Nutrition Advice: Staying Within Your Scope as a Personal Trainer in South Africa

As the fitness industry in South Africa continues to grow, personal trainers are increasingly being asked to provide evidence based nutritional advice to their clients. But can personal trainers give nutrition advice in South Africa?

In South Africa, the laws regarding nutrition advice are governed by the Health Professions Act, 1974 (1). According to the Act, only registered dietitians and nutritionists are qualified to provide personalised nutrition advice.

The South African Council for the Health Professions (SACHPP) recommends that personal trainers provide general nutrition information, but not personalised nutrition advice (2). This is because personalised nutrition advice requires a thorough understanding of the client's health status, nutritional needs and lifestyle habits, which may be beyond the scope of a personal trainer's expertise in our country.

The Association for Dietetics in South Africa (ADSA) states that registered dietitians and nutritionists are the most qualified professionals to provide personalised nutrition advice (3). This is because registered dietitians and nutritionists have completed extensive education and training in nutrition and are qualified to assess clients' nutritional needs and provide personalised recommendations.

What advice are personal trainers allowed to give?

When it comes to what clients can eat and nutritional advice, personal trainers in South Africa are allowed to provide the following:

General nutrition information: Personal trainers can provide general information obtained in the nutrition courses they have obtained on healthy eating, macronutrients and meal planning. Nutrition knowledge is contained in all the course material for exercise science and by extension the requirements that had to be met for a qualification to be accredited by an accreditation body or endorsed by REPSSA (Register for Exercise Professionals South Africa).

Refer clients to a registered dietitian or nutritionist: Personal trainers can refer clients to a qualified healthcare professional for personalised nutrition advice, especially when it will affect their health, body composition and overall well-being.

Work with a registered dietitian or nutritionist: Personal trainers can work with a registered dietitian or nutritionist to provide comprehensive fitness and nutrition services to their clients and monitor their clients progress on following the programmes that dietitians/nutritionists have provided for the client to achieve their goals.

Different Practices around the Globe

While personal trainers can provide general nutrition information, they should not provide personalised nutrition advice in South Africa. Instead, they should refer clients to a qualified healthcare professional, such as a registered dietitian or nutritionist, for personalised nutrition advice. But is this the norm internationally?

When conducting research on this topic, I have found that by asking the question “can personal trainers give nutrition advice?” The answer was not a simple yes or no.In fact, different countries have different laws and or industry regulations when it comes to providing nutritional advice as a personal trainer or fitness professional.

United States

In the United States, the laws regarding nutrition advice vary from state to state (4) according to the Commission on Dietetic Registration- 2020 State Licensure Laws that Regulate the Practice of Dietetics. In some states, such as California, Florida and Texas, there are laws that restrict who can provide nutrition advice, while others, such as Arizona and Michigan, have no laws regulating nutrition advice.

The American Council on Exercise (ACE) and the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) recommend that personal trainers provide general nutrition information, but not personalised nutrition advice (5). This is because personalised nutrition advice requires a thorough understanding of the client's health status, nutritional needs, and lifestyle habits, which may be beyond the scope of a personal trainer's expertise - much the same as in South Africa.

United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom there is no statutory regulation of nutritionists or dietitians, but there are voluntary registers, such as the UK Voluntary Register of Nutritionists (UKVRN) and the British Dietetic Association (BDA) (NHS, 2020) (6).

Personal trainers who are not registered dietitians or nutritionists are not prohibited from providing general nutrition advice, but they must ensure that their advice is evidence-based and does not contravene the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) codes (ASA, 2020).

The title "dietitian" is protected by law in the UK, and only those registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) can use this title (HCPC, 2020) (7). The UK's National Health Service (NHS) (8) recommends that individuals seeking personalised nutrition advice consult with a registered dietitian or a healthcare professional (NHS, 2020).

Australia

In Australia, personal trainers are not prohibited from providing general nutrition advice, but they must ensure that their advice is evidence-based and does not contravene the National Health and Medical Research Council's (NHMRC) guidelines (NHMRC, 2013) (9).

The title "dietitian" is also protected by law in Australia, and only those registered with the Dietitians Association of Australia (DAA) can use this title. Personal trainers who provide nutrition advice must comply with the Australian Consumer Law (ACL) and the Advertising Standards Bureau (ASB) codes, which prohibit false or misleading claims (ACL, 2020; ASB, 2020).

