12 Nutrition/Dietetic Associations (NDAs) were awarded Sustainable Food Systems (SFS) Toolkit grants from 2022-24. See below for their progress/results.
Overall the grants aim to:
➛ Increase diversity of perspectives, languages, and cultures in the ICDA SFS Toolkit
➛ Spread sustainability (see SFS Learning Modules)
➛ Maximise participation and learning among your NDA members
➛ Produce new tools and/or learning from the ICDA SFS Toolkit
➛ Increase sharing of solutions and practical implementation for a wide variety of Dietitian-Nutritionists
The grants are now closed, but these are the criteria and application forms that were filled. They were also available in Korean and Spanish.
2024 March – 5 grants
🇦🇺 Dietitians Australia (DA)
DA developed information, education and communication materials for the Pathway to Planetary Health (link to article). The process was led by member Kristen MacKenzie-Shalders along with members of the Dietitians Australia Food and Environment Interest Group and others listed on the website.
They aim to empower D-Ns to undertake pro-environmental change in their personal and professional lives and foster positive behaviour change through evidence-based education, information, and communication strategies. The outputs include a user-friendly, professional PowerPoint slide deck and a 30-minute recorded webinar, with accompanying materials; a workshop; an online participatory webinar; and a case-study summary submitted to the Focus on Health Professional Education Journal.
There are 6️⃣ dimensions that form the positive change process. They all interact & people move within & between each. They are ALL important:
🦈 AGENCY – vision, self-belief, confidence, strength, and responsibility
🐢 ACTION – start, shift, translate, achieve, and commit
✨ ACENSION – build, overcome, manage, challenge, and progress
🐚 ALIGNMENT – leadership, transparency, diplomacy, values, and systems
💐 ALLIANCE & ALLYSHIP – support, collborate, represent, community, and citizenship
🐠 ADVOCACY & ACTIVISIM – disrupt, co-design, transform, empower, and urgency
Click through and look at the amazing artwork by artist Jessie Mordey of Zomered Style (which are much better than the emojis I found!). Jessie is a First Nations woman and likes to create traditional symbolic images that connect strongly with her Torres Strait Islander Heritage. These images represent identity, Torres Strait Heritage, connection to ancestors, cultural storyline, community, and connection to natural elements.
The symbolism for each dimension is her interpretation of the dimension. For example:
🦈 For ACTION the shark keeps moving forward and can adapt
🐢 The turtle in AGENCY includes stamina and survival with the sun for growth
✨ The stars in ASCENSION act as a compass to guide Islanders home
🐚 The clamshell for ALIGNMENT symbolises direction and connection to self
💐 For ALLIANCE & ALLYSHIP the flower and plant represent peace, trust, relationship, and communication
🐠 The woven fish is meaningful for strength in bonding and moving together (ADVOCACY & ACTIVISM)
➡️ Access the Paths to Planetary Health Toolkit on the Dietitian Australia’s website.
🇭🇺 Hungarian Dietetic Association
They are working on supporting Hungarian dietitians in using the ICDA-SFS Toolkit. This project will raise the awareness of the Hungarian dietitians towards including the aspect of sustainability in their practice, regardless of their working fields. The Hungarian Dietetic Association has 712 members but can potentially reach 2,100 colleagues with the newsletter, and there are 32,000 followers in their social media accounts. English is a serious barrier for more than two-thirds of the dietitians, therefore, they will translate and adapt tools. They will provide these tools and education opportunities to academic colleagues, as well as to those working in the clinical field, food service, or public health.
The outputs of the project for Hungarian dietitians are underway with the following already completed:
1) Printable Glossary adapted & translated
Also available on the HDA’s website.
2) Daily Dietary Cycle
This version is in English.
The Hungarian version is part of this HDA newsletter on Sustainablity.
🇮🇹 The Scientific Association for Food, Nutrition, and Dietetics (ASAND)
The Foodservice Study Group is conducting Technical Tests of Counseling in School Foodservice. The project aims to research and adopt sustainable policies in school canteens with a network of Italian municipalities. The program is progressing positively, with the confirmed participation of 11 municipalities in 3 Provinces.
There are three objectives in this project:
1 – Development of a climate-friendly menu based on the seasonality of food products, through the adoption of local recipes with lower carbon ingredients to reduce the overall carbon footprints.
2 – Nutritional counselling to spread knowledge of the importance of sustainable nutrition among users, parents, and teachers, increasing awareness of food sustainability and the skills necessary to make autonomous choices regarding environmentally friendly food (empowerment).
3 – Proposing a sustainable school food service model to ASAND members and other ICDA NDA members.
