Gary Frost is Professor of Nutrition and Dietetic at Imperial College London and recipient of the inaugural Professional Achievement honour, given in recognition of outstanding personal commitment and exceptional contributions to the profession of dietetics.
We asked Gary about what it means to him to receive this honour.
What does it mean to you to receive the Professional Achievement honour?
Wow! I'm totally flattered, to my mind this award is very much about the people, teams and departments that I have worked with and in over the years. They share this award with me. I think having your professional body recognise the work you have done is difficult to put into words.
What drove you to become a dietitian in the first place and be where you are today?
This is a difficult question to answer as it is many things. Meeting a dietitian where I grew up in Gateshead and gaining a little insight into how food can influence health. Also, dietetics brought together a broad range of sciences which was of interest to me. Today a large percentage of the disease burgeon in the UK is related to the lifestyle we chose to lead. A large part of this is diet. I think that dietitians can play a major role in securing improved health in the UK.
Who inspires you?
Dietetically I have been lucky enough to work with many dynamic teams which have been inspiring. From my very first job in Middlesbrough, to my spell in Saudi Arabia, to Imperial College Health Care, I have been surrounded by teams who always wanted to push the boundaries of dietetics. This has been awe-inspiring.
Outside of dietetic there are a number of people who have inspired me, Prof Sir Stephen Bloom, Dr Anthony Leeds, Prof Anne Dornhorst all have and continue to provide mentorship.
What advice would you give to future dietitians?
Do not be afraid to question and seek answers.
What has been the highlight of your dietetic career to date?
There have been many, publishing work that others in the profession have found useful has been a highlight. Setting up a research group within a clinical department at Hammersmith was a big highlight, demonstrating clinical research and dietetic practice are synergistic was very important. We were able to demonstrate that the research eliminate of the department attracted in staff and gave high job satisfaction and was setting up the current group at Imperial College and it been successful. Seeing people who have completed their PhD with me fly, such as Prof Hickson and Prof Goff is just wonderful.
