04/27/01 American Dietetic Association Receives Contract to Create Mentoring Programs for Minority Students in Dietetic Professions

American Dietetic Association Receives Contract to Create Mentoring Programs for Minority Students in Dietetic Professions

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 27, 2001

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CHICAGO - The American Dietetic Association has received a grant of nearly $100,000 from the Health Resources and Services Administration to develop a national mentoring program to encourage members of minority groups to pursue careers in nutrition science and dietetics.

Under the terms of the one-year contract, totaling $99,350, the American Dietetic Association will target African-American, Latino, Asian, Pacific Islander, American Indian, Alaskan native and Hawaiian native students to pursue careers as food and nutrition professionals.

"It is clear that minority groups are significantly underrepresented in the field of dietetics, as with virtually all health-care professions," says ADA president Jane White, a Knoxville, Tenn., registered dietitian.

According to ADA’s latest membership survey, 2.4 percent of the Association’s nearly 70,000 members are African-American, 2 percent are Hispanic, 5.4 percent are Asian or Pacific Islander and 5.4 percent are American Indian, Alaskan native or Hawaiian native.

"At the same time, the groups at highest risk for nutrition-related problems today tend to be minorities as well as low-income people of all races," White says.

According to White, perceived ethnic and social differences with health-care providers can often discourage consumers from seeking care or sharing relevant information required for appropriate treatment.

"These issues are especially important for the dietetics profession, since diet is such a major factor in the prevention and control of chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes and heart disease," White says.

"Increasing the diversity of the dietetics profession, paralleling the developments in our country that we see in the new Census figures, is a way in which ADA can tangibly improve the nutrition and health of our fellow citizens at a time of significant need," White says.

The new HRSA-funded program has two goals:

  • To assist directors and faculty of college dietetics education programs accredited or approved by the Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education (about 600 nationwide) to develop and implement mentoring minority programs in pre-professional programs;
  • To assist ADA members in their state affiliates, dietetic practice groups and minority networking groups in creating community outreach programs designed to reach elementary, middle school and high school students to interest them in careers in dietetics.

The model that is developed will be shared with other health professionals, White says.

"This effort, we believe, will ultimately improve the quality of health care and the accessibility of nutrition services within the culturally diverse populations that ADA and all health professions serve."

The Chicago-based American Dietetic Association is the nation’s largest organization of food and nutrition professionals. ADA serves the public by promoting optimal nutrition, health and well-being. For more information, visit www.eatright.org.

HRSA, an agency of the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, works to increase the availability of health care to underserved populations, including people with AIDS/HIV; to improve maternal and child health; and to train health professionals.