Practice paper of the academy of nutrition and dietetics abstract: Nutrition and women's health

Women account for 51% of the US population. Currently, cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in women, followed by cancer and stroke. Breast cancer, while associated with lower mortality than most other cancers, is the leading cause of cancer-related morbidity in women. Osteoporosis also threatens women, particularly after menopause. Importantly, each of these diagnoses in aging women share a commonality in that lifestyle choices, including diet, play a primary role in prevention and treatment of these diseases. This practice paper provides a synopsis of current dietary recommendations for CVD, osteoporosis, and breast cancer in women. Registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs) and dietetic technicians, registered play important roles in risk reduction for these diagnoses, and RDNs are uniquely qualified to provide medical nutrition therapy. For CVD, osteoporosis, or breast cancer, current recommendations for nutritional care suggest women should achieve and maintain a healthy body weight with avoidance of visceral adiposity. Nutrient density, with an emphasis on consumption of a variety of foods to acquire important micronutrients and bioactive components, is also central to effective medical nutrition therapy. Furthermore, RDNs should have a working knowledge of the therapeutic role of dietary supplementation, particularly for osteoporosis prevention.