Motivation and the Dietitian: Dietitians Must Increase Their Efforts to Motivate and Bring About Long-Term Success in Their Clients

Author

Cory Ann Hansen, Utah State UniversityFollow

Date of Award

5-2006

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Departmental Honors

Department

Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Sciences

Abstract

Perhaps the most difficult aspect of a dietitian's job is motivating clients to make necessary changes in their lives to benefit their health. Although most people are capable of enduring short-term attempts at healthy living, a lifetime of appropriate dietary habits is difficult for virtually everyone. One of the greatest challenges of long-term success is a lack of motivation. This signifies that it is not skills or knowledge that people lack in general. Therefore, dietitians must focus part of their efforts on motivation rather than simply teaching people what they need to do. Methods that have been found to be helpful in promoting motivation and long-term success include an individualized approach, early detection and interventions, ongoing care, follow-ups, support aids, connecting with clients on a more personal level, designing small steps, and utilizing a counseling-based rather than skill-based approach. By utilizing these various methods, dietitians can maximize their abilities to help clients make changes that last for a lifetime.

Recommended Citation

Hansen, Cory Ann, "Motivation and the Dietitian: Dietitians Must Increase Their Efforts to Motivate and Bring About Long-Term Success in Their Clients" (2006). Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects. 726.
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/honors/726