The Dietitian Cafe Nualtra

As a dietitian, have you ever wondered about being quoted in the paper, interviewed on the radio or even appearing on a TV programme? If so, then today’s episode is just for you! Dietitians in the media play a crucial role in shaping public understanding and perceptions of nutrition and health, by translating complex nutritional information into accessible and relatable content. Today we’re joined by two expert guests and BDA media-spokespeople who have a wealth of experience in this area, appearing in print media as well as on TV and radio. Our guests will shine a light on the role of a media dietitian, unpack the training required and we’ll hear their top tips on breaking into this area of dietetics.

Aisling is a Nutritionist and Registered Dietitian as well as a BDA spokesperson. She has 12 years of health and nutrition experience, varying across a variety of healthcare, academic and media settings. Aisling’s nutrition messages are simple and realistic and she takes an anti-fad, pro-health approach to diet and health. Aisling is currently working as Paediatric Diabetes Dietitian at Cardiff and Vale University Health Board part time alongside her PhD at Cardiff Metropolitan University. Aisling runs a freelance consultancy Dietitian Wales. At the moment she is also running a special one-off series of media training for the British Dietetic Association specialist groups and branches.

Clare is a Registered Dietitian and BDA media spokesperson - She was awarded BDA spokesperson of the year in 2019 and 2023! Clare qualified 14 years ago and has specialised in paediatrics for the last 12 years. For the past 12 months she has worked in the NHS as a Lead Principal Dietitian for a hospital on the South Coast, prior to this she spent a number of years at Great Ormond Street. Alongside, Clare has a freelance private practice where she offers private consultations and she also works with food companies in product development and recipe analysis and with law firms as an expert witness. She is a regular contributor to the written media and TV and Radio. Clare is also on the committee of the ARFID SIG group which is a very active group, about to be launched as a new BDA Group. She was one of the authors of the BDA Position Statement and they have just written a new BDA course on managing ARFID with the first date set for May.


Show Notes:
Aisling’s website: https://dietitianwales.co.uk
Aisling’s Instagram and X: @dietitianwales

Clare’s website: https://claretw.com
Clare’s Instagram: @claretwdiet
Clare’s X: @thorntonwood
• BDA media course link: https://www.bda.uk.com/news-campaigns/media/bda-media-training.html
• BDA Press Office email: pr@bda.uk.com
• Recent news stories featuring BDA spokespeople: https://www.bda.uk.com/news-campaigns/media/in-the-media.html

For our debate today, we will be discussing the hot topic of nutrition misinformation. In recent months it has been the subject of much debate amongst nutrition experts. We will be discussing the reasons behind the spread of misinformation, the damage it does, and brainstorming the best ways to deal with it. So, in this month’s episode, we’re tackling it head-on and bringing together experts who know their stuff to unpack nutrition misinformation and share their top tips on combating it. We're delighted to be joined by Anna Wheeler, a registered nutritionist with 20 years of experience in a range of nutrition roles along with Lauren Griffin, a registered dietitian with experience across both the NHS and private sectors.

Lauren Griffin is a HCPC Registered Dietitian working in the NHS and private sector. Lauren has extensive clinical experience in oncology, surgery, and ITU, among other specialties. Lauren is committed to continued professional development, completing her PENG clinical update in 2021 and presenting research projects at international conferences, including EFAD. Alongside her clinical work, Lauren runs her own freelance consultancy, providing 1:1 nutritional coaching and health writing. Translating the complex science of nutrition into practical strategies for everyday life. Passionate about dispelling nutritional misinformation, Lauren's recent focus on ultra-processed foods and continuous glucose monitoring showcases her commitment for accurate information, highlighting her advocacy for nutritional literacy.
Anna is a Registered Nutritionist with 20 years’ experience. Anna started her career at a trade association and then held various positions within multinational companies Unilever and Coca-Cola Great Britain – in local and global roles, catering, technical, communications and stakeholder engagement.

Anna started her consultancy business, Anna Wheeler Nutrition Limited, in 2017. She Co-Founded Nutrition Talent in 2018. Nutrition Talent is a nutrition consultancy and recruitment company specialising in the provision of nutrition expertise. Anna now works across the two companies, spending more of her time working for Nutrition Talent. Anna is co-host of Nutrition Talent’s Humans of Nutrition podcast.

Anna chaired Nutritionists in Industry – a group of nutritionists working across retail, manufacturing, caterers etc., for over four years and still sits on the committee.


