TY - JOUR
T1 - A qualitative exploration of the future of nutrition and dietetics in Australia and New Zealand
T2 - Implications for the workforce
AU - Boak, Rachel
AU - Palermo, Claire
AU - Beck, Eleanor J.
AU - Patch, Craig
AU - Pelly, Fiona
AU - Wall, Clare
AU - Gallegos, Danielle
N1 - Funding Information:
Open access publishing facilitated by Monash University, as part of the Wiley - Monash University agreement via the Council of Australian University Librarians.
Funding Information:
This study was supported by the Council of Deans Nutrition and Dietetics Australia and New Zealand who are funded by an annual membership fee paid by 18 participating universities in support of this research. Claire Palermo is Chair of the Australian Dietetics Council and Dietitians and Nutritionist Regulatory Council. Danielle Gallegos is supported by the Queensland Children's Hospital Foundation through a philanthropic grant from Woolworths, she is a Board member of the International Confederation of Dietetic Associations (ICDA). Fiona Pelly is an academic member of the Australian Dietetics Council. Claire Palermo is Associate Editor of Nutrition & Dietetics. They were excluded from the peer review process and all decision‐making regarding this article. This manuscript has been managed throughout the review process by the Journal's Editor‐in‐Chief. The Journal operates a blinded peer review process and the peer reviewers for this manuscript were unaware of the authors of the manuscript. This process prevents authors who also hold an editorial role to influence the editorial decisions made.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 The Authors. Nutrition & Dietetics published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Dietitians Australia.
PY - 2022/9
Y1 - 2022/9
N2 - Aim: We aimed to explore the future roles of nutrition and dietetics professionals, and what capabilities the workforce would need to fulfil these roles. Method: A qualitative interpretive approach was employed. We conducted individual interviews with nutrition and non-nutrition thought leaders external to the profession. In addition, we conducted focus groups with experts within the nutrition and dietetics profession, academic dietetics educators and students/recent nutrition and dietetics graduates (total sample n = 68). Key nutrition-related issues and challenges, drivers for change and potential future roles of the profession were explored. Data were analysed using a team-based thematic analysis approach. Results: Future roles of nutrition and dietetics professionals were described as food aficionados, diet optimisers, knowledge translators, equity champions, systems navigators and food systems activists, change makers, activists and disruptors. In addition, science was identified as a uniting framework underpinning the professions. An additional 16 critical capabilities were considered to underpin practice. Conclusion: The results demonstrated that the current and future needs for workforce education and development need to address the impact of climate change, growing inequities, the democratisation of knowledge and the disruption of health and food systems. Education providers, regulators, professional associations and citizens need to work together to realise roles that will deliver on better health for all.
AB - Aim: We aimed to explore the future roles of nutrition and dietetics professionals, and what capabilities the workforce would need to fulfil these roles. Method: A qualitative interpretive approach was employed. We conducted individual interviews with nutrition and non-nutrition thought leaders external to the profession. In addition, we conducted focus groups with experts within the nutrition and dietetics profession, academic dietetics educators and students/recent nutrition and dietetics graduates (total sample n = 68). Key nutrition-related issues and challenges, drivers for change and potential future roles of the profession were explored. Data were analysed using a team-based thematic analysis approach. Results: Future roles of nutrition and dietetics professionals were described as food aficionados, diet optimisers, knowledge translators, equity champions, systems navigators and food systems activists, change makers, activists and disruptors. In addition, science was identified as a uniting framework underpinning the professions. An additional 16 critical capabilities were considered to underpin practice. Conclusion: The results demonstrated that the current and future needs for workforce education and development need to address the impact of climate change, growing inequities, the democratisation of knowledge and the disruption of health and food systems. Education providers, regulators, professional associations and citizens need to work together to realise roles that will deliver on better health for all.
KW - education
KW - environment
KW - forecasting
KW - qualitative research
KW - workforce
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85127435838&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/1747-0080.12734
DO - 10.1111/1747-0080.12734
M3 - Article
C2 - 35355390
AN - SCOPUS:85127435838
SN - 1446-6368
VL - 79
SP - 427
EP - 437
JO - Nutrition & Dietetics
JF - Nutrition & Dietetics
IS - 4
ER -
