Newswise — CHICAGO – Choosing nutritious foods and getting enough physical activity can make a significant difference in your health. For National Nutrition Month® 2020, in March, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics encourages people to make informed food choices and develop sound eating and physical activity habits. 

Each March, the Academy focuses attention on healthful eating through National Nutrition Month®. This year’s theme, Eat Right, Bite by Bite, promotes eating a variety of nutritious foods every day, planning and creating healthful meals each week and the value of consulting a registered dietitian nutritionist. 

“Developing healthful eating habits does not mean undertaking drastic lifestyle changes,” said registered dietitian nutritionist Jerlyn Jones, a national spokesperson for the Academy based in Atlanta, Ga. “Registered dietitian nutritionists help their clients develop individualized eating and activity plans with simple steps that can help them meet their health goals. These simple steps are developed to become lifelong habits.” 

Registered dietitian nutritionists provide recipe ideas, cooking tips and other healthful advice for everyday issues such as cooking dinner or meal preparation for picky eaters. In addition, many registered dietitian nutritionists provide medical nutrition therapy to help clients manage chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and hypertension. They often work as part of a medical team to help clients set nutrition goals to improve their health.     

Medical nutrition therapy provided by a registered dietitian nutritionist includes reviewing the client’s eating habits and lifestyle, assessing their nutritional status and creating a personalized nutrition treatment plan. Many medical plans cover the costs of seeing a registered dietitian nutritionist.

To find a registered dietitian nutritionist near you, use the Academy’s online Find an Expert service.

National Nutrition Month® 

National Nutrition Month® was initiated in 1973 as National Nutrition Week, and it became a month-long observance in 1980 in response to growing interest in nutrition. 

The second Wednesday of March is celebrated as Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Day to commemorate the dedication of registered dietitian nutritionists as the leading advocates for advancing the nutritional status of Americans and people around the world. This year’s celebration will be March 11. 

As part of National Nutrition Month®, the Academy’s website will host resources to spread the message of good nutrition and the importance of an overall healthy lifestyle for people of all ages, genders and backgrounds. The public also can follow National Nutrition Month® on the Academy’s social media channels including Facebook and Twitter using #NationalNutritionMonth. 

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Representing more than 100,000 credentialed practitioners, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is the world’s largest organization of food and nutrition professionals. The Academy is committed to improving the nation’s health and advancing the profession of dietetics through research, education and advocacy. Visit the Academy at www.eatright.org.

Other Link: National Nutrition Month®