Nutrition Today Editorial Board Member Han Writes Book on Kidney Stones
Kudos to Editorial Board member Haewook Han, PhD, RD, on her latest book. Haewook, Drs Walter P Mutter, and Samer Nasser edited Nutritional and Medical Management of Kidney Stones (Springer Nature Switzerland and Humana Press, 2019). This is one of the few books on the subject, and it is an excellent addition to any clinician's library as a reference book and a guide to therapy. There are many different kinds of kidney stones, including calcium, uric acid, cystine, and struvite, each with its own peculiarities. Kidney stones are more common now than ever before, and therefore, this is a timely subject. The book includes chapters on the epidemiology and pathophysiology of stones, and the genetic, environmental, and dietary risk factors for stone formation. There is a section on diagnosis of stone and surgical removal. The last sections provide an integrated approach to the medical and dietary management of kidney stone written by experts in both areas. Dietary myths about stones are debunked, including those involving dietary supplements. The last section provides resources for clinicians that they can use in educating patients. Congratulations, Haewook and colleagues!
Dr Jamey Ard Elected to National Academy of Medicine
Congratulations from Nutrition Today to newly elected National Academy of Medicine member Jamy D. Ard, MD, who is professor of epidemiology and prevention, Wake Forest School of Medicine. He is an expert in clinical nutrition. His varied use of individually tailored, state-of-the-art approaches to treat obesity profoundly impacts his patients' health and well-being and reduces the burden of diseases associated with obesity, such as heart disease, diabetes, and hypertension. Jamy was also a hardworking member of the Dietary Guidelines 2020-2025. Best wishes on this well-deserved honor, Jamy!
Katy Tucker Named UMass Lowell Distinguished University Professor
Former Nutrition Today Editorial Board member and professor of biomedical and nutritional sciences Katherine Tucker has been named UMass Lowell's 2021 Distinguished University Professor. This award is the highest accolade bestowed on a UMass Lowell faculty member, honoring educators for exemplary teaching, research, and service to the university. Tucker, a Westford resident, serves as the director of the Center for Population Health at UMass Lowell, which is funded by the National Institutes of Health. She is also the editor-in-chief of Advances in Nutrition, an international review journal, and a faculty member in the Department of Quantitative Health Sciences at the University of Massachusetts Medical School.
Tucker's research focuses on how diet affects the risk of chronic illness, including osteoporosis, cognitive decline, obesity, metabolic syndrome, and heart disease. She has contributed to more than 400 articles in scientific journals and has received more than $30 million in federal and private funding as a researcher. At the Center for Population Health, she and her research team establish long-term interventions for diverse populations that effectively reduce the prevalence of diseases and improve overall quality of health and well-being.
Tucker is the 14th professor to receive the award since the recognition was established in 2008. She will deliver the annual Distinguished University Professor Lecture on campus in the spring. Congratulations, Katy!
New Resource for Impact of COVID-19 on Eating Habits
Many of us have noted the radical transformation in food ways and eating habits that occurred as a result of COVID-19 and the often unwelcome accumulation of extra pounds. For those who want to gain a better understanding of what COVID's effects have been around the world, in addition to the articles we have published in Nutrition Today, the editors of the journal Nutrients have put together an interesting and free collection available at this URL: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/nutrients/editors_choice.
BOOKS RECEIVED
GAO Report on Federal Strategy Needed to Coordinate Diet-Related Efforts
Many chronic health conditions are preventable, yet they are leading causes of death and disability in the United States. In addition, people with certain chronic health conditions are more likely to be hospitalized for or die of COVID-19 than people without them. Poor diet is one prominent risk factor for chronic health conditions, along with tobacco use, physical inactivity, and others. Numerous federal agencies have a role in addressing diet and its link to chronic health conditions. The US Government Accounting Office (GAO) was asked to review diet-related chronic health conditions and federal efforts to address them. This report examines (1) federal data on prevalence, mortality, and costs of selected diet-related chronic health conditions; (2) federal diet-related efforts to reduce Americans' risk of chronic health conditions; and (3) the extent to which federal agencies have coordinated their efforts. GAO selected conditions with established scientific links to diet. GAO then analyzed federal data on prevalence, mortality, and healthcare spending; reviewed agency documents; interviewed officials from 21 federal agencies with a role in diet, as well as nonfederal stakeholders; and compared agency actions with selected leading practices for collaboration, which GAO has identified in prior work. GAO recommends that Congress should consider identifying and directing a federal entity to lead development and implementation of a federal strategy for diet-related efforts aimed at reducing Americans' risk of chronic health conditions.
