Table 1 Rotated component matrix showing dimensionality of the Attitude Toward Nutrition Counselling Questionnaire

Increased intake of fruits and vegetables is associated with good blood pressure control

A traditional Mediterranean diet focuses on a reduction in total fat intake

Research has shown strong evidence that Atkin’s low carbohydrate diet regime leads to a good cardiovascular health

In comparison with nutrition, proper exercise is more important in reduction of cardiovascular risk factors

I have been trained in important dietary guidelines including US Dietary Agency’s Guidelines for adults

Unsaturated fatty acids are healthier than saturated fatty acids

A BMI value > 18.5 is considered to be overweight among young adults

A high caffeine intake can lead to increased heart rate and anxiety

Folic acid supplements should be started in third trimester of pregnancy

Calcium supplementation is not important for patients with osteoporosis

US dietary guidelines recommend less than 2 servings of dairy products per day for an adult

US dietary guidelines recommend between 6 and 11 servings of grain based products per day for an adult

Patients with diabetes should be prescribed a diet with a low glycemic index to improve their blood sugar levels

Meat products have the highest vitamin B-12 levels

Vegetable oil has higher trans-fats than hydrogenated oils

Women should have adequate exposure to sunlight to aid in vitamin D synthesis in their bodies

Lower hemoglobin levels in blood may be due to poor levels of potassium in diet

There are around 20 essential amino acids that are synthesized in human body and do not have to be taken from outside source

Bariatric surgery is a good treatment option for patients with extremely high BMI (> 40)

It is important to refer most of my patients with obesity to nutritionists for expert advice

I believe that a balanced nutrition is important for prevention of diseases including cardiovascular (atherosclerosis) and metabolic (diabetes mellitus) diseases

Taking CME courses in nutrition in dietetics enhance my clinical practice, and management of patients

Nutritionists are an important part of inter-disciplinary healthcare teams in hospitals

It is important to calculate BMI and waist to hip ratio among my patients, to assess risk for cardiovascular diseases.

Weight loss dietary regimens such as Atkin’s diet are poor for health

I recommend specific diets (DASH, Mediterranean, Ketogenic etc.) in my clinical practice

I am adequately trained to impart nutrition related counselling to patients

I routinely prescribe green vegetable consumption to patients with kidney stones

In my clinical practice, I routinely prescribe iron supplements to anemic mothers

I routinely perform nutrition related physical examinations to calculate BMI, waist to hip ratio and muscle mass among my patients

I follow non-peer reviewed blogs to gain information on nutrition

I am confident in prescribing lipid lowering agents such as statins for patients with cardiovascular risk factors and diseases

For patients with metabolic risk factors, I routinely calculate risk algorithms such as the Framingham Risk score or the Reynold Risk score

Serum triglyceride levels between 1.8 and 2.2 mmol/l (150 to 199 mg/dL) are considered in a very high range

I routinely recommend high fibres diets to my patients, presenting with bowel problems

For guidance related to nutrition, I use authentic sources such as text books, Medscape and up-to-date