Diettetikk

Diettetikk is a field that examines the ethical questions arising in diet, nutrition, and weight-related interventions. It explores how dietary advice is produced and used, who benefits or bears burden, and how policies, professionals, and industries influence what people eat. The scope includes clinical dietetics, public health nutrition, and the ethics of nutrition research and industry practices.

Core concerns in diettetikk include respect for autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice. This means supporting informed, voluntary decisions; balancing potential benefits and harms of dietary interventions; and ensuring fair access to nutritious options across populations. Cultural sensitivity, individual preferences, and the social determinants of health are integral, as are considerations of environmental sustainability and animal welfare.

Applications and challenges span several domains. In clinical dietetics, practitioners must reconcile evidence-based guidance with patient values and avoid coercive or stigmatizing approaches to weight. In public health, policies promoting healthy eating should respect individual choice while addressing inequities and broader determinants of diet. Industry and advertising raise issues of truthfulness, conflicts of interest, and responsible marketing of diet products. Research ethics cover consent, privacy, and responsible reporting of findings, with attention to the limitations of metrics like BMI.

Debates in diettetikk often focus on the role of weight loss as a health goal, the ethics of weight stigma, and how to balance person-centred care with population-level nutrition objectives. The field continues to evolve toward dignity, inclusivity, and sustainable food systems.

See also: nutrition ethics, medical ethics, public health ethics, dietetics.