The U.S. Department of Labor – Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has a classification of health educator and defines health educators (SOC 21-1091.00) as those that provide and manage health education programs that help individuals, families, and their communities maximize and maintain healthy lifestyles. Health Educators collect and analyze data to identify community needs prior to planning, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating programs designed to encourage healthy lifestyles, policies, and environments. They may serve as resource to assist individuals, other health professionals, or the community, and may administer fiscal resources for health education programs.

Several studies have explored the relationship between physical activity and the overall quality of life (Sheppard 1996), which includes variables such as social, mental, and psychological well-being. Physical activity plays an essential role in quality of life. It increases energy; it promotes physical, mental, and psychological well-being; and it serves as preventive medicine, reducing the risk of developing premature health problems. These are just some of the compelling reasons to promote health and physical fitness.

The Surgeon General’s Report on Physical Activity and Health (USDDHS 1996) reviews the evidence relating physical activity to reduced risks of a variety of health problems. Evidence shows that physical activity is related to a lower risk of the premature development of many health problems, such as anxiety, atherosclerosis, back pain, cancer, chronic lung disease, coronary heart disease, diabetes, obesity, hypertension, and osteoporosis.- ISSA

Not only does a nutrition coach act as a knowledgeable guide through information, resources, and facts about nutrition, but they also help clients apply the information to their lives and health situations. Each client, their health status, and their goals are unique, and a nutrition coach can tailor nutrition plans to meet their individual needs. A nutrition coach also helps the client apply the information to their lives in a way that is practical, safe, and easy to follow. What is required is not simply changing eating habits but rather modifying behavior, and this is often overlooked when attempting to achieve nutrition goals. This may include the way individuals think about food, the function of food in their lives, their attitudes toward specific types of food, and their relationships with food in general.

Nutrition coaching empowers clients to take responsibility for their own health by providing resources and nutritional advice as well as coaching the non-dietary aspects of their lifestyle. These can include behavior patterns, well-rounded eating habits, and overall healthy lifestyles leading to total well-being. The goal of a nutrition coach is to teach clients how to be successful and self-sufficient. – ISSA