Changing what we eat: Can a professional association play a role?

Professional associations have traditionally focused their activities in the provision of services to members. However, this need not be their only role. The Dietitians Association of Australia has chosen to take a proactive approach to changing the way that the Australian people eat. Through a variety of strategies assisted by partnerships with industry, the Association has been able to increase skills of individual members, provide skills to other health providers, increase advocacy, implement health promotion programs and use the media to provide nutrition messages. Encouraging results have been achieved to date that support such a role for professional associations.