Nutrition Professionals' Confidence Recommending Integrative Medicine Modalities

Abstract

The study aimed to examine whether registered dietitians' (RDs') practice areas were associated with their confidence regarding integrative medicine (IM) modalities. An online survey was completed by 5164 members of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Post hoc analyses revealed that when compared with other practice areas, RDs practicing within IM reported the highest self-rated confidence when recommending high-quality supplements (84.2%, P < .01), disease-specific supplements (73.7%, P < .001), herbal supplements (73.7%, P < .001), and functional foods (84.2%, P < .001). RDs who utilize IM are most confident incorporating IM modalities into their practice, while those employed in other practice areas are significantly less confident.