CC1a – Demonstrate ethical and professional practice through upholding the AfN Standards of Ethics, Conduct and Performance, including, but not limited to:
- Identifying and applying the principles of equality, diversity, equity, and inclusion (EDEI) that should be fully considered, assessed, and applied throughout all areas of practice and activities
- Working within your own scope of practice, appreciating the limits of your skills and knowledge, being aware of, referral pathways and in compliance with legal requirements
- Applying the scientific principles mastered through your education and continuing professional development (CPD) to your professional practice and public activities

CC1b – Apply appropriate communication skills throughout all areas of practice, by:
- Establishing appropriate professional relationships, collaborating effectively and ethically, including, but not limited to, with health/medical professionals and in brand, sponsorship, and influencer activities
- Respecting and reflecting the current scientific evidence which underpins your practice and activities, enabling informed choices about nutrition
- Advising on and presenting nutritional science information and research findings to a range of audiences in a suitable format across different communication media
- Checking that the information you have provided is accurate and has been understood correctly, including when communicated in different languages

CC1c – Demonstrate development of professional practice and competence, by:
- Undertaking CPD activities and reflective practice in accordance with AfN requirements, submitting CPD record for assessment if selected for audit
- Keeping up to date with relevant research developments, using research to develop the evidence base, critiquing, and applying findings to improve own practice
- Keeping up to date and, where appropriate, participating in the development of food and nutrition policies (e.g., through contributions to scientific committees, expert groups, or consultation responses), and explaining where these align with international policies
- Developing and/or applying policies to assess risk, and evaluating and adapting own practice in line with best practice standards, legislation, official guidelines, policies, and protocols
- Participating in and recognising the importance of mentorship to the development of your practice and the profession, including peer-to-peer and RNutr-to-ANutr

CC1d – Demonstrate awareness of developing evidence base and its application in practice, by:
- Promoting the role of nutrition in sustainability, recognising national and international frameworks and terminology, and outlining associated issues
- Keeping up to date with relevant research developments, using research to develop the evidence base, critiquing, and applying findings to improve own practice
- Accessing, obtaining, and analysing relevant data from large nutrition-related data sets, such as NDNS, Kantar, AHDB, PFMA and ONS*, and big data sets, such as Google Trends, applying findings to the development of research, policies, activities, and programmes
- Identifying gaps in the evidence base, recognising their associated limitations and opportunities, appropriate to your professional context
- Advising on the general principles and methods associated with factors including determining the efficacy, health attributes, nutrition and health claims, safety and legal aspects of foods/feeds and drinks, and the use of supplements

AN2a - Explain the science underpinning current feed policy

AN2c - Accurately assess the nutritional requirements for maintenance and production or performance in your nominated species of expertise (growth, lactation, egg production, sport etc.)

AN2d - Design and implement a feeding programme to meet the needs of specific clients/species

AN2e - Apply computerised methods to calculate ration/feed formulation and describe the assumptions these methods make and their limitations

AN3a - Explain feed manufacturing and development processes, describing:
- The quality control systems and microbiological safety issues in production
- The importance of sustainability in feed production and procurement
- Bioavailability of nutrients in feed
- Adaptation of systems to improve nutritional value of feed
- Reformulation, fortification, and functional feeds
- Legislation for the control of feeds, their use/marketing and labelling

AN3b - Describe the effects of dietary constituents, species variations and different processing techniques on the composition of animal-origin foods and the possible impact on human nutrition/health and sustainability

AN3c - Communicate practical dietary advice following official guidelines on the nutritional requirements and considerations during health, disease, and recovery of your nominated species of expertise

AN3d - Advise on feedstuffs and ingredients, detailing their chemical composition, nutritive value, potential anti-nutrients, and toxins

AN3e – Identify and develop solutions to feeding management problems for your nominated species of expertise

AN4a – Describe the impact on feed choice, dietary intake and feeding practices, related to:
- Human health and nutrition trends (including obesity and diet trends)
- Human behaviour and perception
- Animal behaviours regarding season, age, reproductive status, and resource competition
- Marketing, including campaigns, labelling strategies, and veterinary promotion
- Food and feed prices
- Feed systems

AN4b – Advise and influence owners/managers/farmers to make positive nutritional choices for the maintenance, production, performance, health, and welfare of your nominated species of expertise

AN4c – Identify and advise on how the feeding behaviours of your nominated species of expertise impacts on nutrient requirements, digestion, health, natural behaviour, and welfare

