Credentialed Dietetics Practitioners with Disabilities Get the Job Done

Dietetics practitioners are food experts who help people eat better. They work in various settings including hospitals, research, sports nutrition, community health, food service, the military, nursing homes, education, outpatient offices, and the food industry. Most dietetics practitioners are female, white, and able-bodied. Only 2% of dietetics practitioners have disabilities compared to 29% of US adults. There is a crucial need for more dietetics practitioners with disabilities.

This book features autobiographies of 15 disabled dietetics practitioners who describe their journeys navigating college, internships, credentialing exams, employment, and accommodations along with their disability culture concerning food (e.g., shopping, preparing, eating). Their disabilities include cerebral palsy, spinal cord injury, vision, hearing, and various chronic illnesses. Seven educational chapters cover topics including disability resources, disability statistics, and how to become a dietetics practitioner.

All book royalties will be donated to create a dietetics workforce that has more people with disabilities and to educate the dietetics workforce about disabilities.