By: Krystal Register, MS, RDN, LDN, Senior Director, Health & Well-being, FMI
Findings from an FMI food retailer survey indicate that health and well-being programs are a priority, with 79% of retailer respondents indicating that they provide customer-facing programs specifically to help with the management and treatment of disease, and 85% providing similar programs to help employees. Retail registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs) meet with both customers and employees to shop the aisles, both in the store and virtually online to provide nutrition education and practical tips while also providing Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) to manage and treat disease, translating the science of food into healthy habits.
In this video, Bridget Wojciak, RDN, LD, director of nutrition with The Kroger Co. expands on MNT and the benefits of working one-on-one with an RDN right in the grocery store by explaining that, “If you provide this service in a retail setting the value unlock is unprecedented, both to the shopper, the retailer and the healthcare system.” Stacy Bates, RDN, CDE, director wellness nutrition services for H-E-B, explains that, “The grocery store is the ideal place for disease management and treatment support because it is accessible and it’s convenient and it’s where people are.”
The examples shared show how the food retail setting provides a unique opportunity for RDNs to improve public health by providing innovative, nutrition-focused, solution-oriented guidance for shoppers and connecting healthcare to the grocery store. To see how all of this connects to the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition and Health, please visit our webpage: www.FMI.org/WHConference.