History of the Elsie Widdowson Memorial Lecture

The 2021 lecture 'Diversity and inclusion in Dietetics – where we are and where we need to be' was delivered by Susan Price, Deputy Director (Inclusion, Health and Wellbeing, Social Cohesion and Cultural Development) and Critical Care Dietitian at QE Hospital, Birmingham.

Susan discussed why we need to look at equality, diversity and inclusion in the dietetic workforce and why they cannot just be words on a page, but values that we truly live and demonstrate in all parts of our lives.

Susan addressed how we must be more inclusive now to ensure our future dietetic workforce is fit for purpose and that all feel they can join. She also got us to thinking about our own bias and how we can change our behaviours to be a true ally to others.

Dietetics and the BDA are moving into the future. Be part of it - watch back now and join the conversation on social media with #DiversifyDietetics.

Priya spoke about why as dietitians we also need to think about our role as influencers. With the current climate of social media being the place people go to to get their health information, our role has to include being present and loud on those platforms. This brings with it whole new challenges such as advertising, working with food brands, trolling and where our boundaries lie. With our profession being small and notoriously misunderstood it is time to shine, stick our heads out and show off our specialism. 

Priya talked about her journey in social media and media work, the highs and lows, sharing top tips on how you can get into these areas and exploring the guidance you need to be aware of when you do. As someone who is passionate about the profession and our transparency she talked us through why you need to be on social media and how to start.

Dietitians are an amazing breed but we need to move with the times and follow in the steps of Elsie Widdowson herself, let's be radical.

Dr Madden's lecture examined areas of dietetics that have changed direction as a result of practice, or where once standard approaches have been challenged by emerging evidence and subsequently revised. 

Inspired by Professor Elsie Widdowson’s major contribution to generating and applying scientific evidence, the lecture drew on Dr Madden’s clinical and research expertise using examples from gastroenterology and hepatology. She considered how evidence has changed past and current practice and how dietitians initiate, engage in and lead these developments.

Looking to the future, Dr Madden considered other potential areas of practice, calling on dietitians to continually be curious and critical about their practice and, where evidence suggests it, to challenge the status quo.

Professor Whelan's lecture discussed the gastrointestinal microbiome, a complex ecosystem of trillions of bacteria. He considered how our understanding of its role in health and disease is rapidly expanding as a results of molecular microbiological techniques that can accurately characterise its composition and diversity as well as 'omics' technologies that measure its metabolic activity.

Professor Whelan provided an insight into the exciting research currently underway in the field, including studies and controlled trials of microbiome-modifying interventions and a wide range of disorders. He even shared some exclusive results - which can often be surprising!