A community dietician is an individual who assists people regarding health, nutrition, and overall quality of life in their community. These dieticians help the citizens with healthy foods which should be consumed and avoid fast food that deteriorates their health. To become a community dietician, you need to have a bachelor’s degree in dietetics or a related field. It is basically divided into 5 main responsibilities and they are: –
- Healthy eating habits
- Developing educational material
- Evaluating restaurants
- Creating menus
- Conducting research
The main job of a community dietician is to teach people about healthy eating habits. There are many ways to increase awareness about the importance of a healthy diet. A dietician may conduct public seminars, and visit schools or nursing homes. He may cover topics like eating healthy food, avoiding processed foods, and including exercises to remain fit. At times, he may meet a local physician to understand the community’s health issues.
Importance of dieticians in the community
1. Promote a balanced diet in the community–
For living a healthy lifestyle, there is a need to consume a balanced diet. A community dietician is not teaching one person to achieve a balanced diet approach but a whole community. If one community is aware of the balanced diet that includes consuming green vegetables, fruits, milk, and dry fruits according to the guidelines laid by a dietician then the other community will also get encouraged to do the same. People are aware of the term “balanced diet” but how to implement it, how much quantity one should consume, what age bracket people should consume, and how much? These are the questions that stop people from adopting the healthy lifestyle approach. So, community dieticians address the entire community and not just a single person.
2. Educate parents to give a balanced diet to children
Children are the future of the nation. There are still many children around the globe who are deprived of even basic nutrition and as a result, they suffer from weakness, stunting, and wasting. Children of even the rich class people also suffer from this problem because of the lack of education about the proper diet. If your children are healthy, they will achieve their respective goals easily. So, in this case, it is crucial to aware parents of the role of a balanced diet for the growth of their children.
3. Research new options for food
Exploring other options for food is a great way to include it in your daily routine. You may get bored of consuming all fruits and vegetables directly. You may have it in other forms as well. For e.g., you may have a banana shake and add dry fruits to it instead of eating a banana directly, making juice from oranges, making egg rolls, etc. Keep researching until you find something interesting and cook it to have an enjoyable taste. Apart from it, keep drinking 8-10 glasses of water to keep yourself hydrated. Water helps to excrete impurities from your body and consequently, you will be away from diseases.
4. Assist Restaurants in making healthy food menus
The majority of restaurants serve unhealthy foods that weaken the immune system. Lots of paneer from unhealthy milk, used oil to make food items, used plates, contaminated water, bees consuming food items, etc. They all contribute to degrading our overall health. It has become a serious issue and there is a need to raise awareness regarding it. What a community dietician can do to make a change is to assist restaurants in making healthy food menus. Even if it is fast food, a dietician will suggest they add such ingredients that favor health. He/she makes a team of dieticians and allocates them to different restaurants to serve their client’s healthy ingredients.
5. Inspection of sanitation at restaurants
Eating in an unhealthy, filthy, and polluted environment will attract hazardous diseases. Restaurants are hubs for food items where lakhs of people visit and try different cuisines. But while eating, they may not realize the filthiness of food. And they keep on consuming unhealthy food without realizing the crores of germs in it. Apart from it, there is no cleanliness in the bathroom, washbasins, tables, and chairs, and no usage of gloves and head cover while cooking food. So, all these problems need to be taken into account. A community dietician will ensure that these restaurants remain hygienic and clean to maintain the health of their clients.
6. Encourage People to Cook Healthy Food at Home and avoid packed foods
The food which you eat at home is the best option among all for a healthy lifestyle. You buy ingredients from the market, wash them, cook and consume them. In this process, you are certain that there are no germs because you have cooked yourself after a thorough cleaning. Include veggies, fruits, and vegetables, try to avoid flour-made items as it doesn’t get digested easily, and subsequently, you will feel heavy. It is advisable not to use processed or packed food items as they are filled with harmful metals like mercury, chlorine, etc. that will weaken your immune system and be indigestible for a long period of time.
Our body works like a machine. When does a machine work properly? It works properly only when you keep it fueled to carry the other functions in the same way, our body needs to consume a healthy diet or a balanced diet to keep ourselves fit. If this body keeps on eating unhealthy, aerated drinks and processed foods, it will start inviting harmful diseases. If it continues for years, it will become a herculean task to get rid of diseases and get back to the previous shape. Then, you consume so many medicines and life becomes quite dull. In this fast-moving world, eating healthy should become part and parcel of our lives. Do exercise, eat healthily, and spread awareness about a balanced diet to make your environment positive and healthful.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the role of a community dietician is a vital one. They help educate individuals and communities on the importance of healthy eating habits. They can provide valuable support and advice for individuals, as well as for communities, by conducting public seminars, visiting schools and nursing homes and providing information on healthy eating. By educating people on the importance of a healthy diet, dieticians can help to ensure better overall health and wellbeing.
