Because of the trusted relationship between class participants and their instructor, SilverSneakers group exercise instructors are often asked a variety of nutritional questions such as:
- “What is your opinion on this particular vitamin or supplement?”
- “How can I eat to lose weight?”
- “What do you think about the _____ diet?”
Fitness professionals should understand how to provide answers that guide participants to make healthy, informed choices while staying within an appropriate scope of practice. Talking about nutrition and providing medical nutrition therapy are two different things. Medical nutrition therapy involves providing individualized nutrition assessment and dietary recommendations to help manage disease. Providing information that falls under medical nutrition therapy is generally considered beyond the scope of practice for fitness professionals that are not also registered dietitians.
Scope of practice is defined as “the range and limit of responsibilities normally associated with a position, job, or profession, as determined by rules and regulations defined by state laws and statutes, the roles and responsibilities as outlined by a certifying or accrediting body, and an individual’s education and training” (ACE Fitness Nutrition Manual, 2013).
This section will share general guidelines of what is considered an appropriate scope of practice for non-licensed individuals. Instructors have the responsibility of checking the laws governing the type of information that can be shared only by a registered dietitian for their state. Specific information by state can be found on the website for the Commission on Dietetic Registration. Information is provided in the reference section at the end of the course.
Examples of what generally is considered within the scope of practice for a fitness professional who is not a licensed dietitian include:
- teaching clients how to use readily-available documents from government websites, such as MyPlate or the National Institute on Aging (NIA).
- describing how nutrient requirements vary through the life cycle, the role of macronutrients in the body, and providing fluid guidelines.
- giving cooking demonstrations.
- providing examples of healthy snacks.
If your fitness location has nutritional software, incorporating that technology program is also within the scope of practice as long as certain foods are not prescribed in the programming of a diet.
Nutrient needs become more individualized with age due to variations in health status. It is beyond the scope of practice for fitness professionals who are not registered dietitians to prescribe diets, write meal plans, or program specific nutrition information, such as vitamin/mineral supplementation or specialty diets.
Appropriate nutritional information for SilverSneakers instructors to share:
- Dietary advice endorsed or developed by the federal government, such as Dietary Guidelines for Americans and MyPlate recommendations.
- Principles of healthy nutrition and food preparation.
- Foods to be included in a balanced daily diet.
- Essential nutrients needed by the body.
- Actions of nutrients on the body.
- Effects of deficiencies or excesses of nutrients.
- How nutrient requirements vary through the lifecycle.
- Information about nutrients contained in foods or supplements.
Nutritional information that should be avoided unless you are a licensed dietitian/nutritionist:
- Individualized nutrition recommendations or meal plans other than what is available through government guidelines and recommendations.
- Nutritional assessment to determine nutritional needs and to recommend nutritional intake.
- Programming for nutritional intake, caloric intake or specialty diets.
- Nutritional counseling, education or advice aimed to prevent, treat, or cure a disease or condition, or other acts that may be perceived as medical nutrition therapy.
- Development, administration, evaluation and consultation regarding nutritional care standards or the nutrition care process.
- Recommending, prescribing, selling or supplying nutritional supplements to clients.
- Promoting or identifying oneself as a “nutritionist” or “dietitian” without proper licensing.
It is important to understand that nutrition is both a science and an art. With an ever-growing body of research, nutrition recommendations sometimes change. Because of the unique makeup of individuals, what may be appropriate guidance for one person may not be appropriate for another. It is important for SilverSneakers instructors to stay up to date on the latest research and findings, while only sharing nutritional information within a proper scope of practice.
Appropriate websites and helpful tools to educate your SilverSneakers class participants towards healthy eating can be found in the resource section at the end of this training.