Civic Dietetics
Wednesday, July 28, 2010 
Two of the Cool Globes on display at Vancouver's Science World this past spring
Last month while doing a search on "environmental nutrition", I stumbled across the new-to-me concept of "civic dietetics":
Making food system issues integral to dietetic practice represents a transition for the professional, calling for new applications of skills and expertise. Drawing from the work of Thomas Lyson on civic agriculture, we propose civic dietetics to mean the application of dietetics to enhance public health by addressing food system structures, impacts, and policies and their relationship to food choices....
It can be argued that the economic, ecological, and social sustainability—the “triple bottom line”—of the food system, matters as much as the nutritional value of its products. Civic dietetics provides such a framework. [bolding added]
Source: Beyond Eating Right: The Emergence of Civic Dietetics to Foster Health and Sustainability Through Food System Change by JL Wilkins, J Lapp, A Tagtow & S Roberts in the Journal of Hunger & Environmental Nutrition, Volume 5, Issue 1, 2010.
Here are some other results from my recent Google search on "civic dietetics":
Civic dietetics: opportunities for integrating civic agriculture concepts into dietetic practice
Local and Healthy, 2 messages or 1?
Civic Dietetics, Community Gardening and Food Recovery
National Dietitian Day -- It's all about change!
Civic Markets and Alternative Agrofood Networks
This "cool globe", one of my favourites at the Science World display is called "cool careers". Made me think: perhaps "Civic Dietitian" is a new, evolving and essential role, if not career, for our times.
Reader Comments (6)
Hello, I'm just catching up with your wonderful posts. Thank you for giving a name to the kind of dietetics that seems to be so vital for us to start to develop.
Nutrition and ecological sustainability are already high on my radar but this is a good reminder to remember that considering the economics is a necessary addition.
Looking forward to getting on and doing some reading from all of these links.
Hello Sophie.
Thank you for visiting and reading. Yes, I know you have an environmental sensibility & I look to you for information and inspiration.
I've found the concept of "civic dietetics" to be helpful in bringing together all the separate elements of the complex food system & approaching dietetic practice more holistically.
I like the phrase econutrition too, but it doesn't really encompass the economics/social side as well as civic dietetics
Yes, I like the term, too. Eco could be short for "economics". And human ecosystems consist of societies. The more I think about "econutrition", the more I like it. "Civic" makes me think of politics.
I'm thinking an infographic might be helpful in depicting the connections among different disciplines (agriculture, dietetics, economics, sociology, environmental science).
Great post, Elaine!! Like you and the others who have made comments, I just love this article. I've read it many times and now include it on my resource list for dietetic students who work with me. In my view, Civic Dietetics is definitely about politics, too. I think it is critical that RDs (and all professionals within the nutrition community) understand that politics and policy are often (if not usually) at the heart of decisions about which crops are grown, how food is priced, and thus how accessible it is. Currently our (US) agricultural policies do not mesh with our nation's health goals. RDs need to have this information included in their formal training and indeed all citizens need to understand these disconnects and press for changes at the policy level in addition to "voting with one's fork". In addition, economics is really the first important benefit of developing local/regional food systems (and one that law makers can relate to and understand!), from which all other benefits will follow (environmental, social, public health, etc, etc). Read the articles by Mike Hamm, PhD (in nutritional sciences) also in the JHEN who understands that "local food means business". (I have a blog posting with this subject line at www.dianadyer.com). Also look at www.michiganfood.org to see a video of one of Mike Hamm's presentations and read our Michigan Good Food Charter, which has identified barriers to growing and providing healthy foods to all of Michigan's citizens with a framework to work on solutions. Again, great post, photos, and discussion! Even when I have no time to read blogs, I read yours. :-)
Hello, Diana. I've been away & without Internet for the past 36 hrs & it's a delight to return & read your thoughtful comment. Thank you for not only reading my blog but taking time to share your insights. I agree dietitians -- myself included -- need to become more politically savvy and active. Vancouver has a Food Policy Organization & I would like to become more involved in its activities.
Thanks for sharing the links to more information. I definitely will check them out. I love the idea of a Good Food Charter.