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Speaking Out for Nutrition: Breaking Down Myths and

Barriers in Advocacy

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f you want to make an impact onyour profession, it is important toseize new opportunities and influ-

nce others in the public policy pro-ess. However, a number of mythsontribute to a perception that thoseho are not lobbyists can do little toake a positive difference in local,

tate, and federal policies. This arti-le aims to identify and dispel theseyths and barriers to becoming a

eader in public policy.

OLICY AND ADVOCACY MYTHShere are myths that can keep many

ndividuals from getting involved andctually compromise public debate.ere are a few myths that manymerican Dietetic Association (ADA)embers may believe:

Myth: To meet with a state or fed-eral official, the registered dietitian(RD) or dietetic technician, regis-tered (DTR) needs to know all thereis to know on a policy proposal. Be-ing an expert in food, nutrition, andhealth isn’t good enough.Œ The Truth: Key political con-

tacts frequently want to knowmore about the role of the RDand DTR as health professionals.They also want you to focus onone of your priority issues as op-posed to trying to know and un-derstand the details of everyissue.

Myth: Sitting down with a legisla-tor or regulator and sharing yourknowledge and views is intimidat-ing. Policy officials aren’t interestedin what constituents have to say.Œ The Truth: Legislators, other

political contacts, and those who

This article was written by Juli-ana Smith, MEd, director ofState Government Relations inADA’s Washington, DC, office.

rdoi: 10.1016/j.jada.2007.12.016

2008 by the American Dietetic Associat

work in government are all justcitizens like you who decided toget involved because they wantto make a positive difference.They themselves were/are con-stituents and value the knowl-edge that you can provide.

Myth: Our input can never make adifference in the outcomes of mostissues.ΠThe Truth: Officials need input

from their constituents beforethey can take positions on issues.Elected officials rarely forgetthat constituents have the powerto keep them in office.

Myth: What if the topic shifts?ADA, its members, and affiliatesneed to have stances on most legis-lation related to nutrition.ΠThe Truth: The sheer number of

bills and initiatives make it im-possible to be informed and artic-ulate on all of them. Even if youwere an expert on all of theseissues, you couldn’t get throughthem in the amount of time youwould have to talk to with anofficial. It’s a better strategy to beable to speak about one issuethoughtfully to advance yourviews.

VERCOME BARRIERS TO SUCCESSFULEADERSHIP IN ADVOCACYnce you get past the myths, therere still barriers to public policy suc-esses. For example, it is possible tonalyze too much for the task atand. Ask yourself if additional infor-ation is going to improve the result.Keep the size and complexity of the

ask in mind as you contemplate ad-ocacy. It’s easy to imagine it is largernd more complicated than it reallys. Just keep it simple and assemble aeam with multiple talents that willroject the right image of your group’snowledge and skills. Choose the

ight person to lead in the right mo-

ion Journa

ents. Make skills in delegating andentoring a part of the overall plan.Public policy success is not about

eing perfect. It’s about achievingour objectives.When you let your imagination run

o a point of fear, then you’re likely torocrastinate rather than act. Onceou can replace what you imagine theublic policy task will be like withhat you know about the issues and

he situation, most of your fearshould evaporate. You are the ex-erts. Take your knowledge and skillsnd share them with those who do notnow your profession and what iteans for better food, nutrition, and

ealth.

0 Tips to Overcoming BarriersDA hears from all its affiliates as

hey work on public policy. Over theears, ADA has assembled tips forvercoming barriers to achieving youroals as a citizen advocate. Here are0 of the best pieces of informationnd advice ADA can offer.

1. You are not expected to be an au-thority on every topic in a meet-ing.

2. It’s not what you know when youare a legislator, it’s who youknow. A legislator who knows anADA member can expect to betalking to the right expert onfood, nutrition, and health. Youare the expert and you havesomething significant to offer.

