Dietetics
The World Health Organization (WHO) has adopted a global strategy on nutrition, physical activity, and health. Member states of the organization are obligated to promote healthy eating habits, help choose food products that provide the necessary nutrients, and maintain the recommended nutrient balance in daily food intake to reduce the incidence of chronic non-communicable diseases and the risk factors that trigger them. Proper nutrition ensures that the body is supplied with essential nutrients, supports normal growth and development, strengthens the body’s defense function against cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and obesity. The European Charter on Counteracting Obesity notes that overweight and obesity are among the most serious health problems in the WHO European Region and are reaching epidemic levels. The consumption of high-energy foods and drinks, changes in dietary habits, and lifestyle contribute to this phenomenon. Even genetic predisposition, present in a certain part of the population, would not lead to epidemics without changes in these social factors. Overweight, obesity, and related diseases are no longer just a sign of affluent societies. With the development of globalisation, transitional countries have also been affected. More than half of adults in many European countries are overweight, and a quarter are already obese. According to actual nutrition studies of Lithuanian residents conducted by the Republican Nutrition Center (since April 1, 2010, the Center for Health Education and Disease Prevention) in 1997, 2002, and 2007, the nutrition of Lithuanian residents is not healthy. It has been found that a small portion of people choose food for health improvement (disease prevention) purposes (18.9% in 2007, 8.1% in 1997). Additionally, Lithuanian residents do not consume fresh vegetables and fruits, as well as grain products, frequently enough. The diet of Lithuanian residents shows an excess of fats (calories from fat make up 43.2% of daily caloric intake) and a lack of carbohydrates (calories from carbohydrates make up only 41.1% of daily caloric intake); they receive less fiber than recommended and too much cholesterol and sodium. These trends, as well as excessive consumption of meat and meat products, have persisted over the past decade.
Dietetics – a branch of medicine that deals with rational nutrition, studying the body’s nutritional needs, energy requirements, and methods of adjusting them with special diets to treat specific diseases.
Dietetics – knowledge about diet and its impact on overall health.
Dietitian – a medical doctor who has obtained professional qualifications as a dietitian in accordance with legal provisions and who provides dietetic services based on that qualification and established competence.
Dietitian – a healthcare professional with qualifications as a dietitian who is responsible, based on that qualification and established competence, for the patient’s nutritional care and the prevention of diseases related to nutrition.
Dietetic Service – a system of healthcare professionals, including medical dietitians and dietitians, ensuring: proper nutrition (consultation, dietary treatment, diet adjustment and adaptation, monitoring of nutrition, and maintenance of nutrition in an appropriate regimen); meeting the nutritional needs of individuals; proper nutritional care; safe and quality nutrition support.
Dietary treatment – treatment with specially selected diets.
Diet – a specific regimen for healthy or sick individuals, a special type of diet and diet composition. A diet can be determined, prescribed, and followed: modification – modification of the basic diet of healthy individuals into a therapeutic diet based on the pathophysiological changes in the patient’s body in the case of a specific disease or health problem; adaptation – adapting the diet according to the individual’s nutritional and energy needs and dietary habits by selecting favorite food products, their preparation method, consistency, portion sizes, and eating regimen.
Lithuanian Dietitians Association. Address: Santariškių g. 2, LT-08406 Vilnius
Source | Dietary Treatment in General Practice | Dietitian Doctor Jūratė Dobrovolskienė