Council of Deans Nutrition and Dietetics, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Monash Centre for Scholarship in Health Education, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.
Nutr Diet. 2022 Sep;79(4):427-437. doi: 10.1111/1747-0080.12734. Epub 2022 Mar 30.
We aimed to explore the future roles of nutrition and dietetics professionals, and what capabilities the workforce would need to fulfil these roles.
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.
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.
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.
本研究旨在探讨营养与饮食学专业人员的未来角色，以及为了履行这些角色，劳动力应具备哪些能力。
采用定性解释方法。我们对营养专业以外的营养和非营养思想领袖进行了个人访谈。此外，我们还与营养和饮食学专业的专家、学术饮食教育工作者以及学生/最近的营养和饮食学毕业生（总样本 n=68）进行了焦点小组讨论。探讨了与营养相关的主要问题和挑战、推动变革的因素以及该专业的潜在未来角色。使用基于团队的主题分析方法对数据进行分析。
未来营养与饮食学专业人员的角色被描述为美食爱好者、饮食优化师、知识翻译者、公平拥护者、系统导航员和食品系统活动家、变革推动者、积极分子和颠覆者。此外，科学被确定为支撑各专业的统一框架。还确定了另外 16 项关键能力，以为实践提供支撑。
研究结果表明，当前和未来对劳动力教育和发展的需求需要解决气候变化、日益加剧的不平等、知识民主化以及健康和食品系统的颠覆等问题。教育提供者、监管机构、专业协会和公民需要共同努力，实现为所有人提供更好健康的角色。