Show Notes:
Anna’s website: https://www.nutritiontalent.com/
Anna’s Twitter: @NutritionTalent and @NutritionAB
Lauren’s Twitter: @LaurenGriffinRD

Useful documents and resources:
• Academy of Nutrition Sciences: https://www.academynutritionsciences.org.uk/
• CAP non-broadcast code: https://www.asa.org.uk/codes-and-rulings/advertising-codes/non-broadcast-code.html
• CAP broadcast code: https://www.asa.org.uk/codes-and-rulings/advertising-codes/broadcast-code.html
• The BDA and social media: https://www.bda.uk.com/about-us/the-bda-and-social-media.html
• BDA Ads and Fads campaign: https://www.bda.uk.com/news-campaigns/campaigns/campaign-topics/ads-and-fads.html
• Association for Nutrition’s Standards of ethics, conduct, and performance: https://www.associationfornutrition.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AfN-Standards-Ethics-Conduct-Performance.pdf

As women’s health becomes less of a taboo topic, conversations surrounding menstruation, menopause and conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are becoming more common place. Some individuals are homing in on their hormonal health and looking for nutritional solutions to positively impact their hormones. But is it all just another nutrition fad? Can you balance your hormones with your diet, is that necessary, and what does the evidence say? Join us today as we examine a selection of the diets and ideas you may have heard about in this area as well as discussing hormonal health in some specific women’s health conditions.

Joining us on today's show are Jodie Relf and Laura Clark.

Jodie Relf is a Registered Dietitian certified by the HCPC, and proudly serves as a media spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association. Her focus is on providing specialized support for individuals with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS).
Jodie's journey began when she was diagnosed with PCOS in her early twenties, and quickly realized the scarcity of reliable guidance on managing this condition. Determined to make a difference, Jodie dedicates herself to extensive research, translating scientific findings into practical advice tailored for those with PCOS.
Beyond her work in nutrition, she holds qualifications as a Pilates instructor, integrating movement into her holistic approach to wellness. Jodie is passionate about creating PCOS-friendly recipes that are both nutritious and delicious. Balancing her professional endeavours, she is also a devoted mother of two very busy little humans and a fair-weather paddleboarder.

Laura provides consultancy for individuals, employees/ businesses and food brands. She combines her love of science, people and food, to provide insightful evidence-based expertise, tailored to real life.
The Menopause Dietitian evolved from Laura Clark Nutrition, which Laura established in 2004. It brings together solid nutrition and behavioural change foundations mixed with a compassionate and realistic approach, to get to the heart of what the mid-life woman experiencing the menopausal transition needs for her physical and emotional health.
Laura frequently contributes to mainstream press and media, including consultancy and TV appearances for the BBC and ITV.


Show notes:
Laura’s socials:
Instagram: @menopause.dietitian and @pausetonourish
Website: https://www.themenopausedietitian.co.uk and https://www.lecnutrition.co.uk

Jodie’s socials:
Instagram: @jodie_relf
Website: https://www.thepcosdietitian.co.uk

Today we're discussing and learning more about a fascinating area – neonatal dietetics. Joining Corrine to shed some light on this area are two brilliant, registered dietitians Kate Arnold and Moriam Mustapha. Kate comes at the topic from a clinical angle as Clinical Lead Neonatal Dietitian at King’s College Hospital, London, and Mo more from a policy angle in her role as Lead Neonatal Network Dietitian at the London Neonatal Operational Delivery Network.
We’ll ask about the day-to-day of a neonatal dietitian, before discussing whether more neonatal dietitians are needed and also touching on the use of AI in this area.

Moriam has over 15 years of extensive clinical experience in paediatric and neonatal nutrition through the NHS and abroad and has written for numerous magazines and peer-reviewed journals. Moriam is passionate about neonatal and infant nutrition and hopes to work towards equitable and standardised nutritional care across the London network, in part, through establishing the multidisciplinary London Neonatal Nutrition Group.

Moriam is an active member of the Neonatal Dietitians Interest Group - NDiG (subgroup of the British Dietetics Association – BDA). She is also an executive committee member of the British Association of Perinatal Medicine - BAPM, and the Allied Health & Public Affairs committees of the European Society of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition - ESPGHAN.

Kate is the Clinical Lead Neonatal Dietitian at King’s College Hospital, London and has worked as a dietitian for 25 years. She has specialised in neonates for just over 20 years, managing nutritional care for preterm and sick term infants. She has extensive knowledge in neonatal nutrition and is passionate about improving outcomes for these vulnerable infants. She is currently clinical lead neonatal dietitian at King’s College Hospital, managing a dietetic team covering 50 cots across two sites - a large surgical tertiary neonatal intensive care unit at the Denmark Hill site and a smaller local unit at the Princess Royal University Hospital site. King’s is also one of the largest liver and intestinal rehabilitation centres in the UK and, consequently, she has gained extensive experience in the management of surgical neonates including those requiring long term parenteral nutrition and intestinal rehabilitation. Kate is actively involved in research and teaching within neonatal nutrition and has presented at a local, national and international level.