The work done so far mainly focuses on three key areas of the project:
1 – planning activities in co-design with users,
2 – implementing experimental initiatives, and
3 – interacting with the involved municipalities.
Following the initial meetings and online discussions, we have decided to organize and start the following “challenges”:
1 – Climate-Friendly Menus: research and introduction of local and sustainable recipes to be included in the school menu. The experimentation phase continues with the monitoring of student satisfaction and further evaluations.
2 – Educational Workshops: the activation of a nutritional education path through practical workshops on healthy eating. The content is tailored to the specific needs of each school, with active student involvement and consistent support from the school staff.
3 – Food Waste Recording System: implementation of a system to monitor meal consumption by creating a standardized model to reduce food waste in school canteen.
4 – Counselling Service: activation of a Dietitian’s Help Desk for parents, teachers, and all interested citizens. The response has been positive so far, with growing interest and an increase in requests for information.
🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago Association of Nutritionists and Dietitians (Facebook link)
They are developing an introduction to Sustainability for Nutrition Professionals to increase knowledge and awareness of sustainable food systems and sustainability in practice for nutritionists and dietitians in Trinidad and Tobago through workshops based on the Sustainability in Nutrition learning modules.
They will encourage networking and exchange of information with regional and international nutrition and dietetic practitioners in the area of sustainability by engaging three guest lecturers to present at workshops.
The outputs of the project will be a series of workshops (three workshops, one per module) that introduce the topic to local NDA members/external nutritionists and dietitians using the Learning Modules material from the ICDA Sustainability in Nutrition website along with a resource package of workshop materials
🇨🇭Schweizerischer Verband der Ernährungsberater/innen, ‘SVDE’
SVDE is co-creating a position paper “Sustainable food systems and the role of dieticians in Switzerland”. The position paper directs the professional development of Swiss dietitians in terms of sustainable diets from SFS. This requires an evidence- and value-based vision and concrete, action-based measures on three levels:
- positioning Dietitian’s existing professional skills in SFS; opening up new fields of activity and development opportunities for dietitians
- defining sustainable nutrition and nutritional advice in SFS in the curricula of dietitians; strengthening training and further education on SFS
- positioning dietitians as an important professional voice in political discussions and decisions on SFS
The position paper is an instrument that serves to communicate ‘internally’ so that dietitians can use it as a guide. Furthermore, it empowers dietitians to position themselves ‘externally’ towards other actors in the field of the food system in terms of strategy, expertise and politics.
- Consultation-workshop of the paper with dietitians at Switzerland’s NDA ‘SVDE’ annual meeting in spring 2025
- Publication of the reviewed paper in the SFS Toolkit in the summer of 2025
- Announcement of the paper as an online document for members of Switzerland’s NDA ‘SVDE’
- Distribution to Swiss dietitians in June 2025
2023 January – 3 Grants
🇳🇬 The Dietitians Association of Nigeria (DAN)
DAN is increasing the knowledge of local dietitian-nutritionists about indigenous foods to promote consumption as part of a sustainable diet. The study was carried out in the six geo-political zones North Central, North East, North West, North South, South East South West and South South of Nigeria. The study highlights the available and diverse indigenous foods across the zones including fruits and leafy vegetables, cereals/grains, roots and tubers, and spices. It enumerates the importance of indigenous foods as well as current threats to local food systems and makes recommendations on how to preserve our food heritage.
It was deduced that despite the differences in the types and varieties of indigenous foods found in different localities or cultures in Nigeria, only 8.4% of six hundred and five respondents had a high consumption of indigenous foods, 4.3% moderate, and 87.3% had low consumption of indigenous foods.
The benefits of producing and consuming indigenous foods have been shown in this work. Some of these local foods, however, are getting eroded due to various challenges. Consequently, the Dietitian-Nutritionists in Nigeria through this work are called to action to ensure that indigenous foods are consumed, as well as to achieve a sustainable, equitable food system for Nigerians.
This link is for a 1-page flyer summarizing the study on Indigenous Foods in Nigeria.
🇿🇦 Asssociation for Dietetics in South Africa (ADSA)
South Africa generates approximately 10 million tonnes of food waste throughout the supply chain each year. The project aimed to increase the knowledge and awareness of local nutritionists and dietitians on household and institutional food waste to promote literacy on food waste among consumers and institutional managers.
The Sustainable Development Goal 12.3 target is that by 2030 we should halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses.
A symposium was held at the 2023 Nutrition Congress which 48 Nutritionists and Dietitians attended. Each received a multi-lingual food waste awareness infographic created by the project, which was also shared at a conference exhibition stand.
