Author(s)

Melissa Johnson

Department of Human Sciences, Southern University and A&M College, Baton Rouge, USA.

Chronic diet-related diseases are among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the United States and worldwide. The challenges of food access, affordability, variety and nutritional adequacy—all precursors to food security, coupled with unmodifiable risk factors such as genetic traits (i.e., family history), age, gender, race and ethnicity may predispose individuals to increased risk for disease pathogenesis. Other factors such as certain co-morbidities (e.g., prediabetes, diabetes, hypertension, obesity, etc.), demographic, behavioral and lifestyle characteristics, although modifiable, may promote advanced disease trajectories if not rehabilitated. As individual determinants of health are diverse, a diverse team of healthcare professionals is necessary in addressing the challenge of chronic diet-related disease, which may be one of the greatest threats to public health. Critical to this team are individuals within the nutrition and dietetics profession. This short narrative review will briefly address select challenges and opportunities for diversity in the human nutrition and dietetics profession.

Nutrition, Dietetics, Diversity, Chronic Disease, Public Health

Johnson, M. (2025) Diversity in the Human Nutrition and Dietetics Profession: Challenges and Opportunities. Food and Nutrition Sciences, 16, 1742-1752. doi: 10.4236/fns.2025.1611102.