Communicating Nutrition and Dietetics Research: A Crucial Step to Advancing Evidence-Based Practice

Abstract

The primary objective of nutrition research is to make discoveries that will improve human health, and this is more likely to happen when researchers collaborate and share research findings with clinicians, program and policy makers, and the public. Nutrition research directly informs evidence-based care provided by registered dietitian nutritionists. However, the current academic model often lacks sufficient incentives and preparation for researchers to effectively disseminate their work. Consequently, research findings can be misrepresented, misinterpreted, distorted from their original context, or fail to reach the intended audience altogether. The aim of this article was to describe the importance and value of communication and disseminating nutrition research with various audiences and discuss what material should be disseminated. The information presented can serve as a guide for nutrition researchers to effectively disseminate their research for maximal impact and relevance.

Keywords: Dietetics; Dissemination; Evidence-based practice; Nutrition research; Science communication.