Students' Perspective:

Why should nutrition students be concerned with human rights? by Lorry Luscri

   The concept of human rights encompasses a wide range of issues important to dietetics and nutrition professionals, including obesity, malnutrition, food safety, and food insecurity. As practicing nutrition and public health professionals, we will need to be informed and educated on topics of human rights whether we are HIGXYZ97HIGZYX working in a clinical setting, providing nutrition education in the community, working on policy development, or practicing nutrition counseling. Much of our attention is devoted to the obesity epidemic in the United States, but this epidemic goes beyond what is offered in the media regarding sedentary lifestyles and overconsumption of soda and fast food. Many things can impact the ability of individuals or populations to consume healthy foods and perform an adequate amount of physical activity. For example, individuals who are in the lowest income levels have a tendency to be overweight or obese. Obesity can be related to food availability, and populations of low socioeconomic status do not have the same access to affordable and nutritious food as those of higher economic groups. In addition, individuals who live in unsafe neighborhoods or areas not conducive to walking or biking have less opportunity for physical activity. Varying levels of nutrition education among cultural and economic groups also impacts eating and physical activity habits, as well as the practice of marketing non-nutritious food items, which is often aimed at these vulnerable populations. All of these aspects influencing obesity are tied to human rights.

On the opposite end of the spectrum is starvation and malnutrition. Compared to the rest of the world, the population of the U.S. that is starving or underfed is quite low, however, we still have undernourished and starving people in our country. In many other countries, starvation is a major issue. Attaining food is an unarguable human right, and clearly connected to food and nutrition careers. Regardless of which career direction you choose to pursue, or whether you chose to practice in the U.S. or abroad, the importance of human rights will be reflected in your work. Nutrition educators must find ways to reach out to underserved populations, while making special considerations for cultural differences. Policymakers will be charged with ensuring legislation is created or maintained to protect children, minorities, and the underprivileged against non-nutritious marketing, and diminishing food insecurity. Clinical dietitians and those in counseling positions will need to understand the background of the population they are working with to best influence their patients’ health. This is a just glimpse as to why we, as nutrition and public health students, should be concerned with and educated about human rights, both in our neighborhood and our world.