Fitness in Action Recognising the Dangers of Providing Nutritional Advice

Submitted by sylvia.wong@up… on Fri, 10/23/2020 - 01:21

Young woman standing in a kitchen holding a salad and giving a thumbs up

Meet Mindy ...

She works for Wholesome Nutrition and Fitness a YouTube channel that specialises in assisting clients to eat healthily and improve fitness activity with the goal of improving overall health and wellbeing. The channel provides grocery shopping advice, cooking demonstrations, and provides general tips on improving physical movement mainly through everyday activities.

Are you a nutritionist or dietician?

No, my background is in fitness and specifically personal training, however, I am an avid believer in healthy eating and I have undertaken numerous professional development workshops to provide me with a good range of knowledge in this area. I also really like to cook and I'm quite good at it so I feel I know enough to provide general advice to my viewers.

So you don't provide specific dietary advice or recommendations?

Only the general advice that is recommended by the Australian Dietary Guidelines which is in relation to eating a range of foods from the five food groups, especially lots of fruit and vegetables. I am always careful to refer back to these accredited guidelines when instructing viewers on the types of food they should be buying and preparing. I never recommend specific diets or nutritional supplements, that's is not my area of expertise.

Do you consult with any health professionals?

All the time. We regularly interview dieticians, doctors, and fitness professionals for our show and we always make sure they are accredited and well regarded within their professional community. They provide us with expert guidance and provide recommendations on where our viewers can go to get additional assistance. 

Sometimes we will respond to a viewer comment or letter via the show along with the appropriate guest speaker. For example, if a viewer is looking for ways to lose weight we will get a Dietician to provide some general tips. Or if someone wants to know about how Coeliac Disease can be managed we will ask a General Practitioner to explain the condition and provide some helpful advice.

Do you know what sort of viewers are subscribing to your channel and what their needs are?

We receive regular comments and viewers will often tell us their life story so yes I have a fairly good idea. It's mostly younger viewers in their early 20s and 30s, often with young families. They are interested in learning to cook in a simple healthy way, using fresh ingredients, and also how to do boost their physical activity through outdoor activities. 

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