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Nutrition & Dietetics: the Journal of... Jul 2021Dietitians must be statistically literate to effectively interpret the scientific literature underpinning the discipline. Despite this, no study has been conducted that... (Review)
Review
AIM
Dietitians must be statistically literate to effectively interpret the scientific literature underpinning the discipline. Despite this, no study has been conducted that objectively identifies common statistical methods and packages specific to current nutrition and dietetics literature. This study aimed to identify statistical methods and software frequently used in nutrition and dietetics research.
METHODS
A text mining approach using the bag-of-words method was applied to a random sample of articles obtained from all journals in the 'Nutrition and Dietetics' subject category within the SCImago Journal and Country Rank portal and published in 2018. A list of 229 statistical terms and 19 statistical software packages was developed to define the search terms to be mined. Statistical information from the methods section of included articles was extracted into Microsoft Excel (2016) for data cleaning. Statistical analyses were conducted in R (Version 3.6.0) and Microsoft Excel (2016).
RESULTS
Seven hundred and fifty-seven journal articles were included. Numerical descriptive statistics were the most common statistical method group, appearing in 83.2% of articles (n = 630). This was followed by specific hypothesis tests (68.8%, n = 521), general hypothesis concepts (58.4%, n = 442), regression (44.4%, n = 336), and ANOVA (30.8%, n = 233). IBM SPSS statistics was the most common statistical software package, reported in 41.7% of included articles.
CONCLUSION
These findings provide useful information for educators to evaluate current statistics curricula and develop short courses for continuing education. They may also act as a starting point for dietitians to educate themselves on typical statistical methods they may encounter.
Topics: Curriculum; Data Mining; Dietetics; Humans; Nutritionists; Software
PubMed: 34155748
DOI: 10.1111/1747-0080.12678 -
Nutrition & Dietetics: the Journal of... Sep 2019
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Attitude of Health Personnel; Australia; Dietetics; Health Workforce; Humans; Nutritionists; Technology; Young Adult
PubMed: 31499595
DOI: 10.1111/1747-0080.12582 -
Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and... Jul 2020Developing cultural competence among credentialed nutrition and dietetics practitioners is critical to move toward eliminating disparities in health care. Despite... (Review)
Review
Developing cultural competence among credentialed nutrition and dietetics practitioners is critical to move toward eliminating disparities in health care. Despite emphasis put forth on culturally competent care by credentialed nutrition and dietetics practitioners, the types, methods, and outcomes of cultural competency training are lacking or inconsistent. In this narrative review, we evaluated studies detailing cultural competency training for content, modes of delivery, and learner outcomes. Main inclusion criteria were students in dietetics or credentialed nutrition and dietetics practitioners engaging in an educational intervention. Exclusion criteria were studies published before 2000 and not published in the English language. Ten studies were reviewed from four health science databases. Our aims were to quantify the literature on cultural competence training in dietetics education and describe the interventions to identify gaps within the field; thus, a quality assessment tool was not utilized. Data were extracted on learner type, number of participants, curriculum content, intervention type, learning outcomes, and outcome evaluation tool. Most studies employed interprofessional education (n=7) and/or service learning (n=6) as interventions types. Quantitative evaluation of learners in the studies reviewed indicated increased knowledge and skill (statistically significant; n=2), whereas qualitative evaluation of learners indicated themes, including curriculum satisfaction, gains in competence, and comfort working with diverse people. Methods of evaluation and delivery were inconsistent, making it difficult to draw larger conclusions about cultural competency training in dietetics. Cultural competence creates opportunities for growth and development of health professionals to serve diverse communities and work environments; future work should include standardizing evaluations of training, specifically to include both qualitative and quantitative methods.
Topics: Clinical Competence; Cultural Competency; Curriculum; Dietetics; Educational Measurement; Healthcare Disparities; Humans
PubMed: 32199863
DOI: 10.1016/j.jand.2020.01.014 -
Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and... Jan 2022
A Profession That Leads Together Makes a Difference Together: A definitive description of leadership in nutrition and dietetics is impossible, because examples and resulting actions are diverse, spanning and impacting all practice areas. Below, in response to questions I asked of some RDN leaders,...
