Summarized and written by: Brenda Borba, RDN
Nutritional counseling is recognized as the first line approach when managing a variety of chronic diseases. This can range from cancer, diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, inflammatory bowel disease, to eating disorders and malnutrition. These health problems pose a significant effect on one’s nutritional status and overall well-being. It can affect digestion, absorption of food, and/or place a significant burden on the overall health of a population and health care systems. Over the years, nutrition counseling has become recommended as a key intervention and has been proven to be effective in managing these chronic diseases (1).
In today’s fast-paced world, it’s easy to overlook the importance of regular check-ins with your nutritionist and/or dietitian. Whether it’s due to a busy schedule, financial constraints, or simply a lapse in motivation, many people find themselves taking breaks from their nutrition appointments. However, these gaps in care can have unintended consequences on one’s overall health. In this blog post, we’ll explore why taking time off from seeing a dietitian/nutritionist can be detrimental to one’s well-being, supported by research that emphasizes the importance of continuous nutritional guidance.
Nutritional counseling is more than setting the typical “weight-loss” goals. It’s about working together with your dietitian as a team to help maintain optimal health based on your individual needs. Dietitians provide personalized dietary recommendations, monitor progress, adjust plans based on one’s health needs and motivate an individual to make these changes. Regular visits with a dietitian play a crucial role in keeping you on track to meet your goals and to ensure that your daily dietary habits remain aligned to prevent the progression of chronic diseases.
Regular meetings provide ongoing education, motivation, and accountability. Skipping these sessions can lead to a gradual return to previous unhealthy eating patterns. Remember, the practices and tools learned in session with your dietitian won’t stick overnight – this is why continuous nutritional guidance is important to create new habits and make change. Continuous nutrition counseling may help with better adherence to dietary recommendations and more significant long-term health benefits compared to intermittent counseling.
Checking in with your dietitian also offers an opportunity to identify and address emerging health issues before they progress to be more serious ones. For instance, a dietitian can detect early signs of malnutrition and nutrient deficiencies or imbalances that may not be immediately apparent to the individual. A study in the “Journal of the American Dietetic Association” explains how nutrition counseling has been demonstrated to improve weight loss and maintenance, blood glucose levels for persons with type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease risk factors. A plethora of evidence exists to support the use of cognitive behavioral therapy to facilitate behavior change targeted to the reduction of cardiovascular disease risk, prevention and treatment of diabetes, and weight loss (2). Missing appointments can delay the identification and treatment of such conditions, potentially leading to worsened health outcomes.
Dietitians often serve as a source of motivation and accountability, which can be especially important when making lifestyle changes. Regular interaction helps reinforce commitment to health goals and provides encouragement to stay on track. A study published in “National Library of Medicine” revealed that health behavior models that include accountability would recognize that the Hawthorne effect is a manifestation of a powerful, valuable tool that health care providers can use to promote better adherence to treatment (3). With frequent contact with a dietitian, it encourages continuous accountability held to the individual while encouraging adherence to their dietary plans and ultimately achieving their health goals. Without this support, individuals might struggle with maintaining motivation and following through with their dietary changes.
Taking time off from seeing your dietitian may seem like a harmless decision, but the consequences can be significant. Disruptions in regular nutritional guidance can lead to a return to unhealthy habits, missed opportunities for early intervention, and decreased motivation. The research clearly shows that consistent nutrition counseling plays a vital role in achieving and maintaining health goals.
If you’re considering taking a break from your dietitian, it’s worth weighing these potential risks. Regular appointments not only provide valuable support and education, but also help in preventing and managing health issues effectively. Your health is an ongoing journey, and maintaining a steady relationship with your dietitian can be a key factor in ensuring long-term success and well-being.
References:
- Vasiloglou MF, Fletcher J, Poulia KA. Challenges and Perspectives in Nutritional Counselling and Nursing: A Narrative Review. J Clin Med. 2019 Sep 18;8(9):1489. doi: 10.3390/jcm8091489. PMID: 31540531; PMCID: PMC6780101.
- Joanne M. Spahn, Rebecca S. Reeves, Kathryn S. Keim, Ida Laquatra, Molly Kellogg, Bonnie Jortberg, Nicole A. Clark, State of the Evidence Regarding Behavior Change Theories and Strategies in Nutrition Counseling to Facilitate Health and Food Behavior Change, Journal of the American Dietetic Association,Volume 110, Issue 6,2010, Pages 879-891, ISSN 0002-8223, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jada.2010.03.021. (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002822310002415)
- Oussedik E, Foy CG, Masicampo EJ, Kammrath LK, Anderson RE, Feldman SR. Accountability: a missing construct in models of adherence behavior and in clinical practice. Patient Prefer Adherence. 2017 Jul 25;11:1285-1294. doi: 10.2147/PPA.S135895. PMID: 28794618; PMCID: PMC5536091.