Amy Harris Career Portfolio

Skill Area: Book Critique

Assignment title: Critique of Popular Diet Book – Intuitive Eating

What I learned: The diet industry is a multibillion dollar industry and one must be able to look at the latest books being published with a critical and objective eye.

Reflection to assignment: Being able to objectively critique a diet book and find its strengths and weaknesses is a skill that is important to dietetics professionals.  Many people are misinformed, confused and have tried countless times to try to lose weight.  It is the job of the dietitian to evaluate the claims made by these popular books, use professional judgment to determine the effectiveness of the diet and disseminate information to clients so that they can make a more informed decisions regarding their relationship with food and the type of diet they want to pursue.

Relevance to the profession: Professionals are frequently asked their opinion on the latest diet books on the market. One must be able to review a new book objectively and be able to see through the latest fad diet to evaluate its effectiveness, to address safety concerns and to see if it’s realistic for the general population to follow.