Misconduct charges against high fat medium protein advocate Tim Noakes might have been influenced by companies sponsoring the Association of Dieticians of SA. Among the eight sponsors listed on the organisation's website are ProNutro and "leading producer of cereal" Kellogg's.Noakes's legal team attempted to tease out the sponsorship issue during the second day of a hearing by the Health Professions Council of SA yesterday.Noakes is accused by the dieticians' association of unprofessional conduct for providing on social networks "unconventional advice pertaining to breast-fed babies".Last year he used Twitter to advise a mother on how to put her child on a low-carb, high-fat diet.He has pleaded not guilty.Michael van der Nest, an advocate acting for Noakes, asked the complainant, Claire Julsing-Strydom - a former president of the Association of Dieticians - if the association's funders, such as Unilever and ProNutro, knew of the proceedings against Noakes.Julsing-Strydom said 70% of the association's funding was derived from membership fees and 30% from sponsorships.Van der Nest said Noakes was seen as a hero by many and there was resentment of this among dieticians."[He] is hailed as the great hero and [dieticians] are not."Julsing-Strydom denied that resentment prompted her to make the complaint against Noakes. She said she complained because he was giving advice that was not backed by evidence. She was also concerned as the mother of a four-month-old.Esté Vorster, a retired nutritionist called as an expert witness, said that Noakes had acted unprofessionally. She said Twitter was not a suitable medium for giving medical advice, especially without background facts.Stephanie Dawson-Cosser, a specialist in child and family care who is not involved with the hearing, said: "We are looking at building a healthy, all-round intake of the five main food groups: proteins, fats, dairy, cereals, and fruit and vegetables."For babies, children and adults, she said, "the more fresh foods we eat, the healthier we will be".A paediatrician said: "We have no idea if high-fat food is good for adults, let alone children, and growing children have very different metabolic needs to an overweight middle-aged dude trying to lose his boep."As far as I know, Noakes does not advise Banting for kids, just 'real food'. And there's not much wrong with that."..