Dietitians Australia, the peak body for dietitians and nutrition professionals, is insisting anyone prescribed a weight loss medication in Australia must also receive a referral to a dietitian for ongoing support.

Dietitians Australia welcomes the global discussion sparked following the release of the Lancet Commission’s definition and diagnostic criteria of clinical obesity – as an opportunity to continue the conversation urgently needed in the global healthcare community to ensure people, regardless of their body size, receive the healthcare they need.

Dietitians Australia is demanding more accountability from the aged care sector following the release of last week’s Residential Aged Care Quality Indicators – October to December 2021.

Our role statement defines the role of an APD when working in the area of health behaviour and weight management.

Released August 2021- Dieititans Australia supports portion guidance and serving size goals as a complementary public health measure, if accompanied by a transparent monitoring and evaluation plan.

Released November 2021 - We are supportive of government strategies that aim to promote the health of Australians and address key chronic disease risk factors, such as overweight and obesity. We support the National Obesity Prevention Strategy and its ambitions but have given some recommendations.

Released September 2017 - Fitness services are often expected to also offer nutrition advice. This has created a need for balance between an appropriate level of nutrition advice to the client, without giving information beyond their professional scope of practice.

Engaging Accredited Practising Dietitians (APDs) to support food and nutrition in aged care is projected to save more than $80 million per year which would otherwise be spent on costly malnutrition treatment.

Hospitalisation data released today by the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety further emphasises Dietitians Australia’s call for mandatory malnutrition screening and quarterly re-screening of aged care residents.

Sent April 2021 - Dietitians Australia expresses concern about continued raised rates of ‘unintentional weight loss’ in residential aged care homes. This was sent to the Hon Greg Hunt, Minister for Health and Aged Care, and Senator the Hon Richard Colbeck, Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services, requesting a meeting to discuss.