Dietitians' beliefs about the importance of health promotion practices.

Registered dietitians throughout the state of Delaware (N = 146) were surveyed by mail to assess their beliefs about the importance of health promoting behaviors to the health of the average person. Respondents were instructed to rate each of 25 health promotion practices on a Likert scale. Results were compared with investigations of other health care providers. "Eating a balanced diet" was rated among the top five items. "Taking vitamin supplements" received the lowest mean rating. Results of the present study compared well with the beliefs of pharmacists and physicians. Ratings by other registered dietitians from an earlier study tended to be more conservative. Dietitians are supportive of health promotion and disease prevention. Their current role in health promotion activities needs further investigation.