IAAND Diversity Project

Diverse communities:  Building cultural competency and humility among nutrition and dietetic professionals

The International Affiliate of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (IAAND) has become increasingly diverse, with members worldwide. As such, dietetic and nutrition professionals need to be diverse and culturally competent in their knowledge, development and implementation of practices informed by differing cultures, beliefs and attitudes. The social, cultural, and linguistic needs of patients, and the entire community, are critical issues and need to be considered to ensure positive health outcomes. IAAND envisions a future where there is “A global community of dietitians and nutrition professionals who engage in food and nutrition-related health initiatives with diverse populations.” To practice in a professional with a diverse population, there is a necessity for developing a short course focusing on building cultural competency and humility in diverse communities to promote the nutrition and dietetic profession. The current short training course will be titled: Diverse communities: Building cultural competency and humility among nutrition and dietetic professionals. By the end of this online training course, nutrition and dietetic professionals will:

1. Enhance the awareness and appreciation for the cultural diversity of the nutrition and dietetic professionals
2. Define and understand concepts of culture, cultural awareness, cultural humility, and cultural competence
3. Identify how to incorporate cultural humility into the profession of nutrition and dietetic through practical application
4. Enhance the capacities and skills necessary to work effectively across diverse cultures focusing on issues such as openness, appreciation, and acceptance
5. Highlight the current critiques to using cultural competence principles and learn how cultural humility can be supplemented to create a more diverse, accepting, welcoming, and reflective working environment

Target group:

Arabic speaking dietitians who are members of IAAND. The training course also targets Sudanese who, due to financial constraints, cannot join IAAND. Final year students; Graduate students; Employed Dietitians. Their age is >22 years old, male and female dietitians, from various cultural background, Arabic speakers (understanding, writing, speaking, reading). This course is expected to reach >500 dietetic and nutrition professionals who speak the Arabic language. The course will be delivered in the Arabic language, with specific terms being highlighted in English (e.g. diversity, competence, humility) and translated into the Arabic language.