The Need for Culturally Centered Nutrition Care in the United States
B
eing of bicultural heritage and a champion for nutrition equity, diversity, and inclusion throughout my professional career, I am thrilled and honored to write
the foreword for the second edition of this book, Culture, Foodways & Counseling: A Guide to Culturally Sensitive Nutrition Care in the United States. In our increasingly globalized world and diverse nation, registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs) and nutrition and dietetic technicians, registered (NDTRs) must be able to practice with cultural humility and competency. Diet-related health disparities are pervasive and are a call for a more culturally tailored and person-centered approach to address these disparities in clinical practice and in communities across the nation. It is clear that a one-size-fits-all approach to nutrition counseling and care is woefully inadequate. In fact, the Scientific Report of the 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee examined the relationship between diet and health using a health equity lens and recommends flexible, healthy food patterns designed to meet people where they are with special attention to budgetary, cultural, and personal preferences.