Barbour L, McCartan J (2025), “Responding to urgent calls for fit-for-purpose planetary health curricula: an examination of nutrition and dietetics tertiary education”. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, Vol. 26 No. 9 pp. 112–130, doi: https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-07-2024-0465
Purpose Health professionals play a crucial role in addressing the climate crisis and contributing to sustainable development. However, despite urgent calls from experts and health professions students, tertiary education currently lacks fit-for-purpose planetary health curricula. This study aims to provide a comprehensive, Australia-wide examination of planetary health curricula offered within two health professions: nutrition and dietetics.
Figure 4: Curriculum concepts, as described in relevant learning outcomes of eligible units
Design/methodology/approach This mixed-method study involved two phases. Firstly, content analysis of publicly available unit titles and descriptions to determine the frequency and distribution of relevant curricula. Secondly, content and inductive thematic analysis of relevant learning outcomes, guided by Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy to assess the level of cognitive learning and the subject matter being prioritised.
Findings Examination of 104 degrees offered by 41 Australian universities identified relevant curricula in 71 nutrition degrees (84%) and 18 dietetics degrees (95%). Majority of relevant learning outcomes (n = 137) focus on lower-order cognitive learning, with 11 themes of subject matter identified; planetary health, critiquing the status quo, innovation and disruption, equity, values-based practice and evidence-based practice, (dietary modification, food service in health-care settings, food and nutrition policy, food system drivers and elements of the food supply chain.
Originality/value This study identified an increase in coverage of planetary health curricula in Australian nutrition and dietetics degrees compared to previous examinations and the need for higher-order learning to adequately equip the future health workforce.
Wegener J, Carlsson L, Barbour L, Everitt T, Pettinger C, Reguant-Closa A, Meyer N, Svette S, Hassan D, Platnar J (2025), “Sustainable food systems education in nutrition and dietetics: an appraisal of the tertiary landscape in multiple countries”. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, Vol. 26 No. 3 pp. 558–574, doi: https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-09-2023-0449(Pay Wall)
Purpose Despite a growing awareness of the gap between professional expectations and competence, there has been no comprehensive appraisal of sustainable food systems (SFS) education within dietetics and nutrition programs to date. Dietitians and nutritionists play important roles in promoting sustainability yet many perceive themselves to be inadequately trained. The purpose of this study was to explore how, and to what degree, SFS education is incorporated into accredited nutrition and dietetics programs in the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada.
V. Supplementary Figure 3: Word Cloud of Courses Identified with Full SFS Content Integration in the United Kingdom/Ireland, Australia, and Canada (top 150 words) Source: Authors’ own creation/work
Design/methodology/approach A content analysis of course descriptions from program websites was conducted between 2021 and 2022. Courses were reviewed, analyzed and evaluated using a novel sustainability metric.
Findings SFS is integrated into the education environment of some, but not all, dietetics and nutrition programs to varying degrees (no, partial and full). Partial and full integration was present in a small percentage of courses, with a larger percentage in nutrition programs. SFS education was offered more often through a single unit than a dedicated course. Twelve best practice examples of courses dedicated to SFS were identified. In the UK, their focus was nutrition and diet, contrasting food and food systems in Australia and Canada.
Originality/value These findings provide insight into SFS education for professional societies, instructors and program directors. Through intentional curricular design considerations supported by this study, program leads can take small conscious reorganizational steps to integrate SFS. This study offers a sound methodology to initiate and benchmark further assessment and a novel approach for other professions looking to equip their future workforce through SFS education.
The ICDA hosted two key sessions on SFS in Dietetics Education, which are summarized below: one in-person event in 2023 in Ireland and an online webinar in 2025.
Webinar: Teaching Sustainable Food Systems with Dietetics & Nutrition Students (2025 Dec 3 & 5)
This webinar shared recent research and discussed curriculum, pedagogy, and support structures for Sustainable Food Systems in higher education nutrition and dietetics programs. The same webinar was held twice, aiming to reach across time zones.
