98% Of UK Dietitians Want Wider Role In Public Health

November 12, 2006 – 1:25 pm | posted in Nutrition / Diet

A readership survey by Network Health Dietitians magazine has revealed that an overwhelming majority of UK nutrition and dietetic professionals would like to take on a wider role in health promotion.

In response to the question: ‘Do you feel that the role of a nutrition and dietetics professional is to promote general health and well-being in addition to nutritional advice and guidance?’, an astonishing 98 percent of respondents answered ‘yes’.

The result is more remarkable given the traditional role of dietitians with a focus purely on nutrition.

A further 81 percent added a comment about the manner in which they could take on a wider role; the majority of which focussed on expansion of the counselling role, engaging in public health debates and initiatives, leading by example, adopting holistic approaches, increasing media presence and offering exercise and smoking cessation advice.

Neil Donnelly, NHD editor and Dietetic Services Manager at Blackpool PCT said of the response: “Many factors can affect the food choice of an individual and dietitians have to be prepared to comment appropriately. Essentially the role of the nutrition and dietetic professional is to provide unbiased up-to-date nutritional advice and guidance on a large number of issues. We are however often asked, and if appropriate provide, our thoughts on other health issues.

“Exercise and activity for example is invariably linked with overweight and obesity and it is important if not essential for the practising dietitian to encourage this wherever possible. Smoking is also an area where we invariably may have to give a view, particularly in relation to heart disease and again obesity.

“As for personal lifestyles, I think that the majority of dietetic professionals recognise that the public would expect them to set a good example, without of course being puritanical.”

One of the most telling reader comments from a dietitian based in the academic field was: “The dietetics profession suffers from lack of visibility and consumer perceptions of dietitians are almost non-existent, almost certainly less well understood than nutritionists. We need to demonstrate to other health professionals and the wider public that dietitians are highly skilled professionals in the field of food and nutrition and [that] we can promote general health in addition to nutritional advice and guidance.”

Public Influence

6,222 dietitians are registered by the Health Professionals Council to practice under the protected title ‘dietitian’ in the UK

The NHD survey also revealed that on average each practicing dietitian or nutritionist advises and/or consults with 85 patients or clients per month. When you multiply that figure by the number of HPC (Health Professionals Council) registered dietitians (6,222) it reveals a figure close to 530,000 members of the public who are on the end of direct dietetic advice each month.

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