Frequently Asked Questions

What is the American Nutrition Association? How does it relate to the BCNS, ACN, and other organizations?

These esteemed nutrition organizations have come together as the American Nutrition Association® (ANA) to form the unified professional home for the science and practice of personalized nutrition. The ANA family of organizations consists of:

  • American College of Nutrition
  • Board for Certification of Nutrition Specialists℠
  • Accreditation Council for Nutrition Professional Education℠
  • Center for Nutrition Advocacy®
  • American Nutrition Association Foundation℠

The leaders of these organizations made a historic decision to affiliate as the American Nutrition Association® to leverage the strengths of each organization and unleash nutrition’s full potential. Learn more about this historic event and the history of the ANA.

I am an active ACN Member. Am I now a member of the ANA?

Yes! You are now a Charter Member of the ANA. Your dues remain the same, and you get all your current benefits PLUS many additional benefits from offerings across the entire ANA family. If you are unsure whether you were an active ACN Member, please reach out to Membership@theANA.org. If your ACN Membership has expired, we invite you to join the ANA as a Charter Member. Expired memberships are NOT automatically transferred over.

I am Fellow (FACN). What does this mean for me? 

The FACN designation remains unchanged as the College becomes a vital part of the American Nutrition Association. To maintain the FACN designation, the Fellow must remain an active member of the ANA.

How do I become a Fellow (FACN)?

We are not currently accepting new applications. For more information, please contact Info@theana.org.

What are the benefits of ANA Membership?

Check them out here!

If I join the ANA as a Member, how long is my Membership active? 

ANA Membership is for 12 months. If you join February 15, 2021 your membership will expire February 15, 2022.

How do I know when my ANA Membership is set to expire?

  1. Login to your Portal.
  2. Visit the Memberships, Certifications & Trainings tab within the Portal to view the dates that your Active Membership will expire.
    Note: If no date is shown, your membership is not active. If you believe this is an error, please contact Membership@theANA.org.

How do I renew my ANA Membership?

  1. Login to your Portal
  2. Visit the Memberships, Certifications & Trainings tab
  3. Select the blue Renew link
  4. Select the Membership Level you would like to renew (you can upgrade your membership level too!)

Please note: Once you renew your Membership, your new Membership will then run for 12 months from when it was set to expire. You are not penalized for renewing early! 

How do I access the Portal?  

Visit the Portal login page. 
Please note: Your username is your email address associated with your Membership/Account.

I forgot my Portal password. What do I do? 

  1. Visit Portal login page and select “Forgot Password. Or you can access the link directly HERE
  2. Enter your username which is the email address associated with your account.
  3. Check your email and follow the prompts in the email. If you do not see an email, please check your spam folder. Still not seeing the email, please reach out to Membership@theANA.org.

Do CNS and ANA members access the same Portal?

Yes, all CNSs and ANA members will use My Portal to access member benefits and CNS materials. All CNSs and CNS candidates must set up a Portal account. Your username and password from the old BCNS website will NOT work. You will need to either join the ANA or sign up as a FREE Professional Associate. CNSs are NOT  required to be paid Members of the ANA to access the Portal. 

Please note: When joining, it is important to use the email address the BCNS has on file for you. If not, your Portal profile will not have your credential details. Once you are logged into the Portal, you can update your contact information, make certification payments, download your digital credential badge, upload BCNS forms and see your recertification date.

Watch a short tutorial for CNSs on using the Portal.

Is my annual membership fee to the ANA the same as my annual fee for the CNS or CKNS credential? Do I have to join the ANA to keep my CNS or CKNS credential active?

No, the ANA is a membership organization that CNSs and CKNSs may join to receive the many benefits it has to offer. CNSs and CKNSs may also sign up as FREE Professional Associates to gain portal access. The CNS and CKNS annual renewal fee is distinct from ANA mebership dues. The annual renewal fee of $100 is required to keep CNS and CKNS credentials current. Additionally, CNS and CKNS certificants must recertify every 5 years (requires an application and a $200 fee).

How do I know when my CNS is due for renewal?

  1. Login to your Portal.
  2. Visit the Memberships, Certifications & Trainings tab within the Portal to view the dates that your Active Certification(s) will expire.
    Note: If no date is shown, your certification is not active. If you believe this is an error, please contact Certifications@NutritionSpecialists.org.

How do I renew my ANA Membership?

  1. Login to your Portal
  2. Visit the Memberships, Certifications & Trainings tab
  3. Select the blue Renew link
  4. Select the Membership Level you would like to renew (you can upgrade your membership level too!)

Please note: Once you renew your Membership, your new Membership will then run for 12 months from when it was set to expire. You are not penalized for renewing early! 

How do I update my profile and contact information?

  1. Login to your Portal
  2. Visit the My Profile tab
  3. Click on the pencil icon and then update your information.

How does the Practitioner Finder work and how can I be listed?

The Practitioner Finder is a benefit of ANA Professional Membership. If you are joining the ANA as a Professional Member for the first time, you can add this to your Membership during registration.

What are the eligibility requirements to be listed in the Practitioner Finder?

