HONG KONG Information Sheet © International Affiliate of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics 2020 Credentialing Verification Authorities: N/A Official Language(s): Cantonese (Traditional Chinese), Mandarin, English Ongoing Nutrition Activities in Hong Kong 1. National Dietetic Association Hong Kong Academy of Accredited Dietitian https://www.hkaad.hk/ Related organizations Hong Kong Dietitians Association Ltd www.hkda.com.hk Hong Kong Nutrition Association http://www.hkna.org.hk Hong Kong Practising Dietitians Union http://www.hkpdu.org/ 2. National Nutrition Programmes/Projects Projects Related Website Eat Smart Campaign for primary and https://www.edb.gov.hk/mobile/en/curriculum- secondary school development/major-level-of-edu/life-wide- learning/eatsmart/index.html Start Smart Campaign for kindergartens https://www.startsmart.gov.hk/en/index.asp and childcare centers 3. Organizations working on Health & Nutrition a. National Organizations (Government) Organizations Related Website HKSAR Government, Food Safety & https://www.gov.hk/en/residents/he Nutrition alth/foodsafe/ HKSAR Government, Health and https://www.dh.gov.hk/ Medical Services Department for Health: Centre for https://www.chp.gov.hk/tc/index.ht Health Protection ml Hospital Authority https://www.ha.org.hk/welcome.html Center for Food Safety https://www.cfs.gov.hk/tc_chi/index.html b. International Organizations Organizations Related Website The Hong Kong Society of Parenteral https://www.hkspen.org/ and Enteral Nutrition c. Educational Institutes (Nutrition Education & Research) Institute Related Website The University of Hong Kong https://www.scifac.hku.hk/prospective/ug/ (Bachelor of Food and Nutritional Science) 6901-bsc/majors/food-and-nutritional- science The Chinese University of Hong Kong https://www.sls.cuhk.edu.hk/index.php/pr (Bachelor of Food and Nutritional Sciences) ogrammes/undergraduate- programmes/programmes/food- nutritional-sciences School of Continuing and Professional http://scs- Studies, The Chinese University of Hong hd.scs.cuhk.edu.hk/en/programmes/healt Kong h-social-services/human-nutrition/ (Higher Diploma of Human Nutrition) HKU SPACE https://hkuspace.hku.hk/prog/postgrad- (Postgraduate Diploma in Dietetics) dip-in-dietetics Hong Kong Baptist University (College of https://cie.hkbu.edu.hk/main/tc/programm International Education) es/associate_degree_programme/as/nfm (Bachelor of Nutrition and Food Sciences) Vocational Training Council https://www.vtc.edu.hk/admission/en/Hig (Higher Diploma in Applied Nutritional her%20Diploma%20in%20Applied%20N Studies) utritional%20Studies/as114208-higher- diploma-in-applied-nutritional-studies/ d. Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO's) Organizations Related Website Diabetes Hong Kong http://www.diabetes-hk.org/home Youth Diabetes Action https://www.yda.org.hk/zh-hant/ Health in Action http://hia.org.hk/zh/ St. James' Settlement https://www.sjs.org.hk/tc/front/front.php Tung Wah Groups https://www.tungwah.org.hk/ Yan Chai Groups https://www.yanchai.org.hk/ 4. Assessment of Training Quality of National Dietitians, their Professional Role and Prestige To become a Registered Dietitian, you must obtain the Postgraduate Diploma (or MSc) in Human Nutrition and Dietetics at Hong Kong University SPACE Institute (co-organized with the University of Ulster, UK), or its equivalent qualifications, namely, Registered Dietitian of Commission of Dietetic Registration, American Dietetic Association; or State Registered Dietitian of Health Professions Council (UK); or Registered Dietitian of Provincial Registration, Dietitians of Canada; or Accredited Practising Dietitians of Dietitians Association of Australia. The Hong Kong Academy of Accredited Dietitians (HKAAD) was established in April 2018. The HKAAD has been accredited under the Accredited Registers Scheme for Healthcare Professions ("AR Scheme") by the HKSAR Government. It mainly serves as the accreditation body for maintaining a register of Accredited Dietitians. 