Role of dietitian in obese patients’ care

Overview

Setting the right eating habits is one of the basic pillars of non-pharmacological treatment of obese patient. Nutritional interventions led by dietitians are a key part of obesity management. The principle of modern nutritional therapy is not the transmission of general information about nutrition, but individualized recommendations. The task of a dietitian is to provide information that is specific, requested, at the right time and in the right form, information that is understandable to the patient and can be included in his/her life.

Dietitian creates a therapeutic relationship with the patient based on trust and accompanies them on his path to mastering the principle of a diet for weight loss. There is thus a shift from a rigid approach to dietary treatment of obese patients, where instead of prescribing a diet aiming at weight loss, the patient is given space for their own active involvement. Emphasis is placed on the long-term sustainability of the newly set regime. Therefore, not only the present comorbidities of obesity, but also other factors such as the patient's daily routine, level of physical activity and individual habits are considered in a well-performed nutritional intervention.

Keywords:

nutritional intervention – dietitian – individual recommendations – long-term sustainability