AN5a – Describe the development and production process of specialist feeds and supplements, such as balanced energy-protein supplements or supplements to pasture

AN5b – Identify dietary needs of specified animals, using markers of nutritional status and diet related health, applying findings to research, or development of feed strategies

AN5c – Advise on the impact of animal feeding and management on the risk of animal/zoonotic diseases and disorders such as acidosis, ketosis, laminitis, post-weaning diarrhoea, parasite control, locomotor disorders, digestive and metabolic disorders

AN5d – Calculate requirements, and based on the results, advise on the development, and support the implementation, of feeding programmes, to meet the needs of the individual animal/herd (such as managing obesity, feed sensitivity, production gains, age, fertility)

FN2a – Explain the science underpinning current food policy

FN2b – Accurately assess the nutritional content/contribution of food and food products, interpreting results, and reporting on them in multiple settings, formats, and platforms, appropriate to your area of work

FN2c – Analyse and evaluate food intake records, recipes and/or diets, either manually, or using appropriate computer programmes

Core Competency 3: Food Systems

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FN3a – Explain food manufacturing and development processes, describing:
- The quality control systems and microbiological food safety issues in production
- The importance of sustainability in food production and procurement
- Bioavailability of nutrients in food
- Adaptation of systems to improve nutritional value of food
- Reformulation, fortification, and functional foods

FN3b – Communicate practical dietary advice following accurate dietary assessment and application of dietary or nutritional guidelines, in multiple groups, sub-groups, and settings

FN3c – Apply dietary or nutritional guidelines to product development, menu, or meal planning, marketing, or other consumer communications

FN3d – Interpret food labels, guideline daily amounts and front of pack labelling to advise your practice

FN3e – Develop guidance, systems or plans around food safety, food hygiene, sustainability and/or environmental awareness

Core Competency 4: Social and Behaviour

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FN4a – Describe how the following can impact on food choice and dietary intake:
- New developments in food science, including reformulation
- Socio-cultural settings, including high- and low-income communities
- Psychological and societal factors
- Marketing, including campaigns, labelling strategies and store tours

FN4b – Identify socio-economic disparities in nutrition and food choice, designing where appropriate new products, research, or interventions to address them

FN4c – Advise on food processing, manufacturing, and preparation/service needs associated with specific population groups, considering age, sex, cultural and socio-economic background, specific dietary requirements, and health issues

FN4d – Apply the principles of behaviour change in your practice as a food nutritionist and, where appropriate, in intervention design, implementation and evaluation, recognising and developing plans to overcome barriers to implementation

Core Competency 5 Health and Wellbeing

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FN5a – Describe the development and production process of specialist dietary products, such as balanced energy-protein supplements

FN5b – Explain how national programmes, such as universal fortification programmes, are developed and implemented

FN5c – Identify health needs of specified individuals, groups, and communities, using markers of nutritional status and diet related health, applying findings to research, or development of menus or food products

FN5d – Advise on healthy catering, menus and/or healthy product development taking account of current standards and guidelines

CC1e – Demonstrate Good Medical Practice by holding continuing registration with the General Medical Council (GMC), adhering to the GMC ethical guidance framework

CC1f – Apply the principles of medico-legal ethics when dealing with complex nutritional and hydration care, especially when involved in end-of-life care and withholding or withdrawal of artificial feeding

CC1g – Identify referral pathways and other health care professionals within clinical and community/support settings with expertise in nutrition

Core Competency 2: Science and Research Skills

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HC2a – Identify the processes involved in the disruption to homeostasis of nutrition in diseased, physiologically, and surgically altered states, including starvation, hypermetabolic and catabolic states

HC2b – Apply appropriate methods to assess nutritional status, including history and physical examination, growth charts, laboratory, body composition, and diagnosis and treatment of nutrient deficiencies and excess

HC2c – Manage chronic conditions, identifying nutritional causes and consequences, and recognising inter-individual differences in dietary response

HC2d – Calculate macro- and micro-nutrient, and energy needs and DRVs in health and disease, acknowledging the relationship between DRVs and the % RI/NRV used on the labels of vitamin and mineral supplements

Core Competency 3: Food Systems

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HC3a – Advise on the role of alcohol in relation to the following: energy, toxin, social and the management of overconsumption

HC3b – Identify and manage food allergies and intolerances, advising on impact on food choices and referring on, when required, for suitable nutrition support