Topics: Academies and Institutes; Dietetics; Humans; Leadership; Nutritionists
PubMed: 34924147
DOI: 10.1016/j.jand.2021.10.028 -
Nutrients Apr 2022Nutrigenomics New Zealand (NuNZ) was a collaborative research programme built among three organisations-the University of Auckland, AgResearch Limited and Plant & Food... (Review)
Review
Nutrigenomics New Zealand (NuNZ) was a collaborative research programme built among three organisations-the University of Auckland, AgResearch Limited and Plant & Food Research. The programme ran for ten years, between 2004 and 2014, and was tasked with developing the then emerging field of nutrigenomics, investigating its applications to New Zealand, and potential benefits to the plant food and agricultural sectors. Since the beginning of the programme, nutrigenomics was divided into two fields-nutrigenetics and nutrigenomics. The first of these is now more commonly called personalised nutrition, and has recently been recognised and criticised by elements of the dietetics and management sector in New Zealand, who currently do not appear to fully appreciate the evolving nature of the field, and the differing validity of various companies offering the tests that form the basis of this personalisation. Various science laboratories are utilising "omics" sciences, including transcriptomics, metabolomics, proteomics and the comprehensive analysis of microbial communities such as the gut microbiota, in order to understand the mechanisms by which certain food products and/or diets relevant to New Zealand, confer a health benefit, and the nature of potential health claims that may be made on the basis of this information. In this article, we give a brief overview of the nutrigenomics landscape in New Zealand since the end of the NuNZ programme, with a particular focus on gastrointestinal health.
Topics: Dietetics; Metabolomics; New Zealand; Nutrigenomics; Nutritional Status
PubMed: 35565709
DOI: 10.3390/nu14091743 -
Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and... Nov 2022Professionalism is a vital aspect of health care and multidisciplinary teamwork. Although there is substantive professionalism literature in medicine and an expanding...
BACKGROUND
Professionalism is a vital aspect of health care and multidisciplinary teamwork. Although there is substantive professionalism literature in medicine and an expanding health care professions literature, there is a significant gap in understanding professionalism in dietetics. There are very few research papers in the dietetics literature on this issue compared with other health professions. Given the multidisciplinary nature of health care, it is important to understand what professionalism means within each profession to develop shared understandings across health care teams.
OBJECTIVE
The study aim was to explore how dietetics professionalism is conceptualized by dietetic practitioners/preceptors, faculty, and new graduates.
DESIGN
A constructionist exploratory qualitative interview study was conducted.
PARTICIPANTS/SETTING
One hundred participants (dietetics graduates, faculty, and practitioners/preceptors), associated with 17 universities across Australia and New Zealand and from diverse geographical and work settings, participated in 27 group and 24 individual interviews from March 2018 to June 2019.
STATISTICAL ANALYSES PERFORMED
Thematic framework analysis was used to examine participants' understandings of professionalism.
RESULTS
Twenty-three dimensions of dietetics professionalism were identified, with the most common being communication and including four novel dimensions of professionalism (generational, emotion management, cultural capability, and advocacy) not previously described in other professions. Professionalism as emotion management and generational adds new insights to the professionalism literature, expanding understandings of this vital aspect of health care. Although high levels of consistency in professionalism understandings existed across the three stakeholder groups, some interesting differences were found. The profession of dietetics shares similarities with other professions in the ways professionalism is conceptualized.
CONCLUSIONS
Using these dimensions of professionalism as a framework for teaching and learning about professionalism will help in clarifying expectations and expand shared understandings about professionalism for dietitians, other health professions, and across multidisciplinary teams.
Topics: Humans; Dietetics; Professionalism; Nutritionists; Qualitative Research; Faculty
PubMed: 35202846
DOI: 10.1016/j.jand.2022.02.010 -
Journal of Human Nutrition and... Feb 2022A suitably prepared and qualified nutrition and dietetics workforce is part of the solution to combating the burden of disease. Competency-based assessment is a key part... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
A suitably prepared and qualified nutrition and dietetics workforce is part of the solution to combating the burden of disease. Competency-based assessment is a key part of the education of future workforces. Although there has been recent attention on competency-based assessment in dietetics, there is little exploration of competency-based education for the preparation of nutritionists. The present study aimed to understand how competency-based assessment is implemented and evaluated in nutrition education.
