Raise your hand if the first word that comes to mind when you hear dietitian is “diet”.
Keep it up if you’re not sure how a diet could help in your business success.
Dietitian is an unfortunate name for our profession as it’s so often synonymous with restriction, limits and rules a.k.a. the food police. The reality is, the world of dietetics is diverse and probably the least aligned with “dieting” and restriction of all the nutrition experts out there.
So if we’re not the food police, what are dietitians?
The terms dietitian and nutritionist are not protected under the law so I’m specifically talking about Accredited Practising Dietitians or APD’s. APD’s have tertiary qualifications in food, nutrition and health including assessed professional practice public in settings such as hospitals covering public health nutrition, medical nutrition therapy (i.e. treatment or management of health condition with nutrition) and food service management. Dietitians work in a diverse range of settings but all have the common goal of advancing the nutritional status of Australians (and the world). Within the food industry dietitians roles including in marketing, communications, social media, recipe and product development, education, scientific and regulatory affairs as well as research and development.
And how can we help your business?
Nutrition can be complex and defined in so many ways. Having a dietitian is essential in ensuring you’re on the right path to get the right results for your business. How you ask?
1. We can find the right nutrition solution
Dietitians are trained in evidence-based nutrition. Knowing the science means we can apply it to any situation and offer a solution, we’re not limited by one dogma or a narrow view on what is healthy.
This enable us to identify how to achieve nutrition goals and we know the many ways to get there. Just as every person is different so is every business. The right dietitian can give you a tailored solution that’s right for your business.
2. We know the rules
We may not be the food police but we know what the rules are. Industry dietitians can help you understand the regulations surrounding the sale and marketing of food and therefore considerations for your products, messages and brands.
3. We’re the ultimate foodies
Most dietitians are foodies at heart but beyond that, our four years (or more) studying nutrition means we know food like no one else. We know its intrinsic benefits, the nutrients it contains (good and not so good), the impact of cooking and preparing and most importantly how to use food to address nutrition, health and regulatory concerns.
4. We can translate science
We are trained in reviewing and appraising scientific literature. Simply put – we can cut through the jargon and the confusion to tell you and your customers what you need to know.
5. Work collaboratively
We are trained to work in teams, from our clinical training working with doctors, nurses and other health professionals, to collaborating with public health organisations or partnering with our one-on-one clients to help them achieve their health goals. Working with food businesses is no different. Dietitians work collaboratively with marketing, product development or regulatory teams as well as PR and marketing agencies to help your business achieve its nutrition goals.
I’m sure the first word that comes to mind when you hear dietitian is still “diet” but now you’ll also know that we are far more than that. Dietitians have a unique set of skills to support your business success.