Are you a nutrition practitioner looking for visibility and connections to patients or clients? The ANA’s online Practitioner Finder connects you with prospective clients, who can find you by searching by location, specialty and more. There are two eligibility requirements to be listed in the Practitioner Finder:

  1. You must be a Professional Member of the ANA in good standing; and
  2. You must hold at least one of these degrees or credentials:
    • BCHN - Board Certified in Holistic Nutrition
    • CCN - Certified Clinical Nutritionist
    • CDE - Certified Diabetes Educator
    • CDN - Certified Dietitian/Nutritionist
    • CISSN (CISSN) - Certified Sports Nutritionist (International Society of Sports Nutrition)
    • CNGS- Certified Nutritional Genomics Specialist
    • CKNS - Certified Ketogenic Nutrition Specialist
    • CNS - Certified Nutrition Specialist
    • DACBN - Diplomate of the American Chiropractic Board of Nutrition
    • DC - Doctor of Chiropractic
    • DCN - Doctor of Clinical Nutrition
    • DNP - Doctor of Nursing Practice
    • DO - Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine
    • IFMCP - IFM Certified Practitioner
    • LD - Licensed Dietitian
    • LN - Licensed Nutritionist
    • LDN - Licensed Dietitian/Nutritionist
    • LMP - Lifestyle Medicine Practitioner
    • LN - Licensed Nutritionist
    • MD - Medical Doctor
    • ND - Naturopathic Doctor
    • NBC-HWC - National Board Certification for Health & Wellness Coaching
    • OD - Doctor of Optometry
    • PharmD
    • RD - Registered Dietitian
    • RPH - Registered Pharmacist
    • RDN - Registered Dietitian Nutritionist

If you hold a degree or credential that is not listed here, please contact Membership@theANA.org.

I am already an active Professional Member and want to now be listed in the Practitioner Finder

  1. Login to your Portal
  2. Navigate to the My Profile tab
  3. Click on the Practitioner Directory Info button (on the bottom of the page) and then update your details to be displayed in the Directory.

If I was included in the CNS Referral Network, am I automatically listed in the Practitioner Finder?

No. The CNS Referral Network was an offline directory compiled by the BCNS and listed only current CNSs. It has been revamped as the ANA’s Practitioner Finder and includes CNSs and other nutrition and health professionals. The Practitioner Finder is a benefit of ANA Professional Membership. We welcome you to submit an Practitioner Finder application as described above.

I am already listed in the Practitioner Finder and need to update the information shown. How do I do this?

  1. Login to your Portal
  2. Visit the My Profile tab
  3. Click on the pencil icon and then update your information. 

The JANA Journal is a Member benefit. How do I ensure I receive it?

Professional Members of the ANA receive printed and online access to the JANA. Student Members of the ANA receive online access to the JANA.

Online Access:

  1. Login to your Portal
  2. Visit the Journals tab to view the link to access the online JACN

Printed Access:

  1. Ensure your contact information is up to date in the My Profile tab of your Portal

I am a Professional Member and only want to receive the online JANA. How do I update this in my ANA Membership?

  1. Login to your Portal
  2. Visit the My Profile tab
  3. Click on the pencil icon and then update your JACN preference 

How do I pay my CNS annual fees and/or recertification fees?

If you have not yet set up a Portal account:

  1. You will need to either join the ANA or sign up as a FREE Professional Associate. This will give you access to the Portal. Please note, it is NOT a requirement to be a paid Member of the ANA to access the Portal. 
  2. Login to your Portal
  3. Visit the Memberships, Certifications & Trainings tab within the Portal.
  4. Click on the Payments link
  5. For annual fees: Select the 2nd blue bar called CNS Annual Fees, then click on the drop down menu and select either CNS Annual Fee ($100) or CNS Annual Fee by Auto Pay ($100).
  6. For recertification fees (every 5 years): Select the 1st blue bar called CNS Certificant and CNS Fees, then click on the drop down menu and select CNS Recertification Fee ($200). Note: When your credential is up for recertification every 5 years, you are also responsible for the annual fee in the same year.

If you have set up your Portal account:

  1. Login to your Portal
  2. Visit the Memberships, Certifications & Trainings tab within the Portal.
  3. Click on the Payments link
  4. Select the 2nd blue bar called CNS Annual Fees.
  5. Click on the drop down menu and select either CNS Annual Fee ($100) or CNS Annual Fee by Auto Pay ($100).

View this short tutorial on the CNS aspects of the Portal.

How do I upload an application or other documents through the Portal?

  1. Login to your Portal
  2. Visit the Memberships, Certifications & Trainings tab within the Portal.
  3. Click on the Forms link
  4. Click on the pull down menu and select the form you wish to use then click Download File.
  5. Save the application to your computer, complete the form, and save it again. Please note, you will need to do this for every form.
  6. When you are ready to submit a form:
    1. Login to your Portal
    2. Visit the Memberships, Certifications & Trainings tab
    3. Click on the Forms link
    4. Click Upload Files, select your forms from your computer, then click Submit. 

Please note, you can also access and download ALL forms on the BCNS Forms & Resources Overview page.

View this short tutorial on the CNS aspects of the Portal.

What information can I access when I’m logged into the Portal?

  • You can download your certification digital badge
  • You can see your CNS/CKNS recertification due certification 
  • You can see your ANA membership renewal date
  • You can see the list and date of documents you uploaded via the Portal
  • You can see your profile information and make changes
  • You cannot see a payment history. For a payment history report, please contact Certifications@NutritionSpecialists.org.

     

I am having difficulty logging into my Portal, who can I contact?

Please reach out to us at Membership@theANA.org.

I have questions regarding the CNS or other credentials, who can I contact?

Please reach out to Certifications@NutritionSpecialists.org.