Dietitians and nutritionists can use the infographic with consumers to improve food literacy on household food waste that documents household food waste breakdown (amount, types of foods, cost and environmental impact) and how to reduce household food waste through cook smart tips, zero waste recipes, upcycling etc.
Participants were encouraged to complete the ICDA SFS online modules through a PowerPoint explaining how to navigate the toolkit.
The presenters also developed other tools, including plantable coasters with zero-food waste messages and a “Compleating” (complete eating) zero-waste recipe book for consumers. These resources are shared here to further promote sustainable zero-waste food practices.
Contacts:
Dr Ashika Naicker ashikan@dut.ac.za
or the President of Association for Dietetics in South Africa, ADSApresident01@gmail.com
🇱🇰 Dietitians’ Association of Sri Lanka (DiASL)
DiASL reduced food waste and associated food costs in selected hospitals by 33% within 12 months through the development and introduction of a “Minimum food waste tool kit.”
- Staff Training: A comprehensive training program equipped food and beverage staff with skills in disease-specific diets, natural flavor enhancement, and standardized portion control. Ward coordinators and nursing staff were educated on effective communication and supporting patients’ nutritional needs, and chefs and kitchen helpers were guided in preparing visually appealing, disease-specific meals in correct portion sizes to suit patient requirements.
- Raising awareness: A short video was displayed in the patient waiting area on the impact of edible food waste and the importance of sustainability. Watch the video here.
- Screening and Monitoring Tools: The toolkit incorporated a validated Visual Analog Scale (VAS) appetite screening tool, aligned with the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy (FACT), to identify patients with reduced appetite. Combined with malnutrition screening, these tools facilitated the development of tailored dietary plans to address individual nutritional needs effectively.
- Customized Nutrition Plans: Personalized meal plans were designed based on patient preferences, medical conditions, and appetite levels. The flexibility of portion sizes and meal options, along with adjustments in texture and flavor helped improve patient satisfaction and compliance with their dietary regimens.
- Real-Time Food Waste Monitoring: The toolkit used digital imaging and the modified Comstock method for accurate visual assessment of leftover food, providing insights into waste patterns. Weekly tracking of garbage bin usage further helped measure the impact of the toolkit, highlighting significant reductions in food waste.
Notable Outcomes
- Waste Reduction: Implementation of the toolkit reduced the number of food waste bags used in a 100-bed hospital by 33%, from 60 to 40 bags weekly.
- Improved Patient Compliance: Approximately 70% of patients with reduced appetite completed their meals, significantly decreasing waste.
- Operational Efficiency: Enhanced meal preparation and delivery processes led to better alignment with patient needs and reduced waste.
Challenges and Future Directions: Despite the toolkit’s success, challenges persist, such as limited dietitian resources as personalized care requires significant time and effort. Proposed solutions include integrating AI-driven meal planning tools and increasing the dietitian workforce. Accurate waste segregation remains another hurdle, with issues stemming from non-edible waste and external food contributions, necessitating improved segregation systems and patient education. Future efforts will focus on adopting advanced technologies, expanding staff capacity, and refining food service systems to enable broader implementation across hospitals in Sri Lanka.
Conclusion: The Minimum Food Waste Toolkit sets a benchmark for sustainable healthcare practices, aligning with global efforts to minimize waste and enhance operational efficiency. By addressing environmental and nutritional concerns, this initiative demonstrates how Sri Lanka’s healthcare sector can lead by example, inspiring similar reforms across the country and beyond.
Submitted by Ms. F.A.Z. Firouse, President of the Dietitians’ Association of Sri Lanka. Contact: FirouseAmal@gmail.com
2022 September – 4 Grants
🇦🇺 Dietitians Australia (DA)
DA created PlanEATary Quest to promote planetary health, one bite at a time. The PlanEATary Quest encourages dietitians to choose their own adventure to modify your own diet-related practices in line with current evidence regarding planetary health outcomes.
Visit the PlanEATary Quest Google site to take your own quest in 4 easy steps:
Step 1: Complete the quiz – Complete a 12-question PlanEATary Quiz to see where you’re kicking goals, and where you can improve.
Step 2: Design your Challenge – Select from over 100 tasks to design a challenge that will help you improve your score. We suggest choosing 3 – 10 tasks, focusing on the questions where you scored the lowest on the Quiz.
Step 3: Complete your Challenge – Time to get your hands dirty! Spend 2-3 weeks completing your chosen tasks. As you go, you may like to reflect on what helps or hinders your quest for planetary health.
Step 4: Repeat the Quiz – Repeat the PlanEATary Quiz to see whether you’ve improved your score, and are interacting with our food system in a more sustainable way.
