Why the practice of dietetics MUST be political. A thread...

As RDs, there's a lot we disagree on, but we all entered the field because we believe food can be a powerful tool for promoting health. And all of us, regardless of practice philosophy, understand that in order to engage with nutrition, one must have access to adequate food.

And not just any food, but a variety of pleasurable, culturally-appropriate, nutritious food that one has the time and skills to be able to prepare. I *think* we all agree on this point. Sadly, we live in a world where access to this is a privilege enjoyed by fewer than you think

There are so many reasons one might not have access to food that are DIRECTLY caused by policies enacted over centuries. For example, food deserts shaped by redlining, the discriminatory practice of denying loans in certain communities due to the racial characteristics of it.

This made opening businesses and restaurants in mostly Black neighborhoods incredibly difficult, and the effects are still felt today, because it's still happening, and because we haven't enacted adequate legislation to repair the effects.

There's also the fact that there are MILLIONS of people who work full time a a job that doesn't pay a living wage. These are people who are facing food insecurity, or have to work multiple jobs, leaving them with little to no time for food preparation or grocery shopping.

Our government gives massive tax breaks to corporations that don't pay their employees enough to live on (while their CEOs become multi-billionaires) creating an entire class of people who NEED government support to live. How does that make fiscal (or moral) sense?

There's also access to healthcare. Despite what the Whole Foods CEO says, we know that food can only do so much. Nutrition is part of health, not all of it. Healthcare should be a right, not a privilege, and I honestly don't know how to explain that to anyone who feels different

If you are a RD, you must care about these things. And while we might disagree on policy details, to be effective in our jobs, we have to support policies that empower workers, repair the effects of systemic racism, and increase access to healthcare.

Also, if you're an RD who doesn't know much about politics, that's OK! I was once there. You don't have to talk about what you don't yet know. There's space for learning, but there's no excuse for choosing not to learn. DM me, and I am happy to share resources!