Association for Nutrition to be launched at The Royal Society in London

New professional and regulatory body spans health, care and food sectors

The launch of Association for Nutrition (AfN) will take place today at The Royal Society in London.

AfN is the professional body for the regulation and registration of nutritionists, embracing those involved in public health, care, food, exercise, policy and those who work with animals. One of the Association's responsibilities is running the UK Voluntary Register of Nutritionists (UKVRN). The Association aims to protect the public and promote wellbeing by admitting to the Register only those who show high ethical and quality standards, founded on evidence-based science. It also accredits university undergraduate and postgraduate courses, with some 30 courses already accredited.

Keynote speakers at the launch are the Association's inaugural President, Professor Alan Jackson; its' Honorary Secretary, Professor Anne de Looy; and its Patron, Professor John Waterlow. Alan Jackson is a principal adviser to WHO and other international bodies, as well as Chair of the UK Government's Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN). Anne de Looy, from University of Plymouth, is Coordinator of the Europe-wide DIETS Thematic Network. John Waterlow, himself a Fellow of the Royal Society and distinguished on the world stage for over 60 years, first proposed the creation of a body like AfN in the 1970s and 1980s.

"The ambition of the Association for Nutrition is to protect the public through developing the profession of nutrition, and acting as a modern day regulator," outlined Jackson. "The Association is fortunate to have hit the ground running. We have already competed successfully for a government grant under the DH Third (Voluntary) Sector Investment Programme, in which we are scoping the training, educational and support needs for those groups directly and indirectly involved in the delivery of nutritional advice within the health and social care sectors," he said.

Professor Anne De Looy says that the Association:
"Anticipated the need for a strong and reliable voice for nutrition in the face of popular media figures who did not have the credentials to offer reliable information or advice".

Outside the formal proceedings, Kathy Lewis, member of the Association for Nutrition Council and Chair of the Communication Committee, said "Perceptions of nutrition will only change with the full-hearted support of Registered Nutritionists. Remaining as the standard-setter is no longer sufficient in an environment where interest and demand for nutrition is so high. Our role in changing perceptions is crucial. Not only is the Association well placed to engage with stakeholders to drive through change, but it will also provide the much needed leadership, vision and dynamism to effect such change. Registered Nutritionists will very much be part of this process."

Association Chief Executive Richard Denyer said:
 "The public rely on professional bodies for unbiased information, an ethical approach and leadership that is willing to stand up and be counted. In the food, health and social care sectors, practitioners, employers and commentators have been crying out for an organisation dedicated to promoting, enforcing and recognising high standards. New professional bodies do not arise every day. Such events are rare, especially since in most fields of professional practice mechanisms were put in place centuries, or at least decades, ago. The Royal Society, where the launch is taking place, is currently celebrating 350 years as Britain's national academy of sciences".

The launch of the Association for Nutrition will be followed over the coming months by the introduction of a new website, and other mechanisms to promote the exchange of best practice, and better understanding among policy-makers and the wider professional community. With headquarters in London's Portland Place, AfN became operational on 1 March 2010.