The NUTRITION AND DIETETICS DIVISION (NDD) adopts comprehensive, integrated and coordinated care as its approach in the treatment of an individual aim at more effective means of maintaining good health, its restoration and rehabilitation. This was enacted to regulate and standardize the practice of nutrition and dietetics in the Philippines. The Act defines the followings; Dietetics refers to the
science and art of applying the principles of nutrition to the planning and preparation of foods, and the regulation of the diet in relation to both health and disease. It also refers to the promotion, preventive, therapeutic, and administrative aspects of the delivery of nutritional services in hospitals, food service institutions and other health care institutions/facilities. While, Nutrition refers to the science of dealing with foods, nutrient composition, eating habits, nutritional status, and health and diseases of individuals and populations. Nutrition also covers the social, economic, environmental, cultural, political, and psychological implications of food and eating. And lastly, Nutritionist-Dietitian refers to a registered and licensed person who holds a valid certificate of registration and a valid professional identification card issued by the Board and the Commission pursuant to this Act. This covers the following phases of Hospital Nutrition and Dietetics practice:
• Administrative phase includes planning, purchasing, preparing and serving of food to patients and personnel within budget allowances; supervising the handling and storage of food supplies and equipment; directing the maintenance of proper sanitary measures within the department; and the training of personnel.
• Clinical Dietetics phase focuses on the medical nutrition therapy working closely with the health care team to give a holistic approach in the nutrition care process.
• Nutrition Counseling at the Nutrition Clinic is part of the Out-Patient Department/Ambulatory service which handle referred client for nutrition intervention through proper nutrition assessment and evaluation.
• Nutrition Education, Research and Training phase is a continuous development for the division which looks after the best practices that we can adopt for implementation. And also to create and lead in the specialty field of Paediatrics Nutrition.
• Therapeutic phase is an applied nutrition of scientific knowledge presented by various diseases through food and food service component. It is aimed at providing and promoting high quality nutritional care. The Division is responsible in providing quality meals to patients, hospital personnel and other clients at reasonable cost. It shall also fulfill its commitment to the nutrition education of the patients, hospital personnel, students and paramedic groups through and to the continual research and development in the food service management and nutrition.
