NHD STUDENT BLOG SERIES

The Sicily statement (2005) on evidence-based practice’ provides us with the following definition:(1)

“Evidence-Based Practice requires that decisions about health care are based on the best available, current, valid and relevant evidence. These decisions should be made by those receiving care, informed by the tacit and explicit knowledge of those providing care, within the context of available resources”

An interesting article by Ernesto Guerra-Farfan et al (2) highlights the journey that evidence-based practice has been on and continues to travel, emerging from the medical profession (then termed evidence-based medicine) before being adopted by allied health professionals.  

Clinical guidelines were sometimes based on expert opinion with, at times, a somewhat tenuous link between the existing scientific evidence and the recommendations made. Over time, more robust methodologies were introduced, with the Institute of Medicine (IOM) publishing a report in 1990 encouraging standardisation and consistency in the way clinical guidelines were developed.(2)

The focus of this guidance being fact over opinion, something unfortunately often forgotten in the world of social media by over enthusiastic or deliberately misleading claims. Thankfully there are many excellent nutritionists and dietitians who are using their skills and knowledge to challenge misinformation and to provide accurate and evidenced recommendations.

Within the field of nutrition and dietetics, the International Conference of Dietetic Associations (ICDA) in 2010 (3) defined evidence based practice as:

 “Asking questions, systematically finding research evidence, and assessing the validity, applicability and importance of that evidence. This evidence-based information is then combined with the dietitian’s expertise and judgment and the client’s or community’s unique values and circumstances to guide decision-making in dietetics to improve health outcomes in individual clients, communities and populations.”