Event outline: – Welcome – Presentation 1 – What Should Be Taught? – Presentation 2 – How to Teach These Topics – Presentation 3 – Structural Supports – Discussion – Synthesis & Closing
SPEAKERS:
Sarah Burkhart, PhD, University of the Sunshine Coast, Associate Professor, Nutrition & Dietetics School of Health & Deputy Director, Research & Policy, Australian Centre for Pacific Islands Research
Judith Maher, PhD, University of the Sunshine Coast, Senior Lecturer, Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Health Member, Centre for Bioinnovation
Liza Barbour, PhD, Advanced Accredited Practising Dietitian, Monash University, Senior Lecturer – Food Systems, Planetary Health & Public Health Nutrition, Education Fellow Planetary Health
Jessica Wegener, PhD, RD, Toronto Metropolitan University, Associate Professor, School of Nutrition, Associate Director, Centre for Studies in Food Security
HOSTS:
Liesel Carlsson, PhD, RD, Acadia University, Associate Professor & Interim Director, School of Nutrition and Dietetics (WebinarModerator)
Stacia Nordin, MA, RD, Sustainable Food Systems Toolkit Coordinator, International Confederation of Dietetics Associations (WebinarSupport)
🌍 Global Networking Event on Sustainable Food Systems in Nutrition & Dietetics Education (2023 Jun 7-8)
The 🌍 Global Networking Event on SFS in Nutrition & Dietetics Education was held at University College Dublin (UCD), Ireland 🇮🇪 from 7–8 June 2023. The primary aim of the event was to build partnerships for developing excellence in SFS education within nutrition and dietetics programmes internationally.
The event had over 50 participants from 11 countries including educators, trainers, nutrition & dietetics associations & others involved in education/ training/ professional development. We learned about innovative initiatives, shared experiences and practices, and built relationships for future collaborations and education. The 2-day programme was held at UCD with a field trip and event dinner at Airfield Farm Estate.
Outcomes and recommendations from roundtable discussions were broad and pointed to the need for ongoing sharing and collaboration for SFS definitions, curriculum frameworks to guide content and assessment, interdisciplinary teaching and learning, baseline competencies in SFS for dietetic graduates, and opportunities for practical SFS training.
👇 Below are 2 infographics summarising key messages for Educators and Dietetic Associations based on our article in the British Dietetic Association’s Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics.
A practical toolkit for United Kingdom (UK) National Health Service (NHS) Trusts to support dietetic students in completing sustainability-focused projects on placement.
Encourages UK NHS Trusts to embed sustainability in routine audit, service evaluation, and/or health promotion activities.
Provides key information, time-saving templates, case studies, and signposting to other resources.
Aims to increase staff and student awareness of sustainability issues and to develop confidence to tackle them.
Lessons Learnt: The toolkit is about to be piloted in practice, so learning is yet to happen.
Background
Sustainability is increasingly recognised as a critical component of healthcare, and dietitians have a unique role in its promotion. Whilst they are perfectly placed to support individuals with small changes to increase the sustainability of their diets, they can also be key agents for change at an organisational level.
With the UK NHS committed to reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2040, system-wide changes in practice, culture, and education are undoubtedly required. Despite this, sustainability is not consistently embedded in dietetic education or clinical placements, and many students complete their education with limited exposure to the sustainability agenda.
Key barriers identified by dietetic educators and UK NHS Trust placement providers include a lack of time and a lack of confidence to guide students in sustainability-related projects. While enthusiasm exists, placement supervisors often struggle to identify projects that are achievable within placement structures that additionally align with professional competencies.
The Toolkit Idea
To address this gap, a toolkit is being developed to support UK NHS Trusts in setting sustainability-themed projects for dietetic students during placements. The aim is to make sustainability an integrated and achievable aspect of training, without placing additional burden on supervisors.
The toolkit will include:
Key information – about the importance of sustainability for nutrition/healthcare professionals.
A “Quick Start” guide – for ease of use.
Student project templates – adaptable briefs for audits, quality improvement projects, and health promotion activities.
Case studies – to provide inspiration by showcasing other student projects.
Signposting and resources – for further information if required.
Once the student has completed their sustainability project, they present and discuss their findings with their department to promote learning at an organisational level. The toolkit will encourage students to make practical recommendations to the Trust, aiming to increase the sustainability of their service and move the organisation closer to the UK NHS’ net zero ambitions.
Implementation
The Greener Projects Toolkit is being finalised through consultation with academic educators, based on the current available evidence and experience regarding barriers to embedding sustainability into dietetic education. The literature suggests that whilst sustainability is seen as important, time and confidence are substantial barriers to its integration. The toolkit is therefore being designed with ease-of-use as a priority to allow for easy and swift implementation by users.
