The role of dietitians is key in translating scientific evidence about gut health into practice. As Andrea Hardy, a Registered Dietitian from Calgary (Canada), explains in the second part of this interview, recorded in Rome during the 7th Gut Microbiota for Health World Summit 2018, “There is a lot of misinformation out there, so we have to be ready to approach it and challenge it.

The Canadian dietitian talks about how to deal with misinformed patients and build a relationship based on trust. “For example, a gluten-free diet should only be for patients with celiac disease, but it is becoming very trendy right now. We know from the evidence that a diet that removes gluten has a negative impact on the microbiome.”

“When you can show patients the implications of their diet based on a different view, it tends to move them forward in a positive way, concludes Hardy.