Professional standards and certification of nutritionists may be introduced in Russia

In Russia they want to establish professional standards and certification of nutritionists

In Russia, it is planned to introduce the professional standard “Nutriciologist,” as reported by the Izvestia newspaper, citing a document by State Duma Deputy Speaker Boris Chernyshev, sent to Deputy Prime Ministers Tatyana Golikova and Dmitry Chernyshenko.

According to the publication, Boris Chernyshov proposed considering the possibility of creating a certification program for specialists in the field of nutrition on the basis of the largest educational institutions in Russia. He also asked the government to adopt the professional standard “Nutritionist”.

Recently, there has been an increase in interest in nutritional science and an increase in the number of specialists in this field. At the congress “Nutriciology and Dietetics for the Health of the Russian Population,” about 150 thousand consultants were mentioned, but according to other estimates, their number can reach from 300 thousand to 500 thousand people. However, only a small part of them have a medical education.

The emergence of professional standards and certification will help reduce the health risks that unqualified nutritionists may pose.

The Ministry of Labor stated that the draft professional standard “Consultant on rational and healthy nutrition (nutritionist)” was not submitted for consideration. The development of the draft professional standard “Nutritionist” is being carried out by the National Association of Clinical Nutrition with the approval of the council for professional qualifications in the field of healthcare (Union of the Medical Community “National Medical Chamber”).