A Rapid Assessment of the Public Health Dietitian Workforce in Canada: A Call to Action

A rapid assessment was conducted, including a literature review and key informant interviews, to explore optimal staffing levels and factors influencing staffing decisions across public health jurisdictions in Canada, including strategic plans and priorities. The literature review found no current guidance to plan for future public health dietitian workforce needs. An outdated staffing benchmark (1 full-time equivalent [FTE] per 50,000 population) is still referenced in some sources. Twenty-nine individuals from 25 jurisdictions across nine provinces participated via interviews or email. Eleven jurisdictions had public health nutrition-related strategic plans, with common priorities. Staffing numbers from 21 jurisdictions ranged from 1 FTE per 32,000 to 1 FTE per 316,000. Additional staffing challenges that surfaced included lost positions due to attrition or transitions to other roles, insufficient staff for programme needs, increased complexity and inconsistencies in public health dietitian roles and responsibilities across jurisdictions. There is an urgent need for updated workforce planning approaches for public health nutrition practice in Canada. Public health dietitians, leaders, and academics must collaborate to recognize and address this need.