{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,3]],"date-time":"2026-04-03T16:31:10Z","timestamp":1775233870011,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":49,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,22]],"date-time":"2025-01-22T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1737504000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"a postgraduate scholarship from MS Australia","award":["TA-2205-39486"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["TA-2205-39486"]}]},{"name":"Waddell Center for Multiple Sclerosis","award":["TA-2205-39486"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["TA-2205-39486"]}]},{"name":"a fellowship from MS Australia","award":["TA-2205-39486"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["TA-2205-39486"]}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/100000890","name":"National MS Society","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["TA-2205-39486"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["TA-2205-39486"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100000890","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"name":"Carter Chapman Shreve Family Foundation","award":["TA-2205-39486"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["TA-2205-39486"]}]},{"name":"Carter Chapman Shreve Fellowship Fund","award":["TA-2205-39486"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["TA-2205-39486"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Nutrients"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background\/Objectives: Registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs) are allied healthcare professionals who can help people with multiple sclerosis (MS) incorporate healthy eating, but little is known about their involvement in MS care. Thus, the objective of this survey was to investigate the perceptions and utilization of RDNs in MS care among multidisciplinary MS providers in the United States and Canada. Methods: An online survey was disseminated via the Consortium of MS Centers email listserv and MS-specific scientific conferences. The survey queried practitioner type, RDN referrals, the perceived benefits of RDNs in MS care, and the proportion of their patients who follow \u2018MS diets\u2019 or have nutrition-related issues. Reasons for or against RDN referral and beneficial resources were also queried. Results: Of the 60 completed surveys, respondents were primarily neurologists (n = 27, 45.0%). Most (n = 43, 71.7%) indicated that half or more of their patients inquire about diet, but n = 32 (53.3%) indicated that very few follow an \u2018MS diet\u2019 and n = 47 (78.3%) indicated that very few decline disease-modifying therapies to follow an \u2018MS diet\u2019. Most (n = 45, 77.6%) respondents indicated referring their patients to a RDN with lack of nutrition knowledge\/general healthy eating advice (n = 34, 73.9%) and overweight\/obesity (n = 31, 67.4%) as being the most common reasons for referral. RDNs were reported as being helpful or extremely helpful by n = 38 (84.4%) of respondents who reported referring to RDNs. Most (n = 46, 79.3%) indicated that their patients would benefit from having an RDN with MS-specialized training as a member of staff. Conclusions: MS care providers support the need for RDNs with specialized training in MS care.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/nu17030385","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,22]],"date-time":"2025-01-22T03:40:17Z","timestamp":1737517217000},"page":"385","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":4,"title":["Perceptions and Utilization of Registered Dietitian Nutritionists in Multiple Sclerosis Care: A Pilot Survey of Multidisciplinary Providers"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"17","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8155-6286","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Olivia","family":"Wills","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Medical, Indigenous and Health Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2500, Australia"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Alaina","family":"Bradford","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Neurology, UC Health, Cincinnati, OH 45219, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Mona","family":"Bostick","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Independent Researcher, Greensboro, NC 27401, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1971-173X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Yasmine","family":"Probst","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Medical, Indigenous and Health Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2500, Australia"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8162-4768","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Tyler J.","family":"Titcomb","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Departments of Epidemiology and Internal Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,22]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","first-page":"80","article-title":"Your Patients with Multiple Sclerosis have Set Wellness as a High Priority\u2014And the National Multiple Sclerosis Society is Responding","volume":"11","author":"Dunn","year":"2015","journal-title":"US Neurol."},{"key":"ref_2","first-page":"221","article-title":"The perceptions of persons with multiple sclerosis (MS) on the impact of diet and supplements on MS symptoms","volume":"8","author":"Anderson","year":"2022","journal-title":"J. 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