This issue of Topics in Clinical Nutrition provides an array of articles that highlight clinical nutrition care in asthma, cancer, and diabetes. In addition, technology and work with caregivers are concerns for food and nutrition professionals, and this issue provides some perspective on their incorporation into nutrition practice.
A study of school children in the Commonwealth of Dominica compared anthropometric data and nutrient intakes of school children in three regions and examined the possible contribution of school feeding programs. Wall-Bassett et al found no significant difference between regions or the existence of a school feeding program. Children in the southeast region were taller and heavier and had achieved higher average intakes of energy, fat, vitamin A, folate, phosphorus, sodium, and potassium. They concluded that more research should be done on the impact of school feeding.
Lee et al conducted a pilot study to examine caregivers' behaviors toward restaurants that provide healthy menus for children. They found a trend toward predicted caregiver behavior, and caregivers tended to exhibit loyalty to restaurants that provided nutrition information on menus for children. The findings of this pilot project show the potential for expanded research in fast food and other foodservice establishments.
Garcia and Chambers conducted a 32-item survey concerning diet modification and service delivery of thickened beverages in dysphagia management. Modeled from a similar survey used with speech language pathologists, they received responses from 1020 registered dietitians. Their findings supported a collaborative approach to dysphagia management. The registered dietitians who responded were knowledgeable about products but less involved with clinical instructions to patients. Staff training and teamwork seemed key to successful service delivery.
Morgan addressed the issue of nutrition and resistance training in sarcopenia on the basis of a 2009 definition of the age-related syndrome. The review concluded that research findings are limited but suggest that sarcopenia is a low-level inflammatory state. It will require a multifaceted approach to identify feeding interventions and the effect of resistance training programs.
DiFilippo reviewed databases of published articles to determine the extent of research in print on the prevention and treatment of colorectal cancer and the potential benefits of supplementation with prebiotics, probiotics, and synbiotics. The ultimate goal was to determine better patient outcomes. The six studies that were found and reviewed focused on the prevention of reoccurring tumors and were limited regarding the effectiveness of these dietary constituents on colorectal cancer.
Foods consumed by type 2 diabetic patients were analyzed by Marsh et al using the core foods model. From 24-hour dietary recalls of 99 individuals with diabetes, they were able to identify 19 food categories of core and secondary foods (>50% of macronutrients in the core foods). The analysis also revealed excessive fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol and inadequate fiber intakes compared with the American Diabetes Association and 2005 US Dietary Guidelines.
Kleckner et al held focus groups to interpret the use of technology for individuals in a heart-healthy community program. The Heart of New Ulm Project identified three groups, moms, caregivers, and the general public, to inquire about their beliefs and experiences with technology for making choices on heart healthy lifestyles. The priorities of the three groups differed, but all concurred that convenience is important. Newer technology (e-mail, text messages, personal health records, and social networking) was more important to moms and the general public than caregivers.
Asthma has increased over the past 30 years in children and adults. The article by Alraei and Touger-Decker reviewed 6 years of evidence related to asthma, obesity, and weight loss including symptoms and medication use. A case report documents the experience of an obese adult female with asthma following bariatric surgery.
An extension of prior work by Condrasky and her colleagues was reported that extended evaluations of the Cooking with a Chef program at Clemson University. This phase of their evaluation found that college students increased self-efficacy from two comparative formats, one with a professional chef and dietitian and another guided by a chef and an online nutrition component covering the same material.
Thank you for your support of TICN-we appreciate the breadth of ideas and new approaches being developed and assessed by our authors and reviewers. Best practices research and quality patient care are paramount to the needs and goals of our readership.
-Judith A. Gilbride, PhD, RD, FADA
Editor