Registered Dietitians: Making a Difference

Across Canada, March is Nutrition Month and March 18, 2020 is designated as Dietitians Day; a day to highlight the important work of dietitians in advancing health through food and nutrition.

This year’s theme is about celebrating how healthy eating is more than the foods we eat – it’s about enjoying your food, eating with others, being mindful of your eating habits and cooking more often. Today, let’s recognize their contributions to the health of the population.

Like all regulated health professionals, dietitians undergo comprehensive and rigorous training, both on the job and in universities. They are held accountable to the highest standards of education and ethics, which means we look beyond fads and gimmicks to deliver reliable, life-changing advice.

Today, with better understanding of the relationship between eating habits and health, dietitians are playing an increasingly important role in contributing to the health and well-being of Canadians. According to a 2014 Ipsos Reid poll, 94% of Canadians believe that Dietitians are the most credible and reliable source of nutrition information.

In addition to being champions for healthy eating, Dietitians are collaborating with other healthcare professionals, undertaking scientific research, driving innovation in the food industry, informing public policy, or working with patients and communities. They are:

• Specialists addressing the nutrition needs of people with complex health problems;
• Policy makers and advisors advocating for healthy public policy;
• Leaders in all aspects of the food system, including food security and sustainability, food service management, and food production;
• Leaders within the health care system;
• Knowledge brokers who conduct research to answer questions and translate the science of nutrition into terms everyone can understand
• Educators of health professionals in other disciplines and future dietetic practitioners.

If you know a Dietitian, please thank them today for the work they do to improve the nutritional well-being of the population.