Fitness coaches and gyms: can you sell meal plans to your clients under French law?
Yes, a fitness coach can legally sell meal plans in France. For years, you may have been told that only dietitians can talk about nutrition. That belief is wrong. Here is what French law actually says — and why you can sell meal plans with full legal standing.
This article analyzes French law (article L4371-1 of the Public Health Code). It applies to coaches operating in France.
Whether you're a freelance personal trainer or a gym owner, you've probably heard these claims before:
"You're not allowed to create meal plans"
"That's reserved for dietitians"
"If you include portion sizes, it's illegal"
"You could face prosecution"
These claims are legally incorrect.
They stem from either a misunderstanding of the law, a partial reading of the statute, or lobbying by dietitian associations who benefit from making you believe their profession holds a monopoly it does not have.
In this article, we'll break down what French law actually says. You'll see the reality is very different from what you've been led to believe.
The statute they never show you in full
Everything starts with article L4371-1 of the French Public Health Code (Code de la santé publique). This is the text that defines what a dietitian is. Here's what it says, word for word:
"Any person who habitually provides nutritional advice and, on medical prescription, participates in the nutritional education and rehabilitation of patients with metabolic or eating disorders, through the preparation of a personalized dietary assessment and adapted dietary education, is considered to be practicing the profession of dietitian."
Read it carefully. Read it again. This text does not say "anyone who talks about nutrition is a dietitian."
It defines specific, cumulative conditions. And that changes everything.
The trap of the truncated reading
Those who tell you it's illegal only quote the beginning of the article:
"Any person who [...] provides nutritional advice is considered to be practicing the profession of dietitian"
And they stop right there.
But the sentence continues with restrictive conditions. The law defines a specific scope: the therapeutic, medical context, involving sick patients.
Cutting the sentence short is misrepresenting what the law says.
The 4 conditions you don't meet
Let's analyze each condition of article L4371-1 and see whether it applies to your work.
1. "On medical prescription"
Do your clients come to you with a doctor's prescription?
No. They come on their own initiative, to improve their performance or physique.
→ Condition not met.
2. "Patients with metabolic or eating disorders"
Are your clients patients? Do they have a diagnosed condition?
No. They are healthy individuals looking to make progress.
→ Condition not met.
3. "Personalized dietary assessment"
Do you conduct a medical assessment with clinical history, lab work, and diagnosis?
No. You build a nutrition plan based on fitness goals.
→ Condition not met.
4. "Nutritional education and rehabilitation"
Do you provide therapeutic nutritional rehabilitation?
No. You optimize nutrition for performance or wellness.
→ Condition not met.
Result: 0 out of 4 conditions met.
You are not practicing the profession of dietitian as defined by law.
The principle of strict interpretation in criminal law
Article L4372-1 of the Public Health Code provides criminal penalties for illegally practicing as a dietitian: up to 1 year in prison and a €15,000 fine.
But a fundamental principle of French criminal law applies here: the strict interpretation of criminal statutes.
This means:
- A criminal offense cannot be extended beyond what the statute expressly provides
- In case of doubt, the interpretation favorable to the accused prevails
- The conditions defining the offense must be met with certainty
The conditions of article L4371-1 are not met in the context of your work.
The evidence: no case law
If selling meal plans were truly illegal, there would be convictions.
Yet no published case law convicts a fitness coach, gym, or fitness center for illegally practicing as a dietitian.
Dietitian associations themselves acknowledge that "there are very few inspections and penalties." This is not due to a lack of resources. It's because the offense simply isn't established.
Judges know how to read the law. They know that offering a meal plan to a healthy person in a wellness context is not practicing the profession of dietitian.
What is actually prohibited
Let's be clear about what you cannot do:
Use the title of dietitian
You may not present yourself as a "dietitian." The title is protected by article L4372-2 of the French Public Health Code. Using it without authorization is a criminal offense of title usurpation.
