Registered Dietitian, School of Food and Nutritional Sciences, Brescia University College, Western University, London, ON.
Associate Professor, School of Food and Nutritional Sciences, Brescia University College, Western University, Lawson Health Research Institute, London, ON.
Healthc Policy. 2020 Nov;16(2):111-127. doi: 10.12927/hcpol.2020.26349.
Current Ontario healthcare policy permits anyone to use the title "nutritionist" and practice as a clinician regardless of education and training. The title "dietitian," on the other hand, is protected under the Dietetics Act (1991) for use exclusively by individuals who undergo rigorous education and training in evidence-based nutrition.
The objectives of this study were to: identify whether the Ontario general public understands the difference between a registered dietitian (RD) and an unregulated "nutritionist;" understand experiences with RDs and "nutritionists;" and determine if the current nutrition landscape arising from gaps in healthcare policy has the potential to harm the public.
A cross-sectional mixed methods survey study was carried out using inductive content analysis, descriptive statistics and chi-square tests.
Respondents (n = 402) did not understand the difference between RDs and "nutritionists." Overall, public experiences have been significantly more positive when nutrition information/advice stemmed from an RD.
This study provides justification for proposed legislative amendments to the Dietetics Act (1991) and the Regulated Health Professions Act (1991). These proposed amendments have been detailed in the full-text manuscript.
目前，安大略省的医疗保健政策允许任何人使用“营养师”的称号并作为临床医生进行实践，而无论其教育和培训如何。另一方面，“营养师”的称号受《营养疗法法》（1991 年）的保护，只能由接受严格的循证营养教育和培训的个人使用。
本研究的目的是：确定安大略省的普通公众是否了解注册营养师（RD）和不受监管的“营养师”之间的区别；了解他们与 RD 和“营养师”的接触经历；并确定医疗保健政策中的差距所导致的当前营养领域是否有可能危害公众健康。
使用归纳内容分析、描述性统计和卡方检验进行了一项横断面混合方法调查研究。
受访者（n=402）不了解 RD 和“营养师”之间的区别。总体而言，当营养信息/建议来自 RD 时，公众的体验明显更为积极。
这项研究为拟议的《营养疗法法》（1991 年）和《受监管的健康专业法》（1991 年）修正案提供了依据。这些拟议的修正案在全文手稿中有详细说明。