Once complete, the toolkit will be piloted with UK NHS Trusts providing dietetic placements for students at the University of Plymouth. Further improvements and developments will be made based on staff and student feedback.
Food for Thought
How could sustainability be more consistently integrated into professional training and practice?
What role can students play in leading organisational change?
How might small placement projects contribute to larger organisational net zero ambitions?
Contact Information
Dr Clare Pettinger, Associate Professor, Public Health Dietetics, University of Plymouth, UK
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
The ICDA SFS Toolkit awarded a total of 12 Nutrition/Dietetic Associations (NDAs) grants from 2022-24. For more information about the grants, see: NDA Sustainability Grants. These are the final set of grants that were awarded in 2024 and finalized in 2025.
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, collaborate, represent, community, and citizenship 🐠 ADVOCACY & ACTIVISM – 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)
MDOSZ adapted key #ICDAsfsToolkit resources to the Hungarian language and culture, overcoming the English barrier faced by over two-thirds of dietitians. With 712 members and outreach to 2,100 professionals via newsletter, plus 32,000 social media followers, MDOSZ has great potential to raise awareness of sustainability in practice. They provided tools and education to academics, clinicians, food service, and public health professionals.
Professional Presentations and Educational Activities:
At the MDOSZ annual general meeting, we delivered a 15-minute presentation attended by approximately 500 dietitian colleagues.
We held a 60-minute lecture on sustainable nutrition for dietetic students at Semmelweis University.
As part of practical training, we have introduced the topic of sustainable eating to MATE Tourism MSc students using the self-developed infographic.
In the 2025/26 academic year, we have been invited to give a presentation on sustainable nutrition to MSc Nutrition students at Széchenyi István University.
We would like to express our sincere appreciation for the opportunity to participate in this program. It was an honour to collaborate with the International Confederation of Dietetic Associations (ICDA). This period proved to be both valuable and constructive in every respect, as it allowed us to deepen our understanding of sustainability. Through the inspiring work of our colleagues, we became acquainted with excellent projects that motivated us and led to the development of new professional materials.
ASAND’s Foodservice Study Group developed the project “Technical Tests of Counseling in School Foodservice” to: — promote sustainable nutrition through a participatory approach and the tools of nutritional counseling; — strengthen the empowerment of citizens (users, parents, teachers); — activate a network of municipalities interested in renewing the school food service by valuing local experiences and promoting the exchange of best practices; and — share a toolkit of practical and replicable tools for use by other local municipalities and professionals.
The project worked with school canteens in a network of 11 Italian municipalities in 3 Provinces. The team planned activities in co-design with users, implemented experimental initiatives together, and interacted with the involved municipalities. Following the initial meetings and online discussions, they decided to organise and start the following “challenges”, which are now completed.
With the selection of local, sustainable, and low CO₂-emission recipes, proposed and discussed within school meal committees. On the experimental menu day “Farmer’s Dish”, among a total of 462 students, the following outcomes were recorded: the “legume soup with pasta” recipe was consumed and appreciated by 81% of the children, while the “Fettunta” was consumed and appreciated by 85%. Overall, food waste remained well below the 30% target threshold.
The activation of a nutritional education path through practical workshops on healthy eating was tailored to the specific needs of each school, engaging students actively with ongoing support from teachers and parents. Designed as a food education tool for primary school children, the initiative involved 93 children and 125 adults (teachers and parents).
We created a poster about our work which highlights the importance of reducing food waste in school canteens through practical preventive and corrective actions. It details the data collection, key findings, and strategies to reduce waste. This poster won the award for best contribution at the spring 2025 national nutrition conference hosted by SINPE (the Italian Society for Artificial Nutrition and Metabolism) and ASAND (the Italian Association of Dietetics and Nutrition).
A free listening and consultation service for families and educators, managed by trained dietitian staff. Sessions were held every month from January to May 2025, as detailed in the attached flyer. The help desk addressed nutritional concerns and fostered direct dialogue with families.
SVDEco-created a position paper titled “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. 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.
