Boak Rachel, Palermo Claire, Beck Eleanor J, Pelly Fiona, Wall Clare, Gallegos Danielle
University of Melbourne Dental School, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, Victoria, Melbourne, Australia.
Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.
J Hum Nutr Diet. 2025 Jun;38(3):e70064. doi: 10.1111/jhn.70064.
Forecasting how workforces will meet projected challenges faced by future populations is essential to future-proof professions. This paper aims to describe the specific actions required for nutrition professionals (nutrition scientists, nutritionists, dietitians) to realise the professions' workforce development vision of the future.
A qualitative interpretive approach was employed. Individual interviews were conducted with nutrition leaders and external thought leaders. Focus groups were also conducted with experts within the nutrition and dietetics professions, academic dietetics educators and students/recent nutrition science 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. This paper documents the actions required to achieve these outcomes. Data were analysed using a team-based thematic analysis approach.
Analysis and interpretation of participant interviews identified five key actions to strengthen the profession: 'Enhance and harness the diversity of the profession'; 'Develop a cohesive profession with a strong identity'; 'Decolonise teaching and practice'; 'Retain science as the fundamental basis of the profession with trans-systems knowledge integration'; and 'Build opportunities for an agile nutrition workforce'.
Future-proofing the nutrition profession rests on mobilising current strengths and embracing growth and change. There will be confronting challenges for members of the profession and for a united profession. Individual professionals, professional associations, educators and education institutions need to work together to instigate change towards a more equitable future to support optimal health and wellbeing for individuals, communities and populations.
预测劳动力将如何应对未来人口面临的预计挑战对于保障职业的未来发展至关重要。本文旨在描述营养专业人员（营养科学家、营养师、饮食学家）实现该职业未来劳动力发展愿景所需采取的具体行动。
采用定性解释方法。对营养领域领导者和外部思想领袖进行了个人访谈。还与营养与饮食行业内的专家、学术饮食教育工作者以及学生/近期营养科学与饮食学专业毕业生进行了焦点小组讨论（总样本n = 68）。探讨了关键的营养相关问题与挑战、变革驱动因素以及该职业未来可能的角色。本文记录了实现这些成果所需采取的行动。使用基于团队的主题分析方法对数据进行了分析。
对参与者访谈的分析与解读确定了加强该职业的五项关键行动：“增强并利用职业的多样性”；“发展一个具有强烈身份认同的凝聚力强的职业”；“使教学与实践去殖民化”；“将科学作为职业的基本基础并进行跨系统知识整合”；以及“为灵活的营养劳动力创造机会”。
保障营养职业的未来发展取决于调动当前优势并接受成长与变革。该职业的成员以及整个职业都将面临严峻挑战。个体专业人员、专业协会、教育工作者和教育机构需要共同努力，推动变革，迈向更公平的未来，以支持个人、社区和人群的最佳健康与福祉。
