Equipping nutrition graduates for the complex realities of practice: Using practitioner perspectives and experiences to inform authentic sustainability curriculum

• Published in: Journal of human nutrition and dietetics 2023-08, Vol.36 (4), p.1406-1416
• Main Authors: Maher, Judith, Ashford, Theresa, Verdonck, Michèle, English, Elizabeth, Burkhart, Sarah
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Australia; Complexity; Context; Curricula; Curriculum; dietetic; Dietetics; Education; Food; Humans; Nutrition; Nutritional Status; Policy; Students; Sustainability; Sustainable practices
• ISSN: 0952-3871; 1365-277X
• DOI: 10.1111/jhn.13159

Background Nutrition professionals function at the nexus of food, nutrition status and the myriad of determinants influencing these. However, defining our role in food system transformation requires a multifaceted and deep understanding of sustainability in the context of nutrition and dietetics (N&D). Practitioner perspectives and experiences provide a rich source of practice wisdom that can inform authentic curriculum to equip students for the complex realities of practice; however, there is limited understanding of these in the Australian higher education setting. Methods Qualitative methodology using semistructured interviews with 10 Australian N&D professionals. Thematic analysis was used to understand how they perceive opportunities and barriers for integrating sustainability into practice. Results Practitioners' experience in sustainability practice varied. Themes were identified in two categories: opportunities and barriers. Themes that reflected future practice opportunities included “Preparing the workforce” (for academics and practitioners interfacing with students), “Practical individual level work” and “System level and policy interests”. Themes that were considered barriers to integrating sustainability in practice included “lack of contextual evidence” and “complexity and competing priorities”. Conclusions Our findings make a novel contribution to the current literature as we recognise practitioners as a source of experience anticipating where sustainability and nutrition practice intersect. Our work provides practice‐informed content and context that may assist educators to create authentic sustainability‐focused curriculum and assessment to replicate the complexity of practice. Key points Sustainability, living well on a finite planet, is complicated, multifaceted and an ethical endeavor intersecting with all forms of nutrition practice. Practising nutritional professionals can be a source of experience to provide practice‐informed content to assist educators in creating a sustainability‐focused curriculum.