3. Everything does not have to bedone just like it was done lasttime. You have your own uniquestyle.

4. Break down the tasks into smallsegments.

5. When you focus on the task athand, you get the focus off ofyourself—which, in turn, can helpalleviate nervousness.

6. Prepare so that you know your

goals and can achieve them. Do

l of the AMERICAN DIETETIC ASSOCIATION 217

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PUBLIC POLICY NEWS

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not focus on dotting all the i’s andcrossing all the t’s and predictingevery possible question or sce-nario.

7. If you are asked a question andyou don’t know the answer, justsay you don’t know. Offer thatyou will find the answer and pro-vide it later.

8. When you don’t quite understandsomething, ask. Get the clarifica-tion you need and move on. Notasking contributes to inaction.

9. When you focus on the status ofother health professions, you canlose sight of what’s happening toyour profession. Your voice isneeded for the public to benefitfrom your knowledge of food, nu-trition, and health.

0. Once you make a commitment,follow through despite any fearsyou may have.

HE POWER OF FOCUSemember that a legislator whonows an ADA member realizes thathe RD is the expert on food, nutri-ion, and health matters. To make ad-ocacy work simpler and more effec-ive, ADA assembles resources forembers to use in advancing pronu-

rition stances.In federal, state, and local commu-

ities ADA always recommendsorking proactively, with a definedurpose. ADA affiliates select three tove focus areas for a 1- or 2-year pe-iod. That establishes an agenda forork and gives us the opportunity touild the team to research, monitor,nd analyze the opportunities at hand.ith research and knowledge of the

18 February 2008 Volume 108 Number 2

ituation, we can set and work on bothhort-term and long-term goals.

We ask ourselves what really mat-ers and how ADA members and theublic are affected by the policyhoices. ADA gets involved when ouressages are unique and when we

eed to be involved to have our mes-ages heard. We don’t try to have atance on every issue, and we avoidrojects that are too global for ournowledge and experience. We sticko issues relevant to our concerns.

ADA works hard not to be a “me too”rganization because it diverts atten-ion from the focus we chose. By elimi-ating the public policy activities thaton’t add value to that work, we canimplify our messages and tasks. Fromhat, smaller, doable tasks can be iden-ified and successfully handled.

OW TO BE PROACTIVEDA has resources for members to

dentify pronutrition opportunities.ffiliate leaders have access to guides

or public policy work, with specificasks identified and prioritized.DA’s grassroots program providesdvocacy training to any member, asell as to those willing to lead state

nitiatives and national networks.ADA’s stances on issues are in the

ands of Public Policy Coordinatorsn every state, and they are posted onhe “Advocacy and the Profession”ortion of ADA’s Web site. With thoseesources in the hands of its mem-ers, ADA speaks with one voice onood, nutrition, and health issues.nd ADA members can be confident

hat they have information that’sased on science, met the tests of

erving both the public’s and the RD’snd DTR’s interests, and articulatedn terms that can be understood at allevels of government.

Such resources should give evenhe novice-advocate confidence androvide the inspiration to get andtay involved.

EADERS NEED NOT BE LOBBYISTSDA hires lobbyists and they contrib-te to making ADA and its affiliates’uccesses in public policy. They playpecific roles—making it a point tonow the “nuts and bolts” of the pub-

ic policy process.Lobbyists, however, never take the

lace of the member leader advocateilling to take risks in order to make

mprovements in the status Ameri-ans’ nutrition and the role of RDsnd DTRs in food, nutrition, andealth programs. Their visibility andillingness to give nutrition a voice in

he public policy process makes a dif-erence.

People respond differently to chal-enges. Some choose to act. Some willeact and some will choose to do noth-ng at all. This much is certain: in

ost cases doing nothing will produceothing.ADA is intent on helping leaders

ncourage all members to seek andccept challenges in the venue of pub-ic policy. Step into the unknown.ake informed risks by followinghrough with established formulas forolicy work. Know that you don’t needo know all of the facts, but instead tonow where to turn.ADA’s Washington, DC, office is

vailable to assist you in all of yourork in advocating for your profes-

ion in the public policy arena.