Terms Used In Florida Statutes 468.502

  • Dietetics: means the integration and application of the principles derived from the sciences of nutrition, biochemistry, food, physiology, and management and from the behavioral and social sciences to achieve and maintain a person's health throughout the person's life. See Florida Statutes 468.503
  • Nutrition counseling: means advising and assisting individuals or groups on appropriate nutrition intake by integrating information from the nutrition assessment. See Florida Statutes 468.503
  • person: includes individuals, children, firms, associations, joint adventures, partnerships, estates, trusts, business trusts, syndicates, fiduciaries, corporations, and all other groups or combinations. See Florida Statutes 1.01
The Legislature finds that the practice of dietetics and nutrition or nutrition counseling by unskilled and incompetent practitioners presents a danger to the public health and safety. The Legislature further finds that it is difficult for the public to make informed choices about dietitians and nutritionists and that the consequences of wrong choices could seriously endanger the public health and safety. The sole legislative purpose in enacting this part is to ensure that every person who practices dietetics and nutrition or nutrition counseling in this state meets minimum requirements for safe practice. It is the legislative intent that any person practicing dietetics and nutrition or nutrition counseling who falls below minimum competency or who otherwise presents a danger to the public be prohibited from practicing in this state. It is also the intent of the Legislature that the practice of nutrition counseling be authorized and regulated solely within the limits expressly provided by this part and any rules adopted pursuant thereto.