How Can Dietitians Leverage Change for Sustainable Food Systems in Canada?

Abstract

Purpose: In this paper, we begin to set out language defining sustainable food systems (SFS) in Canada, through the voices of dietitians, and identify leverage points where dietitians can affect change. Methods: Dietitians of Canada members were invited to a Delphi Inquiry process; questions explored a vision of SFS in Canada, barriers to that vision, and actions. Results were independently analysed by 2 members of the research team who used the Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development to structure the data. Results: Fifty-eight members participated. The resultant vision describes a future food system in 15 thematic areas of the social and ecological systems. Barriers are described according to how they undermine sustainability. High-leverage actions areas included: (i) facilitating knowledge development within the profession and public, (ii) influencing organizational policy to support SFS, and (iii) and influencing public policy. Approaches to such action included: (i) facilitating cross-sectoral collaboration and (ii) applying reflexive approaches. Conclusions: This research suggests a multidimensional understanding of food systems sustainability among dietitians. The vision provides some language to describe what dietitians mean by SFS and can be used as a compass point to orient action. Action areas and approaches have the potential to drive systemic change while avoiding unintended consequences.

Assessing Community Contributions to Sustainable Food Systems: Dietitians Leverage Practice, Process and Paradigms

“…The relationships among vision theme, barriers, SPs, and actions for Canadian Dietitian sustainable food system knowledge development is shown in Table 3. The methods and results of Delphi questions one through three have been previously published (Carlsson et al 2019a), in a journal targeted to this community audience, and a final report to the community, which both examined and related the vision themes against barriers and high-leverage action. The latter was formatted for use as a roadmap (Carlsson et al 2017b) and is being used to inform other strategic work (Dietitians of Canada-Sustainable Food System n.d.; Sharp 2016b).…”

“…This engagement is important for continued learning through contextually relevant knowledge (Lyytimäki et al 2018;Stoecker 2013;Yamala 2004), and Alrøe and colleagues emphasise the importance of learning opportunities that are created by SFS assessments (Alrøe et al 2016). The Delphi Inquiry method used in this research (Carlsson et al 2017b(Carlsson et al , 2019a invited community members, as community experts with relevant knowledge to share, through iterative dialogue about SFS, between themselves, and with the research team. It exposed common, dissenting and diverging views in an anonymous way, such that they were open to discussion.…”

“…Furthermore, the indicator is listed as helpful but inadequate on its own in Table 4. Action areas other than facilitating knowledge development have also been identified (Carlsson et al 2019a), and the development of related indicators for those would support stronger assessment. 9…”

“…Among many other dimensions (Carlsson et al 2017a(Carlsson et al , 2019a, RDs envisioned that "… Canadians have the capacity to produce, access, and prepare food, reflect and act on the socioecological implications of their food choices. … They support a healthy relationship with Reproduced with permission (Carlsson et al 2019a). The actions described by RDs use the language "SFS literacy."…”

“…The Canadian RD community identified 'facilitating knowledge development' as one of three action areas for dietetic contributions to global SFS (Carlsson et al 2019a). Facilitating knowledge development for SFS literacy contributes to food literacy, as per the above definition.…”