By Julie Deardorff Chicago Tribune

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."

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.

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.

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Nutrition professionals: Who can you trust for food advice?