Is a nutritionist needed in public hospitals in Spain?
Since 2003, Law 44/2003 on the regulation of health professions has recognized the dietitian-nutritionist as a health professional. However, in most autonomous communities, their presence in Spanish hospitals is insufficient.
Experts are relegated to a secondary role
We all know that what we eat and our lifestyle are key to preventing and treating diseases like obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes. But nutritionists, dietitians and nutritionists are not yet part of the healthcare team treating these conditions.
In fact, in most hospitals in Spain, it is the doctors, nurses or pharmacists who are responsible for preparing patients’ diets, relegating nutritionists to a secondary role.
This is something we also see often on social media, where influential people With thousands or millions of followers, they openly give advice on food and nutrition. Although they are not health experts, they share what they eat daily, their recipes, workouts, or even tips on how to “lose weight” in a short time.
But you have to be very careful, because what works for them may not work for others. So it is very important that these tips are personalized and come from a nutritionist who knows how to adjust the diet so that it is tailored to the needs of each person.
The number of digestive system diseases is growing
The most curious thing is that digestive diseases such as gastritis or irritable bowel syndrome continue to increase in the population, and dietitians are usually not part of the medical team that treats them. This can be very frustrating for nutrition students at Spanish universities, as many think that they will only be able to work in private consultations. And, in addition, they will almost always treat patients who simply want to lose weight.
However, dietitians are trained to do much more, such as promoting cardiovascular disease treatment, participating in nutrition and health research groups, or even working on mood and energy.
On the other hand, malnutrition and sarcopenia (loss of muscle mass) are serious and growing problems in hospitalized people. Patients undergoing long-term treatment often lose their appetite, suffer from metabolic or psychological disorders, or experience side effects that affect their diet. These problems reduce your quality of life, increase mortality and health care costs. Identifying and treating them would be an ideal task for dietitians.
What are your powers?
In 2003, a group of experts from universities such as Alfonso This consensus document details the roles of the dietitian-nutritionist in hospitals, outpatient clinics, and primary care settings. Some of these competencies include:
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Assess the patient’s nutritional status to develop an intervention and follow-up plan based on the patient’s condition and medical conditions.
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Communicate dietary characteristics to health care staff and share patient information such as attitude and diagnosis.
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Attend medical visits to discuss dietary changes based on the patient’s progress.
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Participate in group therapy.
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Develop educational programs on food and nutrition.
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Collaborate on nutritional support at home as needed.
Poor nutrition takes years off your life
It is important to note that, according to the 2015 global report, “dietary risks associated with dietary factors” were the largest contributor to years of life lost due to disease, disability or premature death. Of the ten major risk factors mentioned in the report, four were diet-related.
This clearly demonstrates that dietitians are essential for the prevention and treatment of diseases. However, more research is needed to confirm whether it is cost-effective to include them in the Spanish health system.
Access to quality health care should be a right available to all who contribute to the existence of public services. And it should not be limited to a few citizens who can afford a personalized diet. Unfortunately, the lack of dietitians in the Spanish health system highlights a missed opportunity to improve health care and the quality of life of patients, despite the training and competence of these professionals.
Monica Garcia Sardon, a nutritionist and health information intern, contributed to this article.