What do dietitians do in Population and Public Health?
Dietitians working in Population and Public Health have expertise in nutrition, food systems and public health sciences1,2 and they use this expertise to:
- Assess food and nutrition related issues facing groups, communities and populations
- Develop a population health plan (that may include nutrition and health programs and policies) that will influence food and nutrition related decisions
- Implement the population health plan to obtain outcomes that support nutrition and health
- Evaluate and modify population health plans, as appropriate, to promote, protect and enhance health and prevent nutrition-related diseases
Learn more about dietitians working in Population and Public Health by reading “Putting it all together.”
It is important to note that a dietitian’s role in Population and Public Health practice may also include duties related to the areas of Nutrition Care and Management.
1 The Pan Canadian Task Force on Public Health Nutrition Practice. Advancing The Health of the Population through Public Health Nutrition Practice (2010). Retrieved July 9, 2015 from http://www.dietitians.ca/Dietitians-Views/Health-Care-System/Public-Health/Pan-Canadian-Task-Force-on-Public-Health-Nutrition.aspx
2 Ontario Chronic Disease Prevention Alliance. (2006). Chronic Disease in Ontario and Canada: Determinants, Risk Factors and Prevention Priorities. Retrieved July 9, 2015 from http://ocdpa.ca/sites/default/files/publications/CDP-FullReport-Mar06.pdf