HC3c – Manage specialised diets and dietary patterns, including, DASH (Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension), ‘Mediterranean’, Special/ Adapted Diets, and supplementation, advising on food choices and preparation

Core Competency 4: Social and Behaviour

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HC4a – Describe basic mental health and illness paradigms including addictive behaviour patterns e.g., alcohol consumption, extreme dietary restrictions, disordered eating and eating disorders

HC4b – Describe specific nutrition-related medical needs during the life course such as pregnancy, breast feeding, ageing and end of life care

HC4c – Identify and influence nutritional choices in health and disease

HC4d – Deliver, refer, or signpost to, social and behavioural interventions at population and individual levels

HC4e – Avoid weight stigma (obesity and cachexia) in all aspects of practice, including verbal and written communications

Core Competency 5 Health and Wellbeing

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HC5a – Describe the changes in nutritional demands and body composition relating to acute and chronic ill health, and their management, including:
- Fluid and hydration (including over-hydration), lean mass, fat mass
- Functional nutritional state
- Reductive adaptation, refeeding syndrome
- Ageing, sarcopenia, cachexia
- Under- and over-nutrition

HC5b – Identify appropriate uses of oral, enteral, and parenteral methods of nutritional support, and routes of delivering feed e.g., enteral tube feeding NG, PEG, and post-pyloric, confirming safe placement of device and recognising the influence of medication

HC5c – Explain the impact of gastro-intestinal surgical intervention of the gastro-intestinal tract; peri-operative nutrition, enhanced recovery, and long-term consequences

HC4d – Identify and manage diseases and conditions related to your specific area of medical practice, referring for specialist support when appropriate. Including, but not limited to:
- Diagnose and manage intestinal failure, referring to appropriate specialities including regional or national intestinal failure centres for advice and on-going care
- Using and interpreting results from validated tools for screening for malnutrition e.g., ‘MUST’ (Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool)
- Identify and manage malnutrition, including under- and over-nutrition, in critically ill patients and patients living with obesity, proving appropriate weight management advice
- Identify eating disorders, referring for specialist help when appropriate
- Developing/delivering food, nutrition, and health policies

NS2a – Explain the evidence behind the protective/adverse roles of dietary bioactive compounds

NS2b – Explain the evidence surrounding genetics, epigenetics, gene-nutrient interactions, and foetal programming

NS2c – Examine factors which can affect the following:
• Cellular integrity
• Energy metabolism and expenditure
• Bioavailability of micro and macronutrients

NS2d – Identify and describe factors affecting the nutritional significance of minerals and trace elements, their absorption, storage, and excretion, designing ways to prevent mineral deficiencies and excess

NS2e – Investigate the mechanistic basis of the action of nutrients in the body, and/or food components associated with protection against diseases, such as CVD and cancers

Core Competency 3: Food Systems

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NS3a – Describe the biological mechanisms underpinning health risk assessment and epidemiology

NS3b – Explain the health benefits and/or risks of reformulation, fortification, novel, and functional foods

NS3c – Advise colleagues, legislators, non-governmental organisations and/or other organisations on matters related to nutritional science, in multiple settings

NS3d – Advise on the development and implementation of nutritional strategies, for example in areas of food poverty, famine, or chronic malnutrition

Core Competency 4: Social and Behaviour

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NS4a – Describe how the following can impact on food choice and dietary intake:
- New developments in food science, including reformulation
- Socio-cultural settings, including high- and low-income communities
- Psychological and societal factors

NS4b – Provide advice on the scientific evidence related to the dietary management of health and disease states

NS4c – Formulate research questions and design research and interventions to examine the impact of diet availability and dietary habits on public health and healthy development

Core Competency 5 Health and Wellbeing

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NS5a – Explain the underpinning science and practicalities of strategies for improving nutrition at the population level

NS5b – Explain the impact of the processing of foods on health

NS5c – Identify gaps, formulate research questions and/or conduct research on the mechanistic aspects of nutrition related to health status or life-stage

NS5d – Design, implement and evaluate studies, interventions, or policies, disseminating the findings to multiple audiences, across multiple platforms

PH2a – Advise on how the demands of physical activity impacts metabolism, nutrient and fluid needs, how this affects energy and nutrition requirements, and how individual needs may differ from population level dietary reference values

PH2b – Accurately assess diet in several different population groups and settings, using anthropometry, dietary records and/or biomarkers, communicating, reporting, and advising on results appropriately

