Are you ready for National Nutrition Month? It’s here!
- Barbara J. Mayfield, MS, RDN, LD, FAND
- 3 hours ago
- 3 min read
Happy 53rd National Nutrition Month (NNM)! This annual campaign has celebrated our profession, Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs), Registered Nutrition and Dietetics Technicians (RNDTs), and the importance of good nutrition every March since 1973.
Each year, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics selects a theme and key messages to promote healthful eating and physical activity. This year's theme is "Discover the Power of Nutrition." According to the Academy’s website:
“Nutrition has the power to help individuals and communities thrive. Discover how food and beverage choices can help power your day. Learn tips for accessing healthy foods in your area. And build healthy habits into your day to help you feel great now and in the future.”
If you are a food and nutrition professional, the Academy has numerous resources to help you promote NNM to your audiences: https://www.eatright.org/national-nutrition-month/resources. Check them out. No need to reinvent the wheel.
I have been impressed with the key messages selected over the years. They are positive, practical, and this year – powerful. Let’s look at each week’s messages along with one idea to put them into practice.
National Nutrition Month® Weekly Messages
Week 1: Power Your Day with Nutrition.
This message is closely related to the overall message to Discover the Power of Nutrition. It reminds us that nutrition provides the energy we need to live, grow, move, and thrive. The following sub-messages remind us that we need a variety of food from all food groups, which is the opposite of a fad diet.
Choose healthful foods from all food groups.
Alternate your food choices for a variety of nutrients.
Avoid fad diets that promote unnecessary restrictions.
Idea: Compare the nutrition of one day’s meals from a balanced diet with a fad diet.
Week 2: Find Advice Backed by Science.
This message is more important than ever before, with the rampant misinformation misleading consumers today. Public trust of science is at an all-time low. Food and nutrition professionals are trained in translating science in ways that audiences can understand and relate to. The following sub-messages promote this role of RDNs.
Find accurate sources for nutrition information.
Meet with an RDN who specializes in your unique needs.
Receive personalized nutrition information from an RDN to meet your health goals.
Idea: Demonstrate using the Academy’s Fact Check site and/or utilize the Academy’s A Seat at Every Table campaign.
Week 3: Stay Nourished on Any Budget.
This message is timely with the high cost of groceries. Thousands of food and nutrition professionals work for community programs that teach meal planning and preparation, smart shopping, and family nutrition. Our profession and professional organizations advocate for access to healthy food and teaching the public how to maximize food dollars.
Learn cooking and meal preparation skills that work with the resources you have.
Locate community resources such as SNAP, WIC, and local food banks.
Advocate for nutrition policies that serve you, your family and community.
Idea: Provide recipes and/or a food demonstration at a local food bank.
Week 4: Feel Good with Healthy Habits.
This message encompasses several nutrition-related health habits – food safety, meal planning, and physical activity. Overall, it also reminds us that healthy habits provide benefits, including feeling good. Other healthy habits could be highlighted depending on the audience's needs.
Reduce the risk of foodborne illness with home food safety.
Plan in advance to avoid mealtime stress.
Include physical activity in ways that work for you.
Idea: Assess your audience to determine which healthy habit they most need help to achieve.
Previous posts about NNM:
“To eat is a necessity, but to eat intelligently is an art.” ~ François de La Rochefoucauld, French author
If you liked this content, please share it.
