Dietetics students' opinion on food and their future profession

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DOI:

https://doi.org/10.12957/demetra.2024.73079

Abstract

Introduction: Although it is believed that dietitians will use their opinions about food in their professional practice, few studies evaluated conceptions about food and health among dietitians, and this evaluation could be useful for understanding university education and thinking about possible professional implications. Methods: The study aimed to understand the role of food and what it means to be a dietitian from the perspective of Brazilian dietetics students (495 from 34 institutions in the state of São Paulo) through the questions, "What do you consider the main role of food?" and "For me, being a dietitian means...” The responses were analyzed with the support of AtlasTi software and codified into analytical categories based on content analysis.  Results: Of the total, 93% were female and 20% were enrolled in public institutions. Two main categories were defined for food: biological and psycho-sociocultural aspects, and two for nutritionists: health promoter and integral health promoter; 69% indicated the function of food as only biological and 61,3% see the dietitian to be only a health promoter, considering only physiological aspects. Students from public institutions responded more for psycho-sociocultural aspects and integral health promotion (p<0.0001). Conclusion: Most participants present opinions about food in their professional practice focusing mainly on biological and physical health aspects. The possible impact of these opinions on professional practice should be discussed and addressed so that undergraduation can expand critical training and better professional practice.

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Author Biographies

Priscila Koritar, Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Saúde Pública, Curso de Pós-Graduação em Nutrição. São Paulo, SP, Brasil.

Graduação em Nutrição pela Faculdade de Saúde Pública-Universidade de São Paulo (2010), mestrado em Nutrição em Saúde Pública pela Faculdade de Saúde Pública - Universidade de São Paulo (2013) e doutorado em Nutrição em Saúde Pública pela Faculdade de Saúde Pública - Universidade de São Paulo (2018). 

Maria Clara de Moraes Prata Gaspar, Universitat de Barcelona, Departamento de Antropologia Social. Barcelona, Spain.

Pós-graduada em Ciências Sociais Aplicadas à Alimentação, pela Université de Toulouse e doutora em Sociologia pela Université de Toulouse e em Alimentação e Nutrição pela Universitat de Barcelona. Membro do grupo de pesquisa Observatorio de la Alimentación e do Institut de Recerca en Nutrició i Seguretat Alimentària, ambos da Universitat de Barcelona. Possui experiência em socioantropologia da alimentação e em estudos qualitativos sobre normas, representações e comportamentos alimentares e corporais. 

Cristina Larrea-Killinger, Universitat de Barcelona, Facultad de Geografia e Historia, Antropología Social. Barcelona, Spain.

Graduada em Geografia e História, especialidade de Antropología Cultural, e doutorada pelo Programa de Ciências Sociais e Saúde pela Universitat de Barcelona, trabalha como Professora Adjunta desde o ano 2001 no Departamento de Antropologia Social, História de América e África da mesma Universidade. Tem experiência na área de Antropologia da Saúde, com ênfase em Antropologia Urbana, atuando principalmente nos seguintes temas: saúde ambiental, doenças infecciosas, saneamento e pluralismo médico. 

Marle dos Santos Alvarenga, Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Saúde Pública, Curso de Pós-Graduação em Nutrição Humana Aplicada. São Paulo, SP, Brasil.

Possui graduação em Nutrição pela Universidade de São Paulo (1993), mestrado em Nutrição Humana Aplicada pela Universidade de São Paulo (1997) e doutorado em Nutrição Humana Aplicada pela Universidade de São Paulo (2001). Concluiu seu pós doutorado no Departamento de Nutrição da Faculdade de Saúde Pública da USP, com bolsa FAPESP - e short term scholar na Pennsylvania University (2010). Tem formação em Intuitive Eating pelo INTUITIVE EATING PRO Skills Training Teleseminar e Mindfulness Based Eating Training - MBEAT.  É professor do Mestrado Profissional do Centro Universitário São Camilo. Sua área de pesquisa inclui o comportamento alimentar, os determinantes de consumo e as atitudes alimentares de diferentes populações clínicas e não clínicas, os transtornos alimentares, a insatisfação corporal, a influência da mídia. Envolve também a adaptação transcultural de instrumentos de pesquisa e a avaliação do estigma com relação à obesidade.

 

Identificação

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Published

2024-09-02

How to Cite

1.
Koritar P, Gaspar MC de MP, Larrea-Killinger C, Alvarenga M dos S. Dietetics students’ opinion on food and their future profession. DEMETRA [Internet]. 2024 Sep. 2 [cited 2025 Oct. 4];19:e73079. Available from: https://www.e-publicacoes.uerj.br/demetra/article/view/73079

Issue

Vol. 19 (2024)

Section

Human and Social Sciences in Food

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Copyright (c) 2024 Priscila Koritar, Maria Clara de Moraes Prata Gaspar, Cristina Larrea-Killinger, Marle dos Santos Alvarenga

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

 

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