Work with individuals and groups in a client-centred process to empower the client to achieve goals related to diet change, health and wellness

Support clients to develop wide-ranging self-management strategies for making sustainable, healthy diet, lifestyle and behaviour changes

Support their clients in achieving health goals and behavioural change based on their clients’ own goals. This is primarily done through face-to-face or online ‘coaching’ sessions, written guidelines or video

Can offer supporting resources from nationally and internationally recognised authorities, such as current government and public health guidelines and peer-reviewed sources

Can offer recipe and menu suggestions in line with their client’s taste, budget and lifestyle preferences. Coaches should not breech any copyright rules or regulations

Must avoid giving specific personal health advice relating to a medical condition but may offer a client direction to nutrition, health and wellness information.

Boundaries

The boundaries of the Nutrition Coaching Scope of Practice may include but is not limited to: 

• coaching an individual 
• coaching a group 
• writing a blog or articles 
• communicating to others in any form.

Do no harm

Nutrition coaches must follow a ‘do no harm’ mandate by refraining from or carrying out any actions that would harm clients or patients. For all nutrition coaches, these actions include:

• assessing symptoms 
• diagnosing conditions 
• interpreting lab results 
• prescribing treatments 
• making claims to prevent or cure any condition or engaging any other activities that could ultimately harm a client or patient, lead to legal lawsuit or invalidate insurance cover.