{"id":504,"date":"2024-08-29T20:04:51","date_gmt":"2024-08-30T00:04:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/abrdietetics\/?post_type=chapter&p=504"},"modified":"2026-08-18T14:52:20","modified_gmt":"2026-08-18T18:52:20","slug":"5-1-icdep-and-developing-competency-in-abr-matters-for-dietitians","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/abrdietetics\/chapter\/5-1-icdep-and-developing-competency-in-abr-matters-for-dietitians\/","title":{"raw":"5.1: ICDEP and Developing Competency in ABR","rendered":"5.1: ICDEP and Developing Competency in ABR"},"content":{"raw":"

\u201cKnowledge is a garden. If it isn\u2019t cultivated, you can\u2019t harvest it.\"- African Proverb<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\r\nAddressing ABR involves adapting approaches that promote equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI)<\/a> within dietetics. These practices aim to facilitate student engagement, curriculum integration, and increase representation to enhance ABR training for students, educators, and practicing Registered Dietitians (RDs). This chapter provides an introductory guide to recognizing and initiating these practices to create a more inclusive<\/a> and equitable profession.\r\n

Gaps in Education and Governance<\/h2>\r\n

The regulatory bodies, professional dietetic organizations and dietetic programs in Canada lack comprehensive acknowledgement, strategic plans, and curricula on cultural humility and the social determinants of health<\/a>, leaving current and future dietitians unaccountable and ill-equipped to address the unique needs of diverse populations. Addressing these gaps requires a fundamental reorientation of dietetic education to prioritize equity, diversity, and inclusion (Balde & Perreault, 2026; Ng, Wellington & Pabani, 2024; <\/span>Henry & Tator, 2009).<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Continuing Education<\/h2>\r\n

Practicing dietitians may have limited opportunities for continuing education on ABR, resulting in outdated knowledge and practices that do not align with current understanding of health equity and social justice (Ng, Wellington, Pabani, 2024). Although some institutions may recommend or advocate for anti-oppression, cultural humility or anti-racist education, many do not provide these resources and training, which is often not mandated (Balde & Perreault).\u00a0 Investing in ongoing professional development that centers on anti-racist education is essential for advancing equitable nutrition care in Canada (Braveman et al., 2022; National Museum of African American History and Culture, n.d.).<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Professional Norms<\/h2>\r\n

The norms and values embedded within the dietetics profession can perpetuate systemic biases, hindering efforts to promote health equity. Challenging these norms requires a commitment to dismantling institutionalized racism<\/a> within dietetics and fostering a culture of inclusivity, accountability<\/a>, and social responsibility (ACLRC, n.d.; Braveman et al., 2022).<\/p>\r\nIn their 2026 investigation of websites and annual reports, Balde & Perrault found that before 2020, the norm within Canadian dietetic regulatory bodies and professional associations was a complete neglect of anti-Black racism, leading to Black erasure and contributing to systemic oppression (Balde & Perrault, 2026). This was followed by a slow rise in cultural humility and anti-racist education by a\u00a0 \"wave of anti<\/span>-<\/span>racist actions following the murder of George<\/span> Fl<\/span>oyd\" in 2020, which prompts concerns regarding performative activism.\u00a0 Although some institutions have worked beyond organizational acknowledgement statements towards developing anti-Black racism strategic plans and policies, this is not the norm.\u00a0 We will highlight Balde & Perrault's recommendations for how institutions should engage in meaningful anti-racist work in Chapter 6.6: Anti-Oppressive Policy Development.<\/span>\r\n

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Although the governing organization has dissolved, check out the full Integrated Competencies for Dietetic Practice (PDF)<\/a>, established by the Partnership for Dietetic Education and Practice\/ Partenariat pour la formation et la pratique en nutrition <\/span>(Dietitians of Canada, 2015),\u00a0 to see how they stand up to Balde & Perrault's recommendations.<\/span><\/div>\r\nYou may also access the Toronto Metropolitan University School of Nutrition's ICDEP Activity Reference Guide<\/a> for a version of the competencies that you do not need to download (Toronto Metropolitan University, n.d.<\/span>).\r\n\r\nAmong the many challenges faced by BIPOC dietetic students in Canada, Wellington, Lee, Ng and Mensah, also mention the gaps they discovered in their dietetic educational experience (2021).\u00a0 You may learn more by reading their paper entitled Opening the door to dialogue: Experiences from equity-seeking students in dietetic education.<\/a>\r\n\r\nClick the icon on each image to be connected to each resource<\/em>\r\n\r\n[h5p id=\"49\"]\r\n
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Stop and Reflect<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n<\/header>\r\n
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\r\n\r\nPart 1<\/em>\r\n\r\nReflect on your education and professional development growth thus far.\r\n
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  1. What kind of courses, workshops and conferences were you required to take?<\/li>\r\n \t
  2. What elective opportunities were available?<\/li>\r\n \t
  3. Take a look at the current curriculum at your institution, the Integrated Competencies for Dietetic Education and Practice (ICDEP), and the professional development duties required by your regulating colleges or place of employment. You might notice that dietetics continues to primarily focus on biological and behavioural domains of health, with insufficient emphasis on the social domain.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n
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