How does this affect my scope of work in wanting to provide nutritional advice to my clients?

You can still provide your clients with a superior service in South Africa by adding nutrition advice to your service offering. Especially if you have completed one of our highly popular short programmes endorsed by REPSSA on providing services as a nutrition coach, sport nutrition or vegetarian nutrition. This is what you can do:

Providing advice on healthy eating habits: Personal trainers can provide general information on healthy eating habits, such as eating a balanced diet, staying hydrated, and limiting processed foods.

Informing your clients about macronutrients: Personal trainers can provide general information on macronutrients, such as carbohydrates, protein and fat, and how they relate to exercise and fitness goals.

Assist clients in meal planning: Personal trainers can provide general information on meal planning, such as how to plan healthy meals, snack ideas and portion control that encourages a healthy lifestyle and support overall weight loss and fitness goals.

Assessing Client Needs: Personal trainers can assess client needs and refer them to a registered dietitian or nutritionist for specialised advice.

Recognise your scope of practice: Personal trainers should recognise their scope of practice and refer clients to a registered dietitian or nutritionist for personalised nutrition advice.

Collaborating with Healthcare Professionals: Personal trainers can collaborate with registered dietitians, nutritionists and other healthcare professionals to provide comprehensive fitness and nutrition services to clients.

Other Options for Personal Trainers

Personal trainers can pursue additional education and training in nutrition and dietetics to enhance their knowledge and skills by obtaining the necessary certification in nutrition or dietetics.

It is also advisable that personal trainers work with or in a multidisciplinary team that includes healthcare professionals, including registered dietitians, nutritionists, and physicians, to provide comprehensive fitness and nutrition services to clients.

Conclusion

Personal trainers in South Africa play an important role in encouraging their clients to lead healthier lifestyles. While they may not be authorised to give customised nutrition advice, they can provide useful information on fundamental nutrition principles and healthy eating practices.

Personal trainers can help clients achieve their health and wellness goals by collaborating with registered dietitians and other healthcare experts to provide comprehensive exercise and nutrition services.

Ultimately, the key to successful collaboration between personal trainers and healthcare experts is to recognise and respect each other's scopes of practice. Personal trainers can focus on giving exceptional fitness advice while directing customers to certified nutrition practitioners. This integrated approach not only enhances client outcomes but also contributes to a more cohesive and effective health and wellness industry in South Africa.

Sources:

1. Health Professions Act, 1974. Government Gazette, 1974.
2. South African Council for the Health Professions. (2019). Guidelines for Personal Trainers. SACHPP.
3. Association for Dietetics in South Africa. (2020). Scope of Practice for Registered Dietitians and Nutritionists. ADSA.
4. Commission on Dietetic Registration, 2020.
5. American Council of Exercise (2018).
6. UK Advertising Standards Authority (2020).
7. Health and Care Professions Council (UK) (2020).
8. National Health Services (UK) (2020).
9. Department of Health and Human Services (Australia) (2020).
10. Dietitians Association of Australia (2020).

References:

Commission on Dietetic Registration. (2020) 2020 State Licensure Laws that Regulate the Practice of Dietetics. [Online] Available from: https://www.cdrnet.org/vault/2459/web/Scope%20Standards%20of%20Practice%202024%20RDN_FINAL.pdf (Accessed on 15 December 2024.

American Council on Exercise. (2018). ACE's Essentials of Exercise Science for Fitness Professionals. Wolters Kluwer.

Advertising Standards Authority. (2020) Nutrition and Health Claims. [Online] Available from: https://www.asa.org.uk/type/non_broadcast/code_section/15.html(Accessed on 15 December 2024).

Australian Consumer Law. (2020) False or Misleading Representations. [Online] Available from: https://consumer.gov.au/sites/consumer/files/2016/05/0553FT_ACL-guides_UnfairPractices_web.pdf (Accessed on 15 December 2024).

National Health and Medical Research Council. (2013) Eat for Health: Australian Dietary Guidelines. [Online] Available from: https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/australian-dietary-guidelines-2013.pdf(Accessed on 15 December 2024).