Today’s Dietitian
Vol. 27 No. 8 P. 4
When you ask most people unfamiliar with the profession what it is they believe dietitians do, you’re likely to receive dozens of answers—few to none of which really capture what it is dietitians do. Dietitians are expected to be the leading experts in one of the most complex, constantly changing, and difficult-to-study areas of biological science. Beyond mastering the delivery of clinical nutrition care alongside and within a multidisciplinary team and larger medical infrastructure that all too often fails to recognize them for their expertise and value as providers, RDs adhere to a rigorous code of ethics that is rumored to have influenced aspects of the Medical Code of Ethics for physicians. While other health care providers may be excused for lacking “bedside manner” or being “too busy” to bother with understanding the science of behavior change, RDs know that behavior change is behind every success story, and without it, all health-related recommendations are dead in the water.
Dietitians are tasked with one of the most daunting jobs in health care: hacking and affecting behavior change in clients and patients from every conceivable walk of life. In addition to being leading experts in the high-level science of nutrition and tireless advocates for the advancement of nutritional medicine, they must be experts in the science of human motivation, communication, and behavior. It is rare to find so much expected of a single practitioner.
In this month’s issue, Today’s Dietitian (TD) shares two department stories, “Nudging Healthier Habits” and “Building Trust to Support Behavior Change,” outlining big-hitting factors involved in supporting behavior change and new strategies for RDs to consider adding to their counseling arsenal. Our cover feature, “Life After Antiobesity Medications,” propels the conversation further, exploring what the path forward can look like for those who choose to stop taking these medications. For these individuals, dietitian—including behavioral—support can mean the world in not only providing science-backed information through the journey but also knowing how to support the personalized path of sustainable behavior change.
Also in this issue, you’ll find an in-depth discussion on the topic of regenerative agriculture, including its susceptibility to green washing—an important area within the larger vibrant sustainability conversation. Adding to the discussion of supplements for athletes we featured in January of this year, we zero in on the specific use of herbs in athletics in this issue. You can also learn more about the role of nutrition in preventing and treating one of the most common complications of diabetes: diabetic retinopathy.
I hope you enjoy the issue!
— Heather Davis, MS, RDN, LDN, editor
TDeditor@gvpub.com
