The final issue of 2016 presents review articles and practice projects that focus on patient and consumer education. Manuscripts for 2017 should address the future of nutrition and dietetic practice and/or historical articles that look back at past practice and highlight how far we have come. The 100th anniversary year of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (formerly the American Dietetic Association) celebrates its founding in 1917 at Lake Placid, New York. The anniversary year begins a Second Century Initiative for the association and the profession.
REVIEW ARTICLES
A systematic review by Key et al examined the association of dairy products with variable fat content and the incidence of obesity, central adiposity, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes in adults. The 15 articles did not show consistent associations between the consumption of dairy fat and the incidence of these conditions. Thus, considering these inconsistencies, dietitians and nutritionists should continue to focus on the personalization of diets that meet their clients' needs.
A literature review by Schwartz et al examined small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), specifically for using antibiotics with SIBO treatment. Thirteen studies revealed one antibiotic in particular, rifaximin, may be effective in improving gastrointestinal symptoms. Other suggestions from the reviewers include larger studies and sample sizes and an investigation of whether antibiotic therapy along with pre- and probiotics may be effective for treatment of SIBO.
PRACTICE PROJECTS
Combs and Gamble report on a project that assessed attitudes of professionals about MyPlate, a popular visual for nutrition education. The participants responding to an online survey indicated MyPlate was easy to use with consumers for providing basic information on nutrition.
A pilot study conducted by Miller et al incorporated ecological momentary assessment (EMA) for tracking the lowering of glycemic index foods in diets of adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Six individuals completed all phases of the pilot study of the 12 who began the pilot. Three of the participants met or exceeded their goals using EMA. The investigators concluded that EMA has the potential to help personalize medical nutrition therapy in the future.
Another attempt at using visualization was a qualitative study in Japan that estimated food and nutrient intakes of patients by clinical nurses and dietitians. Designed to assess the accuracy of visual estimates of patient diets in the hospital, their findings indicated a need for consistency. Training and validation procedures are recommended, especially for nurses and nursing assistants who routinely conduct visual estimates of patient food consumption.
Another project tested the use of oral branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) before resistance exercise. Ten active adult females were placed in a supplement or placebo group using a blinded crossover design. They found that BCAAs before resistance exercise may support an insulin-dependent anabolic state but may not protect muscle damage.
Next year, 2017, is a celebratory year. After 100 years of advancing dietetic and nutrition practice in a variety of settings, there is new interest in global food, nutrition, and health. What will you do to recognize our past accomplishments? How will you advance practice in the next century?
-Judith A. Gilbride, PhD, RDN, FAND
Editor