This requires an evidence- and value-based vision and concrete, action-based measures on three levels:
Positioning Dietitians’ 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 project had five key outputs:
1 – A consultation workshop was held with dietitians at Switzerland’s NDA ‘SVDE’ annual meeting in spring 2025
2 – Publication of the reviewed paper, Role of nutrition advice in Switzerland in the sustainable nutrition system (2025), in the SFS Toolkit in the summer of 2025
Preliminary research conducted in 2024 revealed that nutrition professionals in Trinidad and Tobago were eager to deepen their knowledge and expertise on sustainability as it relates to nutrition. In response, the Trinidad and Tobago Association of Nutritionists and Dietitians (TTANDi) launched a Sustainability Project, which was successfully completed in November 2025.
The Sustainability Project’s primary objectives were to:
Enhance knowledge and awareness of sustainable food systems and sustainability in practice among nutrition professionals.
Stimulate the creation of a think tank of professionals capable of applying sustainability principles to the local context.
Key Outputs
Educational Webinar Series
Eleven virtual sessions were delivered over an 8‑month period, guided by the ICDA Sustainable Food Systems Toolkit.
Participants earned Continuous Development Credits (CDE).
The series aimed to:
Address knowledge gaps.
Highlight the relevance of sustainability and sustainable food systems to nutrition and dietetics.
Apply these concepts to the local and wider Caribbean context.
The event brought together members of the NDA alongside external stakeholders. Its purpose was to provide a comprehensive report on the Sustainability Project and to officially launch the Position Paper. As part of the program, a World Café was convened, creating an open space for dialogue and exploration. This interactive format encouraged participants to identify empowering pathways and inspire collective, positive solutions to the complex challenges facing the local food system.
TTANDi is proud of these achievements and is committed to building on the momentum generated by this project!
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
The ICDA SFS Toolkit awarded a total of 12 Nutrition/Dietetic Associations (NDAs) grants from 2022-24. For more information about the grants see: NDA Sustainability Grants. These are the second set of grants that were awarded in 2023 and finalized in 2024.
DANincreased 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.
South Africagenerates 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.
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.”
Sri Lanka’s private hospitals are taking significant strides toward sustainability by introducing the Minimum Food Waste Toolkit, an innovative initiative designed to reduce food waste while improving patient satisfaction and nutrition. Spearheaded by the Dietitians Association of Sri Lanka and funded by ICDA-SFS, this initiative addresses the pressing issue of food waste, which constitutes 10-15% of hospital solid waste, contributing to environmental degradation and economic inefficiencies.
Key Features of the Toolkit: The toolkit implements a patient-centered and sustainable food service approach by integrating nutritional science, operational efficiency, and real-time waste tracking. It focuses on key areas such as staff training, patient engagement, and individualized nutrition plans.
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
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
The ICDA SFS Toolkit awarded a total of 12 Nutrition/Dietetic Associations (NDAs) grants from 2022-24. For more information about the grants see: NDA Sustainability Grants. These are the first set of grants that were awarded in 2022 and finalized in 2023.
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.
🐾 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 more sustainably.
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 Sep–Nov with a group of 5 Master’s 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.
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 May 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 know the #ICDAsfsToolkit and the resources it contains.
Greeceimproved and spread the “Straight from Nature” YouTube Channel, which teaches about foods as they 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 that can make for the benefit to their health. Using this channel, dietitians can learn about each product of nature, where it comes from, its health benefits, and how it 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.
Spainworked 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 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 March 2023, 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.
Between April and June, they administered the online survey to a sample of more than 700 citizens across Spain. They then conducted data cleaning and psychometric analysis (item reduction, extraction of factors, test of dimensionality, test of reliability, and test of validity). Exploratory Factor Analysis revealed four final dimensions of the SALSA questionnaire, which corresponded to personal factors, external factors, sociocultural factors, and consumption of animal and plant-based protein. These dimensions were validated through Confirmatory Factor Analysis.
The final SALSA questionnaire investigates the barriers and facilitators for people to adhere to a sustainable and healthy diet through a set of 27 questions, grouped into four dimensions (listed above). Respondents are asked to rate their level of agreement on a scale from 1 to 5, with 1 indicating ‘completely disagree’ and 5 indicating ‘completely agree.’ This tool is a step forward towards the promotion of SHD as it can be applied in multiple scenarios. It could be used in the planning and assessment of interventions with such an aim, as well as by dietitians in one-to-one consultations at the individual level.
