Nutrition Position Papers

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics develops position and/or practice papers to help convey a message of reliable nutrition information for RDs and other readers. The papers allow viewers to understand the Academy’s stance on certain topics. The difference between a practice and a position paper is very simple. A practice paper includes information about a topic that is new and may not have concrete evidence yet. A position paper includes the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics viewpoint on a specific nutrition topic. (Position and Practice Paper FAQs) Both practice and position papers can be a reliable source for RDs and others to read.

There are many sources of nutrition information in this day and age. However, RDs are not the

This paper explained different tools that can be utilized to reach a more balanced diet like MyPlate’s SuperTracker or the DASH diet. This position paper also discussed Healthy People 2020 and how it helped determine that a new nutrition fact label would be useful because many people look at it! It also explained Dietary Reference Intakes and how they change depending on the current health concerns. This paper also reviewed the different systems that indicate healthy food choices for consumers like health claims, Overall Nutrient Quality Index, and the front of package rating system. However, the front of package rating system is still an idea and has not yet begun. Nonetheless, these systems are great tools that RDs can teach clients to use! This paper also talked about the importance of behavior focused nutrition education. As well as, rather than focusing on foods that are “good” or “bad” but to simply focus on what foods to eat. The nutrition education approach should also be individualized and can provide the client with the specific skills and tools they need to reach a more balanced diet. The importance of physical activity and energy intake when it comes to weight control was another topic in this paper. Different influences like time and convenience and environmental factors

Both articles touched on the presence of the media and how it impacts nutrition misinformation. The articles both taught me ways in the future to help limit the amount of nutrition misinformation in the media. It also taught me different ways to help clients achieve a balanced diet. The articles went hand in hand on tips to find and communicate accurate nutrition information and then they went a step further to give examples of accurate nutrition information and how it can be used everyday as a RD. This position paper also went more in depth on changing eating behaviors to achieve a more well-rounded diet. It talked about a behavior focused and individualized approach and the importance of it. I realized that there is a lot more that I have to learn and that I want to learn about. I am very intrigued by the media and I would like to learn more ways that RDs can get involved, or maybe more ways that I can get involved now as a student. I would also like to continue to learn about nutrition education and counselling and the specific techniques and skills needed to actually change eating behaviors. It is so different to read about it then it is to think about actually putting what you learn to practice, but I am so excited to do it in the