Registered Dietitians (RDs) are “Nutrition Experts” and can play a vital role in breastfeeding support and education. Education and personal experience can have an influence on how RDs portray breastfeeding to their client. The goal of this study was to examine the perceptions and practices of RD members of the Minnesota Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (MAND). An electronic survey was distributed to all MAND members. The survey consisted of multiple choice and open-ended questions. Statistical analysis was completed with IBM SPSS Statistics 21. A significant inverse correlation (r2 =0.11, p = 0.020) was observed between the length of time since completing dietetics education and the belief that breastfeeding should end by the time a child can walk. Children can typically walk by one year of age which is the minimum age recommended for weaning. Accredited dietetic programs and professional continuing education should have a focus on breastfeeding. Further studies are warranted.
","abstract_html":"<p>Registered Dietitians (RDs) are “Nutrition Experts” and can play a vital role in breastfeeding support and education. Education and personal experience can have an influence on how RDs portray breastfeeding to their client. The goal of this study was to examine the perceptions and practices of RD members of the Minnesota Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (MAND). An electronic survey was distributed to all MAND members. The survey consisted of multiple choice and open-ended questions. Statistical analysis was completed with IBM SPSS Statistics 21. A significant inverse correlation (r<sup>2</sup> =0.11, p = 0.020) was observed between the length of time since completing dietetics education and the belief that breastfeeding should end by the time a child can walk. Children can typically walk by one year of age which is the minimum age recommended for weaning. Accredited dietetic programs and professional continuing education should have a focus on breastfeeding. Further studies are warranted.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Brekken, Angela Kristine"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Science (MS)","degree_level":"Campus Only Thesis","degree_discipline":"Health Sciences","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["John Carbone Ph.D., RD","Judith Brooks, Ph.D., RD"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2013,"date_issued":"2013-11-03T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2013-11-03T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:16:57Z","subjects":["breastfeeding","continuing education","perception","dietitians","Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://commons.emich.edu/theses/567","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["John Carbone Ph.D., RD","Judith Brooks, Ph.D., RD"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Brekken, Angela Kristine"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2014-05-05T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Health Sciences"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Campus Only Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science (MS)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["breastfeeding","continuing education","perception","dietitians","Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://commons.emich.edu/theses/567"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Registered Dietitians (RDs) are “Nutrition Experts” and can play a vital role in breastfeeding support and education. Education and personal experience can have an influence on how RDs portray breastfeeding to their client. The goal of this study was to examine the perceptions and practices of RD members of the Minnesota Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (MAND). An electronic survey was distributed to all MAND members. The survey consisted of multiple choice and open-ended questions. Statistical analysis was completed with IBM SPSS Statistics 21. A significant inverse correlation (r2 =0.11, p = 0.020) was observed between the length of time since completing dietetics education and the belief that breastfeeding should end by the time a child can walk. Children can typically walk by one year of age which is the minimum age recommended for weaning. Accredited dietetic programs and professional continuing education should have a focus on breastfeeding. Further studies are warranted.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Breastfeeding perceptions and practices of registered dietitians: A survey of Minnesota Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics members"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["John Carbone Ph.D., RD","Judith Brooks, Ph.D., RD"],"dc:creator":["Brekken, Angela Kristine"],"dc:date.available":["2014-05-05T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["Registered Dietitians (RDs) are “Nutrition Experts” and can play a vital role in breastfeeding support and education. Education and personal experience can have an influence on how RDs portray breastfeeding to their client. The goal of this study was to examine the perceptions and practices of RD members of the Minnesota Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (MAND). An electronic survey was distributed to all MAND members. The survey consisted of multiple choice and open-ended questions. Statistical analysis was completed with IBM SPSS Statistics 21. A significant inverse correlation (r2 =0.11, p = 0.020) was observed between the length of time since completing dietetics education and the belief that breastfeeding should end by the time a child can walk. Children can typically walk by one year of age which is the minimum age recommended for weaning. Accredited dietetic programs and professional continuing education should have a focus on breastfeeding. Further studies are warranted.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://commons.emich.edu/theses/567"],"dc:subject":["breastfeeding","continuing education","perception","dietitians","Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition"],"dc:title":["Breastfeeding perceptions and practices of registered dietitians: A survey of Minnesota Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics members"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Health Sciences"],"thesis:degree_level":["Campus Only Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science (MS)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:16:57Z"}