This grant was managed by Dr Liza Barbour and Sandy Murray, both active members of Dietitians Australia’s Food and Environment Interest Group. They established a working group of 7 members and met monthly for the first 8 months of this project, during which time we reviewed the existing materials (the ‘Eco-Friendly Food Challenge) and based on our expertise in the field, developed an updated, evidence-based version.
The PlanEATary Quest was piloted with a group of practising dietitians and health promotion practitioners (n = 47) from Sept – Nov with a group of 5 Masters of Dietetics during their 8-week public health placement. They recruited PlanEATary Quest participants, monitored their level of engagement throughout the intervention, and followed up with a series of interviews and focus groups (n = 14). See the infographic of key findings from this pilot.
While their placement focused on more ‘process evaluation’ they will also be analysing and writing up further results for publication in 2024. A pilot with nutrition and dietetic students is planned for February – June 2024.
🇩🇪 German Association of Dietitians (VDD)
Germany increased awareness for German-speaking dietitians in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland towards sustainable achievements in the field of nutrition and dietetics and how to present these within the ICDA SFS-Toolkit. (2022 Sept – 2023 Aug)
Manuela Thul led the project and produced several products in a participatory manner, and spread them via the toolkit and local structures such as Webinars, Social media, NDA congress, and reaching out to schools and universities.
Manuela promoted the grant and the #ICDAsfsToolkit on the Junior_Dietitian Instagram, on the digital chat at the 64th NDA congress 13.-14.05.2022, and in an article in the NDA Newsletter, and the Annual Business Report 2022 of the German Association of Dietitians. These are great ways to help your NDA to know the #ICDAsfsToolkit and the resources it contains.
Another result of this promotion is the #ICDAsfsToolkit Advisor for Germany, Elina Zwickert who was also highlighted in the March issue of GROW — we hope you are subscribed!
🇬🇷 Hellenic Association of Dietitians Nutritionists
Greece improved and spread the “Straight from Nature” YouTube Channel which teaches about foods as they comprehensively come from nature, aiming to support food sustainability.
Despina Varaklas created a YouTube channel by the name of Straight from Nature. The purpose of the channel is to create videos that talk about food products. Every video talks about a different product, e.g. olive oil, garlic, onions, cinnamon, etc. As dietitians, we learn about foods, nutritional values, etc… but often we don’t know enough details about each one, keeping our clients and patients short of valuable knowledge they can make for the benefit of their health. Using this channel, dietitians can learn about each product of nature, where it comes from, its health benefits, and how they can be easily incorporated into the diet.
The grant helped promote the channel through Social media, the dietetic association, webinars, interviews, workshops, and conferences and was able to assist in the tools needed to make the videos a reality. The subscribers and watch hours of the channel have increased, but mainly the feedback is joyfully positive.
Dietitians, and other health professionals, are advised to listen to these videos and make use of the content. Sharing the videos is a way of you contributing to the project as well.
You can also subscribe to a private Facebook group “Living Healthy: Learning how to balance Food, Thoughts, and Emotions” where safe conversations can take place with discussions and comments.
🇪🇸 Consejo General de Colegios Oficiales de Dietistas-Nutricionistas (El CGCODN)
Spain worked on a project titled “Transitioning to sustainable diets: a tool to identify people’s barriers and motivators for following a sustainable diet”.
Júlia Muñoz-Martínez led the development and validation of a questionnaire to identify the motivators and barriers to following a sustainable diet among Spanish citizens sensitive to socioeconomic differences.
The tool is called the SALSA questionnaire (Sustainability and Healthy Diets, as its acronym in Spanish) and intends to provide the means for dietitians, and other stakeholders involved in public health, for the development of interventions aiming to equitably promote healthy and sustainable diets.
The process was to identify all the barriers and facilitators for following a sustainable diet among different socioeconomic groups in Barcelona to develop a first draft of SALSA. This was administered to 9 Spanish experts in the fields of sustainability, nutrition (including a member from the Spanish NDA), psychology, and sociology to validate the content. By 2023 March, the survey pre-test was done with citizens from the city of Barcelona and its urban surroundings through 3 focus group discussions and 5 individual interviews.
- In 2025 February an open access article was published: The SALSA Questionnaire: creation and validation of a tool to assess people’s self-perceived barriers and facilitators to follow a sustainable and healthy diet (2025 Feb)
The ICDA SFS Toolkit is made to be used & shared freely.
Please cite the authors of the resources you use, and the ICDA SFS Toolkit if you are able:
InternationalDietetics.org/Sustainability