The BDA is the professional association and trade union for dietitians

10 and 11th June 2013
BDA Vision is designed for dietitians in a leadership and/or managerial role, and will focus on how dietitians can influence and shape their working environment. This event includes the BDA Annual General Meeting and Awards Ceremony.

Find out more about the BDA Vision and register today - www.bdaevents.org.uk.

11th and 12th October 2013
BDA Live...where science and nutrition meet

The BDA is delighted to announce the creation of an exciting new event to match three simple yet significant aims: ‘create, excite, innovate.’

BDA Live promises to be a dynamic, unique and inspirational event for BDA members. Find out more about the BDA’s new flagship event and register today - www.bdalive.org.uk.

The Role of Dietitians

Registered Dietitians (RDs) 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.

Dietitians 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. Dietitians work in the NHS, private practice, industry, education, research, sport, media, public relations, publishing, NGOs and government. Their advice influences food and health policy across the spectrum from government, local communities and individuals.

The title dietitian can only be used by those appropriately trained professionals who have registered with the Health Care Professions Council and whose details are on the HCPC web site. We have a leaflet that explains the roles of nutrition professionals further.

BDA Media Coverage

The BDA Press Office Media Hotline has now changed to 0800 048 1714.

Finding a Dietitian

The title dietitian can only be used by those appropriately trained professionals who have registered with the Health and Care Professions Council and whose details are on the HCPC web site. We have a leaflet that explains the roles of nutrition professionals further.

Most people will be able to see a Registered Dietitian within the NHS after being referred by an NHS GP, doctor, health visitor or other medical staff. Contact the Dietetic Department at your local hospital to enquire whether they operate a ‘self-referral’ system. Consultations with dietitians within the NHS are free.

Alternatively if you wish to see a Registered Dietitian who practises privately, you can search on-line for a dietitian near you at the Freelance Dietitians web site, which is run by the BDA's Freelance Dietitian Group.

New Iodine Food Fact Sheet and New Research Around Iodine During Pregnancy in The Lancet

BDA member Dr Sarah Bath has been involved in a study of around 1000 UK mothers and their children, published in The Lancet. The study has revealed that iodine deficiency in pregnancy has an adverse effect on children’s mental development. The research raises concerns that the iodine status of pregnant women is a public-health issue that needs to be addressed.

The BDA has also published a new Iodine food fact sheet writen by Dr Bath.

BDA works with Channel 4 on a unique experiment

BDA spokesperson, Sian Porter, takes part in a unique experiment on Channel 4.

Working alongside Embarrassing Bodies presenter Dr Dawn Harper in a television first, Fat Family Tree sets out to discover if unlocking the secrets of a family’s genes can help provide the answer to their lifelong weight problems. The programme uses cutting edge genetics to decode the genes of an overweight family for whom all other attempts to shed the pounds have not worked.

Discovering how the family’s genes have put them at risk of excessive weight gain is the first step to devising a diet to help them beat their genes.  Based on the latest science, the programme’s “gene-busting” diet also promises fail safe diet tips that could help all of us lose weight.

New Malnutrition Guide for UK will Save Lives and Tens of Millions of Pounds Each Year

A brand new guide was launched on 9th May 2013 called Preventing and Early Intervention of Malnutrition in Later Life (best practice principles and implementation guide).

The guide, jointly produced by the British Dietetic Association and the Malnutrition Task Force, sets out and defines the principles of best practice, the moral, legal, quality and financial case for changes in tackling malnutrition in people in later life in the UK. Read more about the malnutrition guide.

Healthy Start vitamins can no longer be sold by NHS organisations
(from April 2013 - England only)

The regulations which cover the sale of Healthy Start vitamins – ‘Sale of Goods for Mothers and Children (Designation and Charging) Regulations 1976’ do not support organisations within the Health and Social Care system.

This means that NHS organisations (including Children’s Centres) that had previously sold Healthy Start Vitamins can no longer do so, and if vitamins are provided to those outside the scheme, they should be free of charge.

Changing legislation will take time.  In the short term dietitians should be making the case to their commissioners for funding to cover the cost of supplying these vitamins for free until the situation is resolved. Read more about Healthy Start vitamins.

Practice-based Evidence in Nutrition: on-line

Practice-based Evidence in Nutrition is a unique and dynamic resource developed by dietitians for dietitians in order to deliver evidence-based guidance to nutrition practice questions. The British Dietetic Association (BDA) is a collaborative member of the Practice-based Evidence in Nutrition (PEN) alongside Dietitians of Canada and Dietitians of Australia and New Zealand.

The unique PEN resource, usually costing £300, is available to BDA members of as part of their annual subscription, and the BDA is working closely with the PEN Team to build and develop the UK content. PEN subscriptions are available for purchase by non-members.

Developed by Dietitians of Canada with input from thought leaders in nutrition and dietetic practice, knowledge translation and technology, its powerful search tools and 'Knowledge Pathway' format are designed to deliver evidence-based guidance to nutrition practice questions as well as providing easy links to nutritional tools and resources for clients and professionals.

Read more about PEN ...