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Frequently
Asked Questions:
Membership
Q1. What is the NANP?
Q2. Who Belongs to the NANP?
Q3. Why become a member of NANP?
Q4. What are the benefits of Membership?
Q5. What is the difference between
NANP and other organizations with board exams
representing nutrition professionals?
Q6. How is the NANP working to strengthen
the holistically-oriented nutrition industry?
Q7. What are NANP’s goals
for the future of the nutrition profession?
Q8. What are the membership dues?
Q9. Where does the money go?
Q10. How do I join?
Q1. What is the NANP?
The NANP is a non-profit business league representing
and advocating on behalf of holistically–oriented
food and nutrition professionals.
Q2. Who Belongs to the
NANP?
NANP members are nutrition professionals working
in a variety of settings who are recognized for
their knowledge and expertise in the area of whole
foods nutrition and the safe and effective use
of dietary supplements. Our members work as independent
consultants, marketing representatives, consumer
and community educators, staff educators, authors,
teachers, retail buyers, store owners and managers.
Q3. Why become a member
of NANP?
When you are a member of NANP you are joining
with other like-minded nutrition professionals
to support the growth and development of the holistic
nutrition industry. While there are many benefits
to becoming a member, one of the most important
is that we help keep you informed of the many
changes happening within our industry. In addition,
your membership helps support such efforts as
establishing educational standards, consistent
titles and credentials, and a process for self-governing
the profession. All of this leads to improved
credibility for the profession and opens up new
opportunities for nutrition professionals.
Q4. What are the benefits
of Membership?
Some of the benefits you will enjoy as a member
are:
· Listing in our on-line directory to
help build your business.
· Timely communication via e-mail on issues
important to your business including state and
national legislation, upcoming events and conferences,
job opportunities, and more.
· Continuing education opportunities to
help you stay current with nutritional information,
research and products.
· NANP’s trade publication, “Nutrition
Professionals Quarterly”.
· Being a part of a nationwide professional
community through State Chapters.
· Certificate of membership for posting
in office or place of business, which offers identity
with a professional entity and public presence
when interacting with allied health-care professionals.
Q5. What is the difference
between NANP and other organizations with board
exams representing nutrition professionals?
The National Association of Nutrition Professionals
(NANP) is a professional association working to
create a national credentialing board for holistically-trained
nutrition professionals. This new board will offer
a national board exam that will confer a specific
designation/title to those passing the exam.
Currently, two other organizations offer board
exams for nutrition professionals.
- The International & American Association
of Clinical Nutritionists (IAACN) and their
credentialing board, the Clinical Nutrition
Certification Board (CNCB), gives the Certified
Clinical Nutritionist (CCN) designation
- The American College of Nutrition
(CAN) and their credentialing board, the Certification
Board for Nutrition Specialists (CBNS) gives
the Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS) designation.
While NANP works to unify the holistic nutrition
profession by bringing together all similarly
educated nutrition professionals and holding them
to a national standard, whether they are practitioners,
educators or product representatives. The nutrition
organizations mentioned above serve just one type
of nutrition professional.
One way to understand the nutrition profession
is to compare it with the nursing profession.
In the world of nursing there are Nursing Assistants,
Licensed Vocational Nurses, Registered Nurses
and Nurse Practitioners--each serving a different
but valuable function. A similar set up is true
in nutrition. While there is some cross-over,
the following categories of nutrition professionals
exist:
- Nutritional biochemists (CNS, Ph.D., MDs)
who are primarily researchers and scientists)
- Medical nutrition practitioners (RDs, MDs);
who follow prescribed and established treatment
protocols based on a diagnosis of disease.
- Clinical nutritionists (MDs, DCs, CCNs) who
emphasize nutritional supplement protocols (applying
nutrition to a medical model of treating disease)
- Holistically-trained nutritionists (NANP members)
who use education as a primary tool and emphasize
building health through the use of whole foods.
