the regulation relates to what can be said about foods in commercial communications, such as on food labels, advertising, websites, leaflets and radio interviews, it will cover generic foods as well as brands. For example, qualified dietitians and nutritionists may soon not be able to broadcast, or write in leaflets or websites, giving information about the potential health benefits of eating foods such as wholegrains, lean meat, fruit and vegetables. “Our voice will get silenced if the regulations are implemented,” added Ruxton.
The BDA is still in talks with the Food Standards Agency, and expects to see a redraft of the regulations in September.
