Key trends affecting the dietetics profession and the American Dietetics Association

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            In an ever-changing landscape of technological, social and political environments the need for environmental scans is as important as ever. The purpose of an environmental scan is to identify emerging issues and trends so that attention can be strategically focused and future opportunities assessed. There are several factors that will have a significant impact on dietetics in the years to come.
One issue is a greater need and interest in diet and nutrition in the general public. This growing interest presents many new opportunities for dietitians. However, dietitians must strategically place themselves in order to take advantage of these new opportunities. This rise in interest in nutrition also presents new sources of competition in the form of web-based information and alternative medicine practitioners. Another factor impacting dietetics is the growing population. There is a rise in the cultural and ethnic diversity in the US which could possibly lead to an increase in underserved populations. Finally, the food system of the US is changing. The home is no longer the center of eating. The new understanding of diet’s role in chronic illness, and the concerns of the aging population are changing the role of diet in healthcare. This changing food culture highlights the need of the nutrition professional to be ever vigilant in promoting the importance of diet to legislators in an ever present battle for resources.  
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Jarratt, Jennifer; Mahaffie, John B. American Dietetic Association. Journal of the American Dietetic AssociationDescription: http://search.proquest.com/assets/r20161.9.0.325.841/core/spacer.gif102.12Description: http://search.proquest.com/assets/r20161.9.0.325.841/core/spacer.gif (Dec 2002): S1819-39.

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