To access the report, go to https://documentcloud.adobe.com/link/track?uri=urn:aaid:scds:US:baeabe18-ebe1-43.
Advancing Maternal Health Equity and Reducing Maternal Morbidity and Mortality: Proceedings of a Workshop
Recognizing the urgency of this growing problem, the National Academies Board on Population Health and Public Health Practice convened a 2-day virtual workshop, Advancing Maternal Health Equity and Reducing Maternal Mortality. The workshop examined the current state of maternal health in the United States and explored the factors needed to help communities and healthcare systems become more effective in reducing maternal morbidity and mortality and improving health outcomes through the fourth trimester. This publication summarizes the presentations and discussions of the workshop. The United States faces an alarmingly high rate of maternal morbidity and mortality, distinguishing it from other high-income countries that have achieved decreases in these rates in recent years. US maternal morbidity and mortality rates are disproportionate across racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, and geographic groups. Statistics on maternal health outcomes reveal that there are challenges to protecting both the lives and future health of birthing people and their children. To access the publication, go to https://www.nap.edu/read/26307/chapter/1.
CALENDAR
February 25-28, 2022
American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology Annual Meeting
Phoenix, Arizona
http://www.aaaai.org
March 7-11, 2022
National School Breakfast Week
http://schoolnutrition.org
March 26-29, 2022
ASPEN 2022 Nutrition Science & Practice Conference
Seattle, Washington, and Virtual
http://www.nutritioncare.org/TD-ASPEN22
April 7-8, 2022
FASEB Science Research Conference: The 2nd Acute Kidney Injury Conference: From Bench to Bedside
Banff, Alberta, Canada
http://www.faseb.org
May 22-25, 2022
Today's Dietitian Spring Symposium
Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort and Spa
Bonita Springs, Florida
http://www.todaysdietitian.com/ss22/
May 31 to June 4, 2022
American College of Sports Medicine 69th Annual Meeting
San Diego, California
http://www.acsmannualmeeting.org
In Memoriam
Dr CATHERINE COWELL, PH.D.
A truly remarkable and highly regarded community nutritionist and professor, Catherine Cowell, PhD, died on December 15, 2021, at 100 years of age. Among her many positions, she was probably best known for her work as a director of the Bureau of Nutrition in New York City Department of Health, where she and her staff provided public health nutrition services for at-risk subpopulation groups including a large WIC program serving infants and young children enrolled in well-baby clinics. Dr Cowell was a member of several committees and governing boards regarding children and nutrition in New York and held the top leadership positions in several of these over the years. She was active in the White House Conference on Food Nutrition and Health of 1969 and many other efforts to improve the health of the public. Those who knew her remember her collaborative nature and winning smile.
Catherine also served as clinical professor of public health at the Center for Population and Family Health, Columbia University, School of Public Health. She also held positions at New York University, City University of New York, University of Iowa, and Albert Einstein School of Medicine. Dr Cowell served as both a federal and regional nutrition consultant to the Head Start program. She was an American Public Health Association fellow and an associate fellow for New York Academy of Medicine. After receiving her bachelor of science degree in nutrition and home economics from the Hampton University in Hampton, Virginia, she earned her master of science degree in nutrition from the University of Connecticut and doctor of philosophy degree in nutrition from New York University. Nutrition Today salutes the memory of this remarkable and generous individual.
Dr Catherine Cowell