Practice of anthropometry for adolescents in Saudi Arabia and the need for sustainability of the practice: lessons from the UK, Dr Elham Aljaaly and Dr Nahlaa Khalifa
Elham A. Aljaaly
King Abdulaziz University
Saudi Arabia
Nahlaa A. Khalifa
King Abdulaziz University
Saudi Arabia
Purpose: To approach and commend the national organising bodies for nutrition and dietetic services in Saudi Arabia by learning lessons from the United Kingdom (UK) in endorsing and standardising the practice of anthropometry for adolescents. This is in order to ensure good quality and sustainability of this practice.
Design/methods: A practice evaluation survey was conducted to define and critique dietetic practice concerning anthropometric
assessment for the adolescent age group in 10 governmental and private operating hospitals in Jeddah City. The hospitals surveyed were general with a bed capacity of more than 150 that employed at least four dietitians.
Findings: Membership of the Saudi Dietetic Association (SDA) was confi rmed by only 10% of hospital dietitians, while no UK dietitian can practice the profession unless they have been reg istered by the British Dietetics Associations (BDA). Standards for practice followed were either national (10%) or international (60%) or both (30%).This is individualised by each dietetics department and is not unified or governed by a national organisation. Most (80%) of the practicing dietitians identify their individual scope of practice, the use of growth charts and reference data in assessing the growth of their patients. A lesson to learn from the BDA is to apply sustainability and resilience to all aspects of nutrition and dietetics practice, which are broader than any one specific practice setting or individual intervention.
Conclusions: The present study examines practices of anthropometry for adolescents in Jeddah hospitals, to identify enablers and obstacles for this type of assessment.
Originality/value: We predict this study will highlight the importance of standardising the practice of anthropometric assessment among the adolescent age group. The study is also a call for the SDA to emphasise its role in governing and defi ning guidelines in all areas of dietetics practice.
Keywords: dietetics; practice; adolescents; anthropometry; assessment;United Kingdom; UK; Saudi Arabia.
Citation: Aljaaly, E., Khalifa, E. (2016): Practice of anthropometry for adolescents in Saudi Arabia and the need for sustainability of the practice: lessons from the UK. In Ahmed, A. (Ed.): Europe at a Crossroads and the Impact of Globalization, Vol. 14, pp. 175-185.