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
This article is in both Spanish and English and is also open source!
Basfi-Fer, K., Molina, P., Barrera, C., Cabezas, R., & Cáceres, P. (2025). Contribución del nutricionista dietista a la sustentabilidad alimentaria: Orientaciones para su incorporación en la formación [Contribution of the dietitian nutritionist to food sustainability: Guidelines for its incorporation in the formation]. Revista Chilena de Nutrición, 52(1), 83–90. https://doi.org/10.4067/s0717-75182025000100083
Abstract
Introduction: Nutritionists play a key role in promoting sustainable diets and food systems. Their professional work is closely linked to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) because of the impact that food styles and systems have on the environment, and vice versa.
Methods and materials: The objective of this report is to analyze the link between sustainability, objectified through the SDGs, and the professional activity of the nutritionist in the promotion, adoption, and evaluation of sustainable diets and food systems. In addition, it is also aimed to establish the need to reorient their education to achieve this link.
The literature shows that, although there are official guidelines that support the relationship between the profession and sustainability, there is heterogeneous progress in this regard in different countries. It is therefore proposed that, in order for the professional performance to include the area of sustainability, an education that makes visible, links, and integrates the SDGs to the technical and generic competencies of their profile is required.
In Chile, by 2023, aspects of sustainability appeared only in six graduate profiles of the 36 institutions that offer the program, and their level of curricular development is unknown. Taking as an example the curriculum of the Nutrition and Dietetics program at the University of Chile, the relationship between professional competences and the goals of the SDGs is shown.
Conclusions: it is imperative to reorient the nutritionist’s formation towards sustainability, considering the current environmental crisis, and the relationship of the profession with sustainability.
A senior UCD academic from the SPHPSS has contributed to Airfield’s Education and Research Committee since 2020.
The collaboration has enabled student training and research relevant to sustainable food systems through BSc human nutrition undergraduate work placements, and MSc dietetics and PhD nutritional science projects for over seven years. It has allowed Airfield Estate to establish itself as a research body on both national and international stages.
UCD gains access to the public and use of the farm, gardens, restaurant, and demonstration kitchen for practice-based training of students and research studies.
Airfield Estate gains access to academic processes and research project supervision.
This UCD-Airfield Estate collaboration provides a mutually beneficial, relatively low-cost structure to create research, train students, and access the public.
Background:
Airfield Estate is a 38-acre working farm and gardens located in the suburbs of Dublin, Ireland. Open every day to the public, its aim is to become Dublin’s Sustainable Food Hub in a world-leading, sustainable food city. Run as an organic and regenerative farm, the Estate completes the farm-to-fork story with a restaurant and farmers market supplied by the farm and gardens. As an organisation that has 230,000 visitors a year, and which has both an educational and research remit, it offers an opportunity for its local University, UCD, to collaborate on a range of projects. UCD, a public research university with over 38,000 students, is Ireland’s largest university.
Collaborations between Airfield Estate and UCD range from undergraduate professional work experience (9 months) to postgraduate masters and PhD projects. The Estate also facilitates UCD conferences and summer school visits that focus on the practical application of sustainable food systems as well as consumer behaviour change.
UCD students and supervisors work in partnership with the education and research department of Airfield Estate to create research projects from hypothesis to dissemination. Critical to this is the facilitation of ethical approval for these projects through the University. The participation of a high-level UCD academic on the Education and Research Committee at Airfield Estate is also important as it supports Airfield Estate positioning itself for academic grant applications and ensuring that the Estate engages in relevant research.
The success of the collaborative approach between UCD and Airfield Estate is based on offering academic staff and students a whole system understanding and approach to food systems, as well as access to and working with both food production experts and consumers. The research conducted by students on the Estate is consumer-centered and intervention-driven, creating a testbed for programmes with potential to be scaled to national and international levels. Airfield Estate has email and social media access to a large public cohort offering an invaluable reservoir for conducting surveys, creating focus groups, and accessing audiences for research dissemination events. UCD provides academic supervision of all placements and projects, ensuring that they are ethically and rigorously conducted.
Lessons Learnt
1) The symbiosis of academic and non-academic education and research partners creates novel opportunities for education and research.