PH2c – Measure, describe and interpret patterns of food/nutrient intake or markers of nutrition

Core Competency 3: Food Systems

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PH3a – Explain how the sociology and politics of institutions and other stakeholders might affect or be affected by changes in the national and global food supply

PH3b – Explain the importance of sustainability and equity as it relates to the development and delivery of public health programmes

PH3c – Undertake modelling exercises to determine impact of changes in food composition or consumption, e.g., as a result of reformulation

PH3d – Translate food information to nutrients, using it to advise multiple groups and settings, and/or research

Core Competency 4: Social and Behaviour

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PH4a – Explain the principles of controlling non-communicable diseases

PH4b – Explain the social determinants of health, considering relevant research developments

PH4c – Advise on healthy diets and nutrition, including how to modify food/nutrient intake, at individual and population level, considering factors such as age, sex, religion, culture, socio-economic background, disability, cooking skills and physical activity, in multiple settings across multiple platforms

PH4d – Advise, and where appropriate support evidence development, on how behavioural/social aspects of nutrition can impact on different population groups – at either a local, national, or international level, and for both low- and high-income communities

PH4e – Incorporate behaviour change techniques into activities developed for multiple populations (at individual, group, or population level), targeted at the needs of the specific audiences

Core Competency 5 Health and Wellbeing

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PH5a – Explain the pathways involved in nutrition-related referrals, e.g., for diabetes and eating disorders within the UK National Health Service (NHS), and other healthcare systems (such as private and international, where appropriate)

PH5b – Support, develop and/or implement evidence-based food, nutrition and health policies, strategies and/or programmes, for multiple population groups and settings, undertaking effective stakeholder engagement

PH5c – Develop and deliver nutrition related interventions and public health campaigns designed to improve population diet, such as growth monitoring, weight management referral schemes and prevention of undernutrition in infants, micronutrient supplementation, food co-ops, and school-based schemes

PH5d – Propose solutions to reduce nutrition-related disease risk appropriate for specific individuals or groups, considering specific population and life-stage

SE2a – Describe the principles of training, components of fitness and the physiological demands of exercise and sporting performance, evaluating their impact on the energy and nutritional requirements of an athlete, explaining how these vary from current dietary reference values and recommendations

SE2b – Measure and estimate the energy and nutritional requirements for different levels and types of sport, exercise and physical activity and monitor nutritional status, using findings to advise individuals, groups, and/or research

SE2c – Explain the importance of hydration in sport and exercise, applying appropriate methods to assess hydration status

SE2d – Access and refer to IOC consensus statements, recognising the underpinning evidence-base

Core Competency 3: Food Systems

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SE3a – Explain the structure, hierarchies, roles, funding, and rules relating to the Sporting World

SE3b – Review the role of ergogenic aids and nutritional supplements and provide evidence-based guidance on the safe and effective use of dietary or nutritional supplements, being aware of regulatory bodies, current evidence and guidelines

SE3c – Adhere to international and domestic support nutrition policies, procedures and legal restrictions on supplement and drug use, with specific regard to WADA doping rules and regulations, always working in an ethical manner

SE3d – Advise on the provision of nutrition during training and competition, considering factors including food availability, access, facilities, and timing

Core Competency 4: Social and Behaviour

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SE4a – Describe the change in nutritional demands and ability of athletes to achieve nutritional goals, considering the impact of factors such as travel, environment, ambitions, values, beliefs, motivations, training, and performance pressures

SE4b – Advise on diet at individual and population level, suggesting how to modify intake in relation to factors such as age, sex, and sport, considering the impact of factors including dietary requirements and special diets, disability, income, shopping, and cooking skills on achieving dietary goals

SE4c – Assess dietary intake and counsel individuals and teams to achieve an optimum diet for performance through meal adaption/menu modification, recognising meal timing in relation to training and competition

SE4d – Design dietary interventions and strategies to support changes in body mass and composition

SE5a – Explain the role of nutrition in the prevention and recovery from illness and injury

SE5b – Contribute to the development and/or implementation of strategy and policy on food and nutrient-based standards to provide advice to athletes for various sports and physical activity

SE5c – Contribute to awareness, development and/or implementation of nutrition and hydration policies and practices for clubs and governing bodies, working with food providers to ensure availability of appropriate foods and meals

SE5d – Contribute to the development and/or production of food and drink-based education guidelines, materials or programmes for individuals or teams