Kent State Interns

Dietary intake of Vitamin D-3 is a topic that hasn’t been thoroughly researched in the past. With vitamin D playing an important role in bone health, it is crucial for health care researchers to determine optimal absorption from a supplemental source for clinical patients that are at risk for deficiency. The aim of this study published by the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics was to determine if plasma vitamin D levels would be significantly impacted by a meal containing dietary fat. This study utilized three groups all containing a vitamin D supplement. The three groups were a non-fat including meal, a meal high in Monounsaturated Fatty Acid (MUFA), and a meal high in Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid (PUFA) meal. The participants used for the study were male and female adults over the age of 50 (50 total participants) spread across all three groups. Following a 12 hour fast, the participant consumed a 50,000 IU Vitamin D supplement along with their group indicated meal. The...

New approach to childhood malnutrition may reduce relapses, deaths http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/02/150211124024.htm               Moderate acute malnutrition is experienced by 35 million children worldwide. A new study led by researchers from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has suggested that feeding children until they have met target measures of arm circumference and weight may be more important than a set 12 week feeding time. However, researchers have found that the current targets, set by the World Health Organization (WHO) may not be sufficient and raising these targets slightly could significantly reduce the risk of relapse in malnourished children; a condition that has a 37% relapse rate. The study took place in rural Malawi and was comprised of 2,349 moderately malnourished children aged 6 months to 5 years old. Children were evaluated 12 months after treatment; 1,967 rec...

Formula Improves Bedsores for Malnourished Patients http://www.medpagetoday.com/HospitalBasedMedicine/GeneralHospitalPractice/49841               A randomized trial published in a recent issue of Annals of Internal Medicine found that malnourished adult patients in Italy with pressure ulcers have benefited from oral formulas including zinc, arginine and antioxidant supplements. The supplement was given to 100 of 200 malnourished patients with stage 2, 3 and 4 pressure ulcers. After 8 weeks, the group receiving the oral supplement showed a greater reduction in ulcer area. No other study has found that oral formula could improve outcomes for older patients with pressure ulcers, however, no other study has looked at these specific nutrients working together.             This is important for clinical management, because pressure ulcers are a very common hospita...

Pharmavite Study Using NHANES Data Shows Obese Adults Have Lowest Micronutrient Intakes http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/Research/Pharmavite-study-using-NHANES-data-shows-obese-adults-have-lowest-micronutrient-intakes               A new study published by the Journal of the American College of Nutrition looked at the typical consumption of micronutrients between normal, overweight and obese American adults. The information came from 2001-2008 NHANES data and found that overweight and obese Americans were less likely to reach their EAR in nutrients like calcium than their normal weight counterparts. This study also looked at vitamins A, C, D and E, as well as choline, fiber, potassium and magnesium and in every category, overweight and obese individuals showed a lower intake than normal weight individuals.             This study and results are important...

       In the January issue of Today’s Dietitian , dietitian Dr. Denise Webb highlights the future of clinical dietetics and the role dietitians can play in enhancing recovery of patients after surgery (ERAS).   50% of patients enter the hospital malnourished and only about 20% receive a nutritional consult.   These results also play a role into patient recovery post surgery.   Malnutrition significantly increases risk of death after surgery, complications, and readmission.   At the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo in Atlanta, Georgia this past October, David Evans, MD stated, “Traditional beliefs still persist among surgeons to delay nutrition support, despite recommendations to the contrary.”   The ERAS recommends incorporating preoperative nutrition intervention and urge use of prebiotic/probiotic administration, limiting preoperative fast to two to three hours instea...

We all know about diabetes, type I and II. However, there are many different and uncommon diabetes diagnosis that we as dietitians need to be familiar with. Between 1 and 5% of people diagnosed with diabetes do not have the traditional type one or type two diabetes. This article discusses the five types of diabetes that are uncommon. LADA is known as "type 1.5 diabetes". It is a slowly progressing type of type one diabetes that is often misdiagnosed as type 2. MODY is a type of diabetes that is most often found in young people. People with this type of diabetes are unable to have their beta cells release insulin. CFRD occurs when damage is done to the pancreas and is caused due to decreased numbers of beta cells. Cushing's Syndrome can cause diabetes and is seen in many cases. Antiretroviral-associated diabetes results from therapies for HIV. This article dives into more detail on each of these different diagnosis and processes of diabetes progression. Seeing as how diabe...

"Pregorexia" has been a term recently used in the media, it is not currently a medical term and therefor has no medical definition. However, it is becoming more and more common in the world of pregnant women struggling to maintain their weight while pregnant. This can occur in women that have previously had an eating disorder, but can also occur in women who have never had trouble with eating disorders in the past but are horrified to see a weight on the scale they are not use to.  OB/GYN's see their pregnant patients the most, and would therefore be the best line of defense when it comes to pregnancy eating disorders. Unfortunatly, most OB/GYN's do not know the signs and symptoms to look for when evaluating for an eating disorder. And with new standards and hospital regulations, patients are in and out of the office in 15 minutes or less, making it difficult to have the time to get the answers need to diagnose. Treatment requires counseling and looking out for tricks...