Μore about nutrition in www.mednutrition.gr Ο Παρασκευάς Παπαχρήστος, Διαιτολόγος - Διατροφολόγος M.Sc., μιλάει για μια διαφορετική άποψη του επαγγέλματος του Διαιτολόγου - Διατροφολόγου στην Ελλάδα και εξερευνεί τον διεπιστημονικό ρόλο που έχει τη δυνατότητα να διαδραματίσει. Αποτελώντας και ο ίδιος παράδειγμα, μιας διαφορετικής επαγγελματικής δραστηριότητας στο χώρος της διαιτολογίας, έθεσα το ζητούμενο να υπάρχει στόχευση, να σκεφτόμαστε διαφορετικά και να κινούμαστε διερευνητικά. Δεν είναι εύκολη οποιαδήποτε αρχή, αλλά αυτό είναι αναμενόμενο. Τέθηκαν ερωτήσεις, περισσότερο σε επίπεδο marketing, όπου με μεγάλη χαρά, απάντησα, ενώ είχαμε την ευκαιρεία, μαζί με τη συνάδελφο Ειρήνη Κύρα, να πάρουμε συνενετεύξεις από πτυχιούχους συναδέλφους και μάλιστα με μια συνάδελφο προχωρήσαμε σε συνεργασία, στα πλαίσια της κοινότητας του medNutition.

1. Profession of Dietetics in Greece
Paraskevas Papachristos, M.Sc.
Dietitian-Nutritionist
Founder of medNutrition.gr

2. Educational background
To date, qualified dietitians who acquire the right to practice
(i.e. either start their own business or not) graduate from:
• Harokopio University of Athens
• Higher Technological Institution of Thessaloniki
• Higher Technological Institution of Crete (Sitia)
• Higher Technological Institution of Karditsa
• Recognised Higher Education Institutions from abroad
Note: there is no discrimination between a dietitian and a nutritionist in Greece yet.
2 | © 2014 medNutrition.gr. All rights reserved.

3. Dietitians – Nutritionists HR
+450
Overall there are
about 2500 dietitians in Greece
and there is a rise
on that number
of 450 per year.
800 out of them run their
own private practice.
Mainly (80%) situated in
Athens and Thessaloniki
3 | © 2014 medNutrition.gr. All rights reserved.
80%

4. Dietitians in groups
Regarding the need for a common and organised marketing
plan and promotion, scientific groups (franchise, community
type) were formed mainly in Athens:
• diatrofi.gr
76 dietitians with a private practice
• medNutrition.gr
46 dietitians with a private practice & 67 without
• logodiatrofis.gr
20 dietitians with a private practice
• nutrimed.gr
17 dietitians with a private practice
• dia-trofis.gr
12 dietitians with a private practice
76
46& 67
20
17
12
4 | © 2014 medNutrition.gr. All rights reserved.
medNutrition

5. Case study: medNutrition
WEBSITE
Mr Papachristos, Dietitian-Nutritionist, M.Sc. & Mr Vachamides, CEO webOlution
NEWSLETTER
Mrs Karakosta, Journalist, M.A.
SOCIAL NETWORK
Mr Kavdas, Dietitian-Nutritionist
PUBLICATIONS
Mr Koutsikas, Dietitian-Nutritionist
SCIENTIFIC SUPPORT & CAMPAIGNS
Mrs Kalafati, Dietitian-Nutritionist, Ph.D.can
PROJECT MANAGEMENT & DEVELOPMENT
Mrs Qira, Dietitian-Nutritionist, M.Sc. and Mrs Tsakou, Dietitian-Nutritionist
5 | © 2014 medNutrition.gr. All rights reserved.

6. Addressing
HEALTH PROFESSIONALS:
printed material (mainly nutritional brochures)
are distributed through 15 congresses per year.
A medNutrition stand is also available.
GENERAL PUBLIC:
presentations, events,
campaigns, social campaigns,
e-newsletters,
printed magazines etc
6 | © 2014 medNutrition.gr. All rights reserved.

7. euros
Income
2003
2005
2010
7 | © 2014 medNutrition.gr. All rights reserved.
2012
2013

8. A
CK
30%
-U
P
PO
R
B
TA
L
Annual expenses
15%
LOYEES
EMP
S
8 | © 2014 medNutrition.gr. All rights reserved.
N
PA
NI
15%
O
TI
A
M
IC
CO
BL
PU
25%
ES
15%

9. medNutrition community
91
2013
72
2012
32
2010
13
2005
5
2003
9 | © 2014 medNutrition.gr. All rights reserved.

10. Three main streams
within medNutrition community
1
2
“Beginners”:
Fellow dietitians
recently in business
in need
for guidance.
Fellow dietitians with
little experience who take up
small projects under supervision (i.e. campaign, group
works).
3
Experienced fellow dietitians
who take up demanding
company projects, books and
media communication.
10 | © 2014 medNutrition.gr. All rights reserved.

11. Inter-professional
collaborations
PR and marketing
consultants
Journalists
Other health professionals
(psychologists, doctors, trainers,
physiotherapists)
Graphic designers,
web-programmers, visual editors,
sound engineers
11 | © 2014 medNutrition.gr. All rights reserved.

12. Characteristics
of an evolving professional
W hat you don’t see
What you see
⇢ Professional field linkable with
many other sectors
⇢ Expand your knowledge around
these sectors
⇢ Nutritional services
⇢ Seek for professional specialisation
and focus on practices that will
differentiate you
⇢ Your professionalism
is recognised
⇢ Maintain a low profile and be up
to date to continue being efficient
⇢ There are no job posts for
a dietitian due to economic crisis
⇢ Create your personal tasks & job posts
⇢ Low salary levels
⇢ Live for today and invest
for tomorrow
12 | © 2014 medNutrition.gr. All rights reserved.

13. In conclusion
A dietitian-nutritionist has to obtain new skills and exercise
the existing ones in order to be more competent:
⇢ communication skills
⇢ analytical & critical thinking
⇢ team working
⇢ time management
⇢ decision making (proactive)
⇢ problem solving
⇢ IT, marketing and processing skills
⇢ lifelong learning & up to date
13 | © 2014 medNutrition.gr. All rights reserved.

14. Don’t hesitate to
advance your studies
and get trained in
the above-mentioned skills,
be innovative and start
planning how to implement
new ideas in your dietetic
practice studying
respective
case studies.
14 | © 2014 medNutrition.gr. All rights reserved.

15. Thank you for your attention!
15 | © 2014 medNutrition.gr. All rights reserved.