eatrightWV.org
The West Virginia Dietetic Association (WVDA) is a professional organization for Registered Dietitians (RD's) who are committed to serving the public through the promotion of optimal nutrition, good health and well-being. WVDA was officially recognized and approved by the American Dietetic Association to function as a State Dietetic Association in 1942.

Our vision is to "positively impact the health of West Virginians through food and nutrition." The mission of the WVDA is to "empower members to be West Virginia’s food and nutrition leaders."

In the News

March 10, 2010

Press Release - A Registered Dietitian Can Help You Weather Economic Troubles through Nutrition and Health, Says American Dietetic Association

March 8, 2010

Press Release - March to a Better You

March 5, 2010

The following is a link to the Charleston Daily Mail's March 5, 2010 article entitled, "State sees field of dietetics expand." - http://www.dailymail.com/News/201003040729

March 4, 2010

Photos are available from the Dietitian's Day at Legislature event held at the state capitol on March 3, 2010. Photos can be viewed at http://www.flickr.com/photos/44299717@N06/sets/72157623556054752/

March 4, 2010

Press Release - American Dietetic Association Says National Nutrition Month® Is a Great Time to Teach Kids to Eat Right

March 1, 2010

Regisration is now open for the 2010 WVDA Annual Meeting, which will be help April 28-29, 2010 at the Marriott in Charleston, WV. Please visit the meeting's web page at http://www.eatrightWV.org/meeting2010/. This year's theme is "Healthy Spin in 2010".

February 26, 2010

Press Release - During National Nutrition Month® and Beyond, American Dietetic Association Says To Focus on Eating Right at Any AgeHeart Disease and Women

February 26, 2010

Press Release - Heart Disease and Women

February 12, 2010

The next meeting for the Board of the West Virginia Dietetic Association will occur on February 18th, 2010 at 1:00. The meeting will occur via conference call. The dial in number for the call is 1-866-210-1669. The participant code is 1536009. The call will be hosted in Charleston at 4700 MacCorkle Ave, SE, suite #1102. Any member of the WV Dietetic Association is invited to attend, either by conference call, or in person at the host site.

If you have questions, please contact WVDA President, Amy Gannon at amy.gannon@mail.wvu.edu.

January 20, 2010

The Secret is Out - "You may be our State's best kept secret!" That’s what Harry Bergstrom, Deputy Chief of Staff under Governor Manchin said as he referred to the registered, licensed dietitian. "We do not want to be a secret," we replied as we began our visit.

On Jan. 15, 2010 Helen Lodge, Public Policy Coordinator, Sharon Maynard, WVDA State Public Policy Representative, Pam Hamilton, WVDA Public Relations Chair, and WVDA President Amy Gannon had the opportunity to meet with Deputy Chief of Staff, Harry Bergstrom and Governor Joe Manchin III. During the meeting, we discussed the role of the RD, explained MNT, reviewed the cost benefit of our services and listed the various areas in which RDs practice. We emphasized the importance of having the benefit of nutrition services for all West Virginians as health care is reformed. We cited specific examples of the services we provide and pointed out that a registered, licensed dietitian is the most qualified individual to provide MNT. The public can be assured that our practice is based on sound scientific evidence. We even had the opportunity to enlighten him on the rigorous educational requirements to becoming a dietitian. We were given a full hour and we had hoped for 10 -15 minutes!

Mr. Bergstrom was sincerely impressed by our profession and he remarked that he knew little about RDs before our visit. The Governor, with whom we've met on previous occasions, spoke with us for a few minutes following our session with Mr. Bergstrom.

WHAT'S the NEXT STEP?
Legislative Day, March 3, 2010 – MARK YOUR PLANNERS and BE THERE. With healthcare reform on the horizon, this will be the most important public policy visit in WVDA's history!
Location – State Capitol, Charleston, WV
Who should attend? All WV dietitians, undergraduate students, dietetic interns
What will we be doing? We will visit our Delegates and Senators. The Governor will make a proclamation for National Nutrition month and there will be a photo opportunity with our group.
What will I say to my representative? Do not worry. You will be provided with talking points and each visit will only last a few minutes. You may only be able to leave them with some reading materials (which will be sent to you via e-mail), depending on your representative's schedule.
Will I have fun? Yes! We always have fun when we see each other! This will be a chance for networking with colleagues and it is a huge opportunity to step out of your comfort zone and grow professionally.
THIS IS IMPORTANT!! We want our profession to be included on the forefront of healthcare reform! We don’t want to "miss the boat" and be excluded from MNT reimbursement!
Please contact Sharon Maynard at Sharon.Maynard@thomaswv.org for more information. Thank you!!

Marshall University and West Virginia University Dietetic Intern Classes

Five Reasons to Visit Your Local Farmers' Market:

  1. You are supporting local farmers
  2. Fresh produce (with lots of variety from different vendors)
  3. Less energy is used in getting the produce to the market
  4. It's a good opportunity to socialize with others in the community
  5. It's cheaper!

Be sure to check out some of our favorite Recipes