5. Brief Description of National Healthcare System and Private Practice Health care in Hong Kong is provided in large scale by public hospitals. The Hospital Authority is a statutory body established on 1 December 1990 to manage all public hospitals in Hong Kong. The Hospital Authority manages 43 public hospitals / institutions, 49 specialist outpatient clinics and 73 general outpatient clinics. The Authority is mainly responsible for delivering a comprehensive range of secondary and tertiary specialist care and medical rehabilitation through its network of health care facilities. There are 12 private hospitals in Hong Kong, providing both in and out- patient services with specialist care. 6. Employment Opportunities Profile Dietitians working in clinical settings provide medical nutrition services, i.e. the care and intervention to promote the nutritional well-being of the patients taking into account their medical conditions and health needs. Dietitians working in community settings advise people on optimal nutrition for disease prevention and health promotion. Dietitians working in food services organize, plan and manage food services operations. There are also dietitians working in other areas of dietetics, including sports nutrition for athletes, health screening, dietetic research, student training at universities, commercial food companies etc. 7. Obtaining Work Permits In order to work in Hong Kong as a non-permanent resident, you are required to have a completed employment visa application form. Individuals can apply for the admission schemes for talent, professionals, and Entrepreneurs via the gov.hk. For further details, please visit this website https://www.gov.hk/en/nonresidents/visarequire/other/index.htm. 8. Local Food Customs and Culture Traditionally speaking, Chinese restaurants tend to be noisy and crowded affairs. They are places for social gatherings; since Hong Kong apartments are usually too small to entertain friends and family. The Chinese usually dine in large groups; the more, the merrier. The basic rule is to order one dish per person, plus one extra dish or a soup, with all dishes placed in the center of the table and shared by everyone. Yum Cha (tea drinking) is a very important part of Chinese life and Dim Sum, is the highlight of Yum Cha. Dim Sum ranges from shiu mai (steamed minced pork and shrimp dumplings), har gau (steamed shrimp dumplings), cha siu bau (barbecued pork buns), au yuk (steamed minced beef balls), fun gwor (steamed rice-flour dumplings filled with pork, shrimp, and bamboo shoots), and tsuen guen (deep-fried spring rolls filled with shredded pork, chicken, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and bean sprouts) to spareribs. Congee (thick rice porridge), for which traditional Hong Kong cuisine is famous for, served with meat and preserved eggs, chicken, fish slice, seafood, gingko or vegetable. As the name Yum Cha implies, tea is also offered. Usually it will be oolong, pu'er or scented tea like jasmine. Luxury restaurants specializing in Beijingese, Shanghainese, Sichuan or Indian, Vietnamese, Thai, Korean, Japanese, or Italian food, friendly teahouses, lively dai pai dong (street-side stands), and dessert houses are also abundant in Hong Kong Food in restaurant houses are economical and various in both Chinese and western styles. An alternative is to dine at hotel buffets that offer Chinese and international dishes. Soup is an important course in Hong Kong cuisine as well as a cultural symbol. Soups are believed to be good for both health and beauty. With specific Chinese herbal medicines like ginger, soups can treat certain illnesses. Hong Kong people usually cook soup by themselves at home. 9. CE Opportunities Hong Kong Dietitians Association Ltd and Hong Kong Nutrition Association provides continuing dietetic education programs. To maintain the Accredited Dietitian title or Full Membership status, a HKDA full member has to fulfill the requirements for continuing dietetic education program. CPE opportunities are provided through IAAND professional development activities such as IAAND conferences and webinars, through the Academy distance learning programs, the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the Academy Foundation resources. 10. IAAND Volunteer Opportunities Opportunities to assist IAAND with your time are probably endless. Learn as much as you can about IAAND and where your skills and interest would be of most benefit both to you and to IAAND. You could: • Assist IAAND in spreading awareness about nutrition and dietetics globally and advocating for nutrition issues in your local communities. • Support IAAND’s growth by recruiting new members and assisting fund- raising team. • Be a member on the IAAND leadership team • Assist in organizing conferences • Submit articles to the IAAND newsletter • Be a Kids Eat Right International volunteer. For further information please contact the Country Rep for Hong Kong: [email protected] Written by Charmain Tan, Revised by Michelle Lee and Macy Chow in 2020 .