Treat medical conditions
You may not take on clients who have:
- ✕ Diabetes
- ✕ Eating disorders (anorexia, bulimia)
- ✕ Metabolic diseases
These individuals must be referred to a healthcare professional.
Make medical diagnoses
You may not diagnose a deficiency, condition, or disorder.
What is allowed
On the other hand, you can:
Offer meal plans with portion sizes
Yes, you can include quantities in grams. The law does not prohibit it.
Give nutritional advice
On macronutrients, meal timing, hydration, portions
Use these terms
"Meal plan," "nutrition coaching," "dietary guidance," "nutritional optimization"
Charge for this service
Like any lawful service offering
Are portion sizes illegal?
A widespread misconception: "If you include portion sizes in your plans, it becomes illegal." This is completely false.
Read article L4371-1 again: it makes no mention of portion sizes, quantities, or servings. The text refers to "personalized dietary assessment" and "nutritional rehabilitation" — not portion sizes.
Writing "150g of rice" or "200g of chicken" is not a medical act.
It's simply providing a portion guideline — just like any cookbook, fitness app, or health magazine does.
What characterizes the practice of a dietitian is:
- Medical prescription
- Treatment of a medical condition
- Clinical dietary assessment
Not the act of including quantities. Thousands of coaches, apps, and books include portion sizes every day without any legal issue.
The only 2 rules you need to follow
At the end of the day, it's straightforward. Follow these 2 rules:
Don't call yourself a "dietitian"
Use "nutrition coach," "meal plan," "nutritional guidance"
Refer sick individuals
Diabetes, eating disorders, metabolic diseases → healthcare professional
That's it. Beyond these, you're within your rights.
How to safeguard your practice
Here's a checklist to operate with confidence:
- I never present myself as a "dietitian"
- I target a healthy clientele
- I require a medical fitness certificate for sports
- I refer anyone with a medical condition to a healthcare professional
- I use the terms "meal plan" or "nutrition coaching"
- I include a disclaimer in my contracts
Suggested disclaimer for your contracts
"This nutritional coaching service is intended for healthy individuals looking to optimize their diet as part of their fitness routine. It does not constitute a medical or paramedical act and does not replace a consultation with a physician or registered dietitian. Clients with known medical conditions agree to consult their doctor beforehand."
What Promealplan does for you
Our platform automatically includes safeguards to protect your practice:
Health questionnaire
Every client declares any medical conditions before receiving a plan
Required confirmation
The client must check a box to continue: "I confirm that all information provided is accurate and complete. I understand that my coach will create meal plans based on this data."
Written proof
A summary email is sent to the client and the coach — the client cannot come back and claim otherwise
Appropriate terminology
Our interface uses the right terms ("meal plan," never "diet prescription" or "medical diet")
You don't need to configure anything: these safeguards are built in automatically.
The real question
The real question isn't "am I allowed to?"
The real question is: "why was I led to believe otherwise?"
The answer comes down to one word: lobbying.
Dietitian associations benefit from making you believe they hold a monopoly over anything nutrition-related. It's legally unfounded, but commercially effective.
Don't let a misreading of the law keep you from offering a service you are fully entitled to provide.
Summary
| What you've been told | The legal reality |
|---|---|
| "It's illegal" | It's legal under simple conditions |
| "It's reserved for dietitians" | Therapeutic work is reserved, not general nutrition advice |
| "Portion sizes are illegal" | The law makes no mention of portion sizes or servings |
| "You could go to prison" | No known convictions in the fitness industry |
| "The law is clear" | The law is precise and defines conditions that don't apply to you |
You can sell meal plans to your clients with full legal standing.
Follow the 2 rules (don't call yourself a dietitian, refer sick individuals) and Promealplan handles the rest.
Legal references
- Article L4371-1, French Public Health Code — Definition of the profession
- Article L4372-1, French Public Health Code — Criminal penalties
- Article L4372-2, French Public Health Code — Title protection
Have questions? Feel free to contact us.