Show Notes:

AI in the NICU article: https://www.dhinsights.org/news/ai-in-the-nicu

BDA Neonatal Nutrition module (Module 5):
https://www.bda.uk.com/events/calendar/paediatric-module-5-adv744-neonatal-nutrition.html

E-learning for health neonatal modules:
https://www.e-lfh.org.uk/programmes/introduction-to-allied-health-professionals-in-neonatal-care/

ESPGHAN recommendations - Enteral Nutrition in Preterm Infants - Future Learn platform:
https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/espghan-recommendation-for-enteral-nutrition-in-preterm-infants

London Neonatal Network: https://londonneonatalnetwork.org.uk/our-london-neonatal-units/

Neonatal Dietitians Interest group (NDiG):
https://www.bda.uk.com/specialist-groups-and-branches/paediatric-specialist-group/paediatric-sub-groups-home/neonatal-dietitians-sub-group.html

NHS-E Neonatal critical care review: https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/implementing-the-recommendations-of-the-neonatal-critical-care-transformation-review/

Neonatal Nutrition Network (N3):
https://neonatalnutritionnetwork.org

‘The evolving role of dietitians in neonatal units and beyond’ research paper: https://authors.elsevier.com/a/1icXO6EIwSw1p0

Registered dietitians and nutritionists are uniquely qualified to participate in policy and inform evidence-based policy decisions related to nutrition, dietary guidelines, and public health initiatives. The British Dietetic Association advocates for the role of dietitians in policy development and highlights their contributions to improving public health, but are there enough dietitians and nutrition experts working in policy in the UK? To help us answer these questions and dig deeper into this debate, we are delighted to be joined by registered dietitian Dr Carrie Ruxton.

After completing a PhD at Queen Margaret University, Carrie Ruxton had a series of 1-year jobs – which included NHS dietitian, university lecturer and Executive Secretary of the Nutrition Society – before realising she was happiest being a freelancer. Twenty years later, she is still working for a variety of food companies and trade bodies helping to communicate nutrition science to different audiences. This involves content creation, public relations, opinion leader campaigns and commissioning research.

Carrie is a Board member of Quality Meat Scotland (2023-) and the Trustee for Strategic Communications at the Nutrition Society (2020-). She also served as a Board member of Food Standards Scotland from its launch in 2015 to 2023. Outside of work, Carrie stood for Parliament three times (1999-2006), gaining valuable skills in public speaking and media engagement. She also contributes regularly to newspaper articles and radio shows and has several TV credits. Her awards include the BDA's Elizabeth Washington Award (2011), Emerald Literati Outstanding Paper Award (2011) and Complete Nutrition's Writer of the Year (2013-14). In 2023, Carrie was nominated for Nutritionist of the Year by the Food and Drink Federation.

Show Notes

Carrie Ruxton’s website: www.nutrition-communications.com/
BDA Public Health Specialist Group Committee: www.bda.uk.com/specialist-groups…up/committee.html

In today's episode, we take a look at the fascinating world of nutrition for elite athletes. Our guest has worked with some of the best including the likes of Liverpool football club and Team Sky for the Tour de France, as well as authoring over 200 research publications in the fields of exercise metabolism, exercise physiology, and sports nutrition. It is our pleasure to welcome Professor James Morton!
James is a Professor of Exercise Metabolism at Liverpool John Moores University where he has authored over 200 research publications related to sports physiology and nutrition. James has also worked in a number of performance support related roles across both high-performance sport and industry. From 2010-2015, he was the performance nutritionist to Liverpool FC before taking up the position of Nutrition and Physical Performance Lead for Team Sky between 2015 and 2019. In this role, he was responsible for the performance nutrition strategy for 5 consecutive Tour de France wins. James is also the Director of Performance Solutions for Science in Sport (SiS) where he leads the Performance Solutions programme that encompasses the strategic delivery of bespoke performance solutions and innovation for SiS and their elite partners. James also advises INEOS Sport, where he has led the creation and delivery of the INEOS X programme that aims to share knowledge and best practice on leadership, coaching, and performance support across the INEOS Sport portfolio, that includes the INEOS Grenadiers cycling team, the All Blacks Rugby team and Mercedes Formula 1 team. He is also a Performance Mentor for the FA Premier League and sits on the Technical Steering Panel for the UK Sports Institute.

Show Notes:
James’ Twitter: @JamesyMorton

Useful documents and resources:
• American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) position stands:
https://www.acsm.org/education-resources/pronouncements-scientific-communications/position-stands (including key guideline- Nutrition and Athletic Performance)

• Gatorade Sports Science Institute (GSSI) Sports Nutrition Toolkit:
https://performancepartner.gatorade.com/resources/resource/gssi-sports-nutrition-toolkit

• GSSI- Continuing Education
https://www.gssiweb.org/toolbox/continuing-education/courseCatalog

• My Sports Science (including academy):
https://www.mysportscience.com/

• International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) position stands:
https://www.biomedcentral.com/collections/issnposp