The Middle East Dietetics Needs Assessment: Using Data to Drive Change in Policy, Systems and Environment for Impactful Dietetics Practice
 

Abstract

Creating needs assessment that is useful for policymakers on the practice of nutrition and dietetics in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is critical to ensuring that practice decisions are based on workforce and market needs and priorities. Limited understanding of the potential for nutrition and dietetics profession exists with inequitable offering of academic education, training, and support within and across countries in the region. Data on the number of degrees and training in nutrition are old – with some dating back to early 1990. Nutrition is not integrated in the medical curricula. Large variability exists in number of trained nutrition professionals per 100,000 populations with very few countries regularly monitoring the nutrition and dietetic workforce. No database is available to explain the status of nutrition and dietetic registration, regulation, and lifelong learning warranting the need to assess the regional situation, develop a database, and build the advocacy capacity of nutrition and dietetic professionals. The project aims to: 1) identify practice needs and priorities to develop database on status of nutrition and dietetic registration, regulation, and lifelong learning in 17 countries in MENA, 2) design engagement modalities for nutrition and dietetics professionals to advocate for advancing dietetics practice, and 3) address interlinkages between education, training, credentialing (regulation, registration, and legislation), recognition, and policy in support of advancing advocacy outcomes. The project administered semi-structured surveys targeting 34 professionals in 17 countries adapted from the European Federation of the Associations of Dietitians coupled with assessments of peer-reviewed and grey literature.
 

Funding Source

The project is funded by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Foundation through The Middle East Needs Assessment Policy Grant.