METHODS
A systematic literature review was carried out according to PRISMA guidelines. Four databases were initially searched in February 2020 using key words related to competenc* in combination with nutrition or dietetic and their synonyms. An updated search was completed again in March 2021. Studies that met eligibility criteria where the focus was on nutrition and involved a method of competency-based assessment were synthesised narratively.
RESULTS
From a total of 6262 titles and abstracts, six studies on competency assessment in nutrition education were identified. The assessments focused on the development of key skills, including motivational interviewing and nutrition assessment, changes to knowledge and attitudes on food and culture, and self-perceived development of communication, collaboration, management, advocacy, scholarship and professional capabilities. No studies were found that assessed promotion of health and wellbeing or the food chain competencies.
CONCLUSIONS
The lack of research in competency-based assessment must be addressed to ensure we are effectively preparing future nutritionists for work such that they can impact health outcomes.
Topics: Counseling; Dietetics; Health Education; Humans; Nutrition Assessment; Nutritional Status; Nutritionists
PubMed: 34541713
DOI: 10.1111/jhn.12946 -
Journal of the American Nutrition... 2023Current literature has identified relationships among sleep, nutrition, and diet-related chronic diseases; however, knowledge about how sleep influences diet-related... (Review)
Review
Current literature has identified relationships among sleep, nutrition, and diet-related chronic diseases; however, knowledge about how sleep influences diet-related diseases is lacking in dietetics practice. This narrative review briefly explains sleep physiology and outlines the relationships between sleep duration and quality and common nutrition-related diseases, including obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obstructive sleep apnea, and cancer. Additionally, the review discusses how sleep influences wound healing and pregnancy outcomes and why hospitalized patients are likely to experience sleep problems. Plausible mechanisms explaining the relationships between sleep and disease are presented. Finally, commonly used sleep assessment tools and interventions are reviewed. Given the importance of sleep to health, dietitians should not only be aware of the role sleep plays in disease development and prevention but also assess sleep when feasible and refer patients and clients who are at high risk for sleep problems to a sleep clinic or community program that can address sleep issues.Teaching points:Sleep duration and quality influence risk and outcomes of common nutrition-related diseases.Sleep health evaluation is a missing piece in dietetic practice.There are easy-to-use, validated tools that dietitians can use to screen for sleep problems in order to refer patients and clients to sleep experts.
Topics: Pregnancy; Female; Humans; Nutritional Status; Dietetics; Diet; Diabetes Mellitus; Sleep
PubMed: 35512763
DOI: 10.1080/07315724.2022.2025547 -
Nutrition & Dietetics: the Journal of... Nov 2021
Topics: Dietetics; Humans; Nutritional Status; Nutritionists
PubMed: 34751493
DOI: 10.1111/1747-0080.12713 -
Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and... Apr 2023The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic necessitated the use of distance education, which sparked a technological transformation that was long overdue in higher education.... (Review)
Review
The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic necessitated the use of distance education, which sparked a technological transformation that was long overdue in higher education. The purpose of this narrative review is two-fold: to summarize the state of knowledge regarding distance education in nutrition and dietetics education over the past 30 years to inform recommendations for future education/research and implications for practice and to determine the influence that distance education has had on the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of both nutrition and dietetics educators and their students. A narrative review of 822 publications yielded 25 that met the search criteria. In the scope of 30 years, the literature shows that attitudes and perceptions of distance education have changed as barriers to online access have diminished and the availability of online nutrition and dietetics courses and Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics-accredited distance education programs has expanded. However, whereas the limited results are promising, the paucity of large-sample research about the use of distance education in nutrition and dietetics education restricts educators' knowledge of and ability to evaluate the learning outcomes of distance programs and courses. Moreover, differences in how accreditors, government agencies, and institutions define distance education could have significant influence on funding and financial aid benefits for students and research. Recommendations for future research and implications for practice are provided given the relevance and importance of distance education to nutrition and dietetics education.
Topics: Humans; Dietetics; Education, Distance; COVID-19; Nutritional Status; Educational Status
PubMed: 36400387
DOI: 10.1016/j.jand.2022.11.006