Having a non-academic partner with a focus on educating the public, advocating for sustainable food systems and a large database of customers, members, and followers on social media offers the academic partner a unique opportunity for education and research into consumer behaviour and consumers’ relationships with food. The facilities and proximity to the academic partner (3 km) allow for easy access for student placements and supervision, summer school educational visits, conference outings, and lectures. The provision of restaurant meals with food supplied by the farm and gardens demonstrates the practical application of a food systems approach.
UCD has been critical to the establishment of Airfield’s education and research department, contributing ethical review and approval for all research projects undertaken, the students to undertake the projects, and academic supervision. This ensures an ethical and rigorous process that protects vulnerable population groups is in place as well as facilitating the submission of high-quality research findings to national and international conferences and for peer-reviewed publication. The students and researchers from UCD working with Airfield Estate also provide an opportunity for the Estate to measure the impact of internally driven projects and programmes which is critical to future grant funding applications.
2) The non-academic partner must have a structure capable of planning and managing research.
Airfield Estate’s strategy contains several pillars, one of which is ‘Powerful Research’. As such, it has developed an Education and Research Committee with both external and internal stakeholders that meets quarterly and has created its own 5-year research strategy. The Board, Trustees and Senior management of the Estate are all supportive of the research conducted at the Estate and a model of both internal research (supported by 9-month work placements by BSc human nutrition students and an in-house research officer) and international research (European Union Horizon projects) has developed.
3) Selection of topics for research must be relevant and robust for both parties.
So as not to waste time and limited resources, as a self-funded non-academic body, Airfield Estate needs to plan and strategically and critically evaluate research that is relevant to its remit and to its potential to submit successful future grant applications. Hence, the decision-making process on what research projects are undertaken must be robust and meet the needs of both the non-academic and academic partners. The research data and end user of the intervention must also be clearly identified in advance, utilize the expertise of academic staff and must fulfil students’ academic programme requirements.
How can a non-academic partner contact a university (and vice versa) to begin a conversation on collaborating? Is there a structure within your organization or university for this?
Memorandums of understanding are important to define the aims, relationships, and resources needed for the partnership.
Piloting small interventions through local non-academic partners brings research to life for the public, enriches the offering and grant potential of the organization, and provides a high-quality and engaging learning experience for students.
Contact Information:
Prof Clare Corish, Professor of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, University College Dublin, clare.corish@ucd.ie
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
This project developed a handbook with 60 hours of ready-to-use coursework on implementing the Planetary Health Diet and educational formats on transformative action and sustainability in training dietitians in Germany.
This project was funded by the German Federal Environmental Foundation (Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt, DBU) and run by KLUG e.V. (German Association on Climate Change and Health), VDD e.V. (German Association of Dietitians), and the School of Dietitians at the University Hospital Münster.
Lessons Learnt: Topics of sustainable and healthy diets and transformative education can be implemented as a singular course or integrated throughout the training of dietitians.
Nutrition, health, and the environment are closely linked and mutually dependent. In Germany, common dietary patterns and the associated food production pose a significant risk to the health of the population and the climate and health of our planet. The Planetary Health Diet developed by EAT-Lancet provides crucial starting points for a healthy diet within planetary boundaries.
However, the scientifically based, holistic concept is still insufficiently applied in the nutrition and health sectors and is missing in dietetic education curricula. The potential of such a diet, not only in the fight against planetary crises but also for improving population health, is still little known and is not used strategically.
The project aimed to develop educational formats on the Planetary Health Diet and transformative action for training professionals in the nutrition and healthcare sector. The model and implementation were tested in a dietetics class.
After a successful trial of the model week on “Planetary Health and the Nutrition of the Future” with students from the School for Dietitians at the University Hospital Münster, the content was evaluated, revised, prepared and passed on to teachers at other dietitian schools in a train-the-trainer seminar with the purpose of scaling.
All materials are available to all schools via the VDD member area or the project lead of KLUG e.V.. Based on these elaborated materials and the evaluation, the design and implementation of a multi-part training course for already working dietitians and nutritionists (across associations) follows. In addition, an adaptation of the materials to the training of physiotherapists and occupational therapists is in preparation.
Implementation of the PHD in the teaching kitchen; own picture
Besides an increase in knowledge, students experienced an increase in drive, confidence, and assumption of responsibility towards fighting the climate crisis.
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
Created 2024; updated 2025 May
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