F2F
FACE TO FACE Ursula meets: Ursula Arens Writer; Nutrition & Dietetics Ursula has a degree in dietetics, and currently works as a freelance nutrition writer. She has been a columnist on nutrition for more than 30 years.
This month, Ursula meets an inspiring young dietitian with a story to tell . . . LONG LI Acute Services Dietitian BDA Yorkshire Branch PR Officer
Long Li had a few hours to spare, student status and so travel was booked between attending the BDA Live and farewell parties planned. But on conference in London and getting the the morning of travel, the postman train back to Leeds. Kings Cross was still shrugged his shoulders: there was the perfect place to find a warm quiet nothing. The last-chance saloon was the corner for a chat. But it was after-work airport postal sorting centre. Long said hours: every café and bar was loud and that postal staff made every attempt to packed. We walked past the quiet oasis be helpful, but nothing could be found of a shiny office reception area full of in the many systems they checked. But comfortable seats and we both had the then there was a ‘moment of magic’: same thought: surely Google HQ would someone pulled a random letter from not mind us having a huge pile, and this a little sit-down? was his essential visa But security staff “I used to be overweight, document. “I then had suggested perhaps not, but managed to get down less than an hour before so we had to squeeze the flight,” said Long. to a normal weight when The first term on the into a loud and packed I was a student. restaurant after all. MSc course ‘Nutrition, Long comes from Obesity and Health’ From then on I have Southwest China and was a steep uphill always been very completed an underchallenge. Of course, interested in foods graduate degree in language and cultural and health.” Pharmacy. Work for differences were full his degree was difficult of confusions for him. and required non-stop But further, the course seven days a week commitment. When was more maths and statistics and less some student friends began planning nutrition and health than he had been post-graduate education abroad, Long expecting. His project was analysis of thought ‘Me Too’ (without the #). A one- data from the government low-income year Master’s degree in Nutrition at Leeds diet survey and his results showed University seemed the perfect choice. that attitudes to health rather than But there were some obstacles, of cookery skills were a better predictor course. Firstly he would need to pass of diet quality. In hindsight, he now English Language assessment tests. appreciates the skills he acquired Months of intense tuition allowed him to in epidemiology and research pass all aspects, except for verbal skills, interpretation, even if this had not which required some further polish in been his initial plan. the UK. Secondly, he needed a student So, why did he choose Nutrition? visa. Leeds University confirmed his “I used to be overweight, but managed www.NHDmag.com May 2018 - Issue 134
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