Currently, holistically-trained nutrition professionals
obtain their title from the school from which
they received their nutrition education, including
Certified Nutritionist, Certified Nutrition Consultant,
Certified Nutrition Educator, and Certified Nutritional
Therapist. Not only has the myriad of nutritional
titles fragmented the profession, but it has also
discredited us by creating confusion among consumers
and other health professionals. In addition, this
practice is not consistent with the credentialing
of any other type of health practitioner.
The credentialing board being created by the
NANP aims to create one title/designation that
is based on educational standards, a registration
process, and passage of a national board exam,
thereby aligning the credentialing of holistically-trained
nutrition professionals with the manner in which
other types of health professionals are credentialed.
In addition, the philosophy the NANP board exam
will be based upon includes:
- Biochemical individuality (everyone is unique
and has unique nutritional needs)
- Whole, naturally grown foods are the best
source for optimal nutrition
- There are no miracle nutrients that will
cure all ills
- Dietary supplementation may be health promoting
when used in the appropriate form, dose and
frequency, and is not a substitute for a good
diet
- Nutritional well-being comes from the balance
between a persons health promoting diet and
lifestyle habits and the nutritionally negating
environmental and lifestyle influences.
Q6. How is the NANP
working to strengthen the holistically-oriented
nutrition industry?
The NANP is:
· Establishing consistency in educational
standards by working cooperatively with schools
for the purpose of unifying the profession.
· Creating a credentialing board and
national board exam that will document and validate
the academic and professional skills of holistically
trained nutrition professionals.
· Offering a variety of continuing education
programs. These programs include those presented
by reputable product companies, researchers,
authors, and nutrition practitioners.
· Defending the consumers right to choose
in matters of health care by working cooperatively
with legislators, consumers, grass-roots organizations,
and like-minded corporations.
Q7. What are NANP’s
goals for the future of the nutrition profession?
Our goals are to unify the profession, strengthen
the professional, serve our members and protect
the consumers right to choose. We aim to accomplish
this by building integrity and credibility through
a national registry based on educational standards,
continuing education requirements, and a rigorous
code of ethics; and by providing members with
business tools and resources, legislative representation
and expanded opportunities for professional
growth.
Q8. What are the membership
dues?
· Professional Membership - $125
Professional members are those working within
the nutrition profession and meet the educational
standards appropriate for their role delineation.
Professional Clinical Membership – is
a privilege that is extended to those who graduated
from an NANP approved two-year post-graduate
or two-year occupational certificate program.
Or; hold a Master’s Degree or Doctorate
in Nutrition or related field of study from
an accredited college or university.
Professional Educator Membership – is
a privilege that is extended to those who are
graduates of NANP approved nutrition educator
programs.
· Associate Membership - $100
Associate Members are those who meet any one
of the following criteria: hold a nutrition
or health-related Bachelor’s degree from
an accredited college or university; are a licensed
health care professionals whose scope of practice
legally includes nutritional counseling and
adheres to a natural or holistic model of nutrition
(RN’s, Chiropractors, Naturopathic Doctors);
are a student or graduate of nutrition programs
who have not met the educational standards for
professional membership.
· Student Membership - $75
Student members are those who are currently
a student enrolled in a NANP approved nutrition
program.
· Contributing Member - $1000
Contributing members are individuals or organizations
contributing a minimum of $1000 per year. Such
members are recognized in the NANP newsletter,
“The Nutrition Professional’s Quarterly”
and are given a logo link on the NANP website
recognizing you as a contributing member.
Q9. Where does the money
go?
Your membership fees go to support the operation
of the NANP and the creation of our credentialing
board, which will advance the profession of
holistic nutrition. That includes supporting
staff to who will file legal documents, write
policies, organize committees, consult with
attorneys, organize and consult with the advisory
council, as well as pay for phone bills, legal
fees, meeting expenses, website maintenance
and improvements, newsletter/trade publication,
organizing and approving continuing education
programs, etc. Choosing membership with NANP
is choosing to support its mission.
Q10. How do I join?
You may download our application and drop it
in the mail with the requested supporting documentation
and fees. Or to receive membership information
by mail, please call 800-342-8037.
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