UKs Public Health Nutritionists - Essay Example

UK’s Public Health Nutritionists: Exploring the Need for Professional Accreditation Introduction Nutrition plays a major role in determining better health conditions. Most researches revealed that healthier lifestyle, including appropriate and balanced diet, widely constitutes to prevention of most food-aggravated diseases. In a foreword by Prime Minister Gordon Brown, he stated that a transition had transpired in Britain’s food culture in the last decades—as result of increased awareness on food provisions and its policies (Cabinet Office, 2008). Such transformation produced positive outcomes, such as veering on quality yet safe food choices and better attitude towards healthier diet. On the other hand, a growing number of information is now accessible through internet and various media types. There is then a conflict on who to believe when it comes to nutrition. In this case, although voluntary registration appropriately assesses capabilities of public health nutritionists, there is still a need for mandatory regulation and accreditation as a professional body in United Kingdom that will address the complex nutritional demands of its citizens. Voluntary Registration versus Mandatory Accreditation for PHN British culture in relation to food made some gradual alterations. As surmised by Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (2008), “there is a healthier pattern of intake… but there is still need for immediate actions to ensure further improvements in patterns of food consumption and intake of several nutrients.” In this area, although progress has taken place, guidance to guarantee its continued rise is still required. The role of organizations is to keep up with the current trend. Presently, the Nutrition Society is the leading organization in the “advancement of scientific study of nutrition and its application to the maintenance of human and animal health” (Buttriss & Daniels, 2003). This ensures proper screening of individuals and legal organizations in nutrition and related fields. The said organization offers a voluntary approach in registration processes, wherein “assessment mechanisms focuses on attainment of minimum standard of competency in knowledge, skills, and attitudes on the required tasks” (Davies, Margetts & Hughes, n.d.). The minimal techniques employed seemed to contradict the graveness of the situation involving the present overall nutritional status of British people. Specifically, Nutrition Society initially was in charge during the creation of voluntary registration for public health nutrition (PHN). In an article entitled Overview of the Public Health Nutrition Landscape (Anon., n.d.), it defined public health nutrition as “the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life, promoting health and efficiency through organized community efforts.” The public health nutritionists, as the authority in this field, initiate the performance of several programs which will focus on the aims expressed in the definition of the profession. Hence, a more valid regulatory process is required to address the changing nutritional priorities in United Kingdom. Role of Various Media in UK’s Nutritional Health The changing trends in food culture and its popularity warrant the necessity of a regulating legal body. Furthermore, advancements in technology made it possible for many to access extensive and detailed nutritional information that is most of the time inaccurate. Butriss (2003) explained that “the public is inundated daily with information about diet and health, which is often conflicting and frequently not based on good evidence.” The availability of health information may confuse the people, and instead of partaking on details that were supposedly beneficial to health, such contradictions and inaccuracy may lead to deleterious outcomes. Furthermore, the widespread influence of mass media, including television broadcastings, news article, and magazine printouts, may impact the information surge on health and nutrition. The media, as further expounded by Buttriss (2003), “is selective in the type of information reports and emphasis given, and newspapers have been criticized about their reporting of health-related issues…for premature representation of findings as breakthroughs and as alarmist.” Whereby prior practice necessitates prolonged scientific studies and refinement in results before collected data is published or distributed through health authorities, present media no longer apply such accurate but delayed information dissemination. The assurance, then, that the public is getting safe and secured health information is diminished. All of these situations are valid evidences which plausibly prove that minimal screening approach of voluntary registration is no longer enough. Intersecting Functions of Dietitians and PHNs An issue had risen regarding the overlapping roles of public health nutritionists and registered dietitians. The main responsibility of public health nutritionists, as mentioned in an article on Public Health Nutrition in Ireland (Anon., n.d.), is the “maintenance of wellness in the population…with driving series in national dietary surveys,” which is similar to some obligations of dietitians—but delivers more therapeutic interventions at group and individual clients. In this case, dietitians possess an advantage in the sense that they are “the only qualified health professionals that assess, diagnose and treat diet and nutrition problems at an individual and wider public health level” (British Dietetic Association, n.d.). The dietitians have their own professional regulatory body, while public health nurses of the same field of expertise do not have one. Even most dietitians recognized the need for “more expertise in research and evaluation and postgraduate courses in nutrition within public health as few applies epidemiology and statistics at population levels … for national goals of nutrition” (Landman, Buttriss & Margetts, 1997). The significant role of public health nutritionists in the regional and national level demands for them to have a statutory body of their own. In an article by Landman and Wootton (2007), there exists the intent by the Nutrition Society on creating a professional body, “an Association for Nutritionists…which will further a goal to attain statutory regulation for the profession of nutritionists for the purpose of keeping up with most established profession in the UK.” This then confirms that public health nutritionists have notched another level, and a minimal process offered by the voluntary registration is no longer applicable. Conclusion The development of public health nutrition in United Kingdom assures that there is no other way but up the ladder. Its growing demand made aware the fact that the skills and knowledge imparted in society have been relevant and effective in its aims—health promotion in all aspects in the local and national level. The focus has shifted from occupational development to a consumer-based career. In a way, British citizens have enforced public health nutrition to upgrade its educational standards and skills background in order to deliver services that are apt for their clients. Indeed, the only way for these nutritionists to be well represented as professionals and be protected by law is for them to possess a regulatory and statutory legal body in society—the “would be” Society of Nutrition. Reference List British Dietetic Association. (n.d.). The role of dietitians and how to find one. [online] Available from: http://www.bda.uk.com/ [Accessed 18 February 2010]. Butriss, J. (2003). Scene setting: Who is the voice of nutrition in Britain? Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 62, 573-575. Butriss, J. & Daniels, L. (2003). Nutrition qualification and career paths. [online] Available from: http://www.food.gov.uk/multimedia/pdfs/nf0527.pdf [Accessed 18 February 2010]. Cabinet Office. (2008). Food matters: Towards a strategy for the 21st century. [Online] Available from: http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/media/cabinetoffice/ strategy/assets/food/food_matters_es.pdf [Accessed 17 February 2010]. Davies, J., Margetts, B. & Hughes, R. (n.d.). Towards a pan-European certification system for the public health nutrition workforce. [Software]. University of Southampton. Jones and Barlett Publishers. (n.d.). Overview of the public health nutrition landscape. [Online] Available from: http://www.jbpub.com/samples/0763747602/ 47602_CH01_5165.pdf [Accessed 17 February 2010]. Landman, J., Buttriss, J. & Margetts, B. (1997). Curriculum design for professional development in public health nutrition in Britain. Public Health Nutrition, [Online] 1 (1), pp. 69-74. Available from: http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayFulltext?type=1&fid=550968&jid=PHN &volumeId=1&issueId=01&aid=550960 [Accessed 18 February 2010]. Landman, J. & Wootton, S. (2007). Professional regulation of nutritionists: Where are we now? Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, [Online] 66, pp. 269-276. Available from: http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayFulltext?type=1&fid=1002124&jid=PN S&volumeId=66&issueId=02&aid=1002116 [Accessed 18 February 2010]. Public Health Nutrition in Ireland. (n.d.). [Online] Available from: http://www.indi.ie/docs/251_Public_Health_Nutrition_Discussion_Paper.pdf [Accessed 18 February 2010]. Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition. (2008). Nutritional well-being of the British Population. [Online] Available from: http://www.sacn.gov.uk/pdfs/nutritional_health_of_the_population_final_oct_08.p df [Accessed 18 February 2010]. Read More