The Role of Dietitians and
How to Find One
Registered Dietitians (RDs) are the only qualified health professionals that assess, diagnose and treat diet and nutrition problems at an individual and wider public health level. Uniquely, dietitians use the most up to date public health and scientific research on food, health and disease, which they translate into practical guidance to enable people to make appropriate lifestyle and food choices.
Dietitians are the only nutrition professionals to be statutorily regulated, and governed by an ethical code, to ensure that they always work to the highest standard. Dietitians work in the NHS, private practice, industry, education, research, sport, media, public relations, publishing, NGOs and government. Their advice influences food and health policy across the spectrum from government, local communities and individuals.
The title dietitian can only be used by those appropriately trained professionals who have registered with the Health Professions Council and whose details are on the HPC web site.
Finding a Dietitian
Most people will be able to see a Registered Dietitian within the NHS after being referred by an NHS GP, doctor, health visitor or other medical staff. You can also self-refer. Consultations with dietitians within the NHS are free.
Alternatively if you wish to see a Registered Dietitian who practises privately, you can search on-line for a dietitian near you at Dietitians Unlimited, which is run by the BDA's Freelance Dietitian Group.
The Information Standard
The BDA is proud to announce that it has now been successfully certified as holder of The Information Standard.
The Information Standard is a Department of Health certification scheme for health and social care information. Successful organisations can use the quality mark on materials to confirm that the information is from a reliable source.
About 50,000 organisations produce health and/or social care information for the public in England and this varies greatly in terms of quality and as a result people can feel overwhelmed by volume of information and unsure what to trust. The Information Standard has been introduced to fulfil this need for a quality 'filter.' It offers a recognisable symbol of quality and reassurance.
The BDA produce a wide range of information to inform the public about nutritional issues. These include Group and Branch documents, food fact sheets, and other BDA produced leaflets and documents.
The BDA has become a founder member and now a certified holder of the Information Standard. We realise the importance of evidence-based information and the Information Standard is an ideal kite mark for us to demonstrate the high and accurate standards by which BDA public information is produced.
Dietitians’ top tips to help keep flu at bay
Good nutrition is always important, but when a new health risk appears we often ask ourselves ‘what can I eat to help keep me healthy?’ The answer, according to the BDA is not new but worth reminding everyone of!
Read more...
 Change4Life campaign
We’ve signed up: have you?
Read more about the Change 4 Life initiative, and the range of BDA resources that can help if you are taking part in the campaign.
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Olympic dietitian made OBE
Sports dietitian Wendy Martinson has been made an OBE in the Queen’s New Year Honours.
 Wendy, who is chair of the BDA’s sports specialist group, Sports Dietitians UK, was cited for services to sports and to nutrition.
Wendy said: "I received the letter in November saying that my name had been put forward and asking if I was happy to be nominated – of course, I said yes!" Read more...
Beat the bulge this year
FSA Saturated Fat Campaign
 The British Dietetic Association (BDA) welcomes phase 2 of the Food Standards Agency saturated fat campaign launched today, Monday 18th January 2010, and calls on the public to seek out local activities run by dietitians across the country offering practical and simple steps to reduce the amount of saturated fat in their diets and get the balance right.
Phase 2 of the campaign, consists of press, poster and radio advertisements, centring on positive simple tips to help people cut down on their saturated fat intake. It will feature a new print advertisement that will encourage people to think about switching to 1% fat milk - and these posters will be prominent outside supermarkets.
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Thinking New Year New You?
Well don’t think diet - diets don’t work: especially the many weird and wonderful fad diets that stage a comeback appearance every January.
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Diet Facts and Fiction
Sometimes a novel approach to weight loss can be fun and motivating but if it is ineffective in helping you shed the pounds and keeping them off then, it’s a missed opportunity.
So how can you tell the dieting fact from the fiction?
Read the BDA’s top tips to help you to spot a weight loss con!
Dietitians give help rather than hype to those with Food Allergy
 When it comes to food allergies and intolerance, the advice available to the public ranges from the dependable to the downright dangerous. Recognising the need to ensure that the public receive consistent and reliable advice, the British Dietetic Association has collaborated with the Food Standards Agency and five other allergy and nutrition organisations on an advice leaflet for people who have been newly diagnosed with a food allergy.
The leaflet, Buying food when you have a food allergy or intolerance, guides people with a food allergy or intolerance, including coeliac disease, through the steps to remember when buying food and when eating out.
Read more...
Beat the winter blues with winter greens
With the leaves blowing off the trees and the temperatures dropping, you might feel tempted to hide under layers of clothes and eat away those winter blues; but by taking the lead from hibernating animals you could stave off the hunger pangs during the dark nights.
 Take some tips from nature and fill up the store cupboard which will save time and help protect your health, as well as aiding you to rustle up some simple hearty treats that are delicious, nutritious and on the table quickly. Importantly it’ll also save money and avoid the temptation of ordering those high calorie, fat-laden takeaways too often. Read more..
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The BDA is the professional association for dietitians
