UK to hold world\'s first Dietitians Week

The world’s first Dietitians Week has been launched by the British Dietetic Association (BDA) and runs over the week of 9-13 June 2014.

In addition to events being organised by the BDA, the Association's members are running well in excess of 100 individual events around the UK from the county of Devon to the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides – in addition to events happening around the globe. A full list of Dietitians Week events can be found at www.DietitiansWeek.com/Events.

Dietitians Week is the world’s first awareness week that profiles to work and value of dietitians. Dietitians 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. They 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.

The BDA, founded in 1936, is the professional association for registered dietitians in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It is the nation’s largest organisation of food and nutrition professionals with more than 7,000 members. Speaking about the world’s first Dietitians Week, the Chairman of the BDA, Siân O’Shea, commented: “The BDA is proud to be launching the world’s first awareness week to celebrate the excellent work of dietitians and their teams in the UK. Dietitians Week is a unique platform to highlight the value and worth of dietitians and the impact we have on the lives of millions of people each and every day.”

Chief Executive of the BDA, Andy Burman added: “The response we have had in the run up to Dietitians Week has blown us all away. We produced campaign packs for dietitians to hold events at a local level and, to date, more than 100 local events are taking place to promote Dietitians Week.

“Dietitians Week has been an ambitious project for the BDA and we look forward to this amazing awareness week with great anticipation.”