Exploring the importance of ‘sustainability principles’ for dietetic practice and how to streamline these into the dietetic curriculum- a scoping review of the possibilities
This small-scale scoping project aimed to explore how ‘sustainability’ is
understood within the dietetic profession and curriculum, and how ‘sustainability principles’ can
be better embedded.
Background/context to project: Understanding the many complexities of the human, social and
ecological implications of climate change and their impact on the food system and food security is
a real challenge for the dietetic profession. The evidence base for this emerging area needs,
therefore, to be strengthened to ensure the profession is fully equipped with the competencies and
skills required to embrace these wider ecological issues. This small scale exploratory project
provides a starting point for developing more robust research into the future.
Methods used:
1. Scoping review (summer 2016) which included:
a. Straw poll of Dietitians in UK via LinkedIn
b. Literature review carried out by initially appointed RA
c. International Congress of Dietetics interactive workshop (which included a survey of
n=48 international dietitians on their views on sustainability) – this was a complementary
arm of funded study so will not be outlined here (but is included in draft publication)
2. A participatory student workshop with Level 6 dietetic students at Plymouth University was run in
October 2016 to ‘explore dietetic student views and ideas on the importance of sustainability
principles broadly and where they should fit within the curriculum’. This workshop consisted of four
complementary strands: (i) delivery of key learning materials; (ii) interactive survey; (iii) group work
activity; and (iv) plenary discussion. Analysis is ongoing and involves generation of basic categories
and themes