Kent State Interns

With Thanksgiving only a few days away, there is no doubt that the holiday season is here. As people are planning out menus, making shopping trips, and getting excited for those traditional comfort foods, we cannot deny that food is the highlight of this time of year for many. Hence, there is no wonder why the average American gains one to two pounds each year during the time from Thanksgiving to New Years, with ten percent of people gaining upwards of five pounds each holiday season. One to two pounds might not seem like a big deal to most, but the issue comes when these pounds accumulate each year because they don't get burnt off. So this poses the question as to how to end this viscous cycle. Should we simply choose not to indulge in those savory once-a-year treats? The answer to this mystery lies in understanding why we are much more likely to consume more during this time of year and how to practice moderation and control over our intake to keep us from feeling guilty and in...

Something that the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics sent out in their daily news this past Thursday was an article about "Pregorexia". Which is a media coined term that described pregnant mothers that are extremely obsessed about dieting and exercising to the point where there are signs of an eating disorder. This really interest me because of my rotation at a Women, Infant and Children's clinic that I am experiencing right now. The article goes on to talk about an eating disorders specialist and trauma therapist that experienced "pregorexia" while pregnant with her second child. She intensely worked out every day and restricted her calorie intake even though her doctor had ordered her not to due to uterine bleeding. She only gained 18 pounds compared to her first when she gained 32 pounds. It is recommended that you gain 25-35 pounds depending on your pre-pregnancy weight. Her child developed seizures due to the lack of nutrition during gestation. In a study ...

Yahoo News, the media in general and the Huffington Post may not be the most reputable source for nutrition information; however, these are the sources that the general public is using for information on nutrition.   It is important for us to be aware of the information that is on these sites, since clients may be asking for our professional opinion regarding an article or topic. This article I found on the Huffington Post website, caught my attention.   While many of us do not eat fast foods, the general public does.   According to this article 8 in 10 Americans eat fast food at least monthly and half eat fast food weekly.   This article highlights the “truths” of fast food.   I think there is many alarming points in this article and wonder how many of them are actually true.   It is reported that there are chemicals and preservatives in these foods that are used in sand and silly putty.   And the pictures of the three y...

I think that everyone needs to know that chewing is important when it comes to eating right. In the study Both a higher number of sips and a longer oral transit time reduce ad libitum intake, explains that the longer we chew and the higher amount of sips taken will help reduce intake. I would like to share this especially because it relates to my rotation at this time which is in Bariatrics. When counseling and preparing a patient for the Roux or gastric sleeve surgery it is important to educate the patient on the new changes to their eating habits and why. We are constantly reminding patients to sip post-op to not strain their new smaller stomach and to keep them from regurgitating. The oral transit time is especially important in a Roux surgery or Gastric Bypass because the digestion system is being cut down to a small pouch of stomach and removing the flow of food through the duodenum (a key part of absorption in the small intestine). So why does this study relate to gastric bypass?...

Health coaching can help patients make behavior changes that can prevent or manage diabetes or other chronic diseases, using strategies such as motivational interviewing. A study with Kaiser Permanente patients who participated in voluntary telephonic coaching program examined patient satisfaction with this technique.  They found that most (70%) of participants reported satisfaction and would recommend health coaching.  The most common topics discussed included healthful eating, healthy weight, and physical activity.  Most of the participants, who had two or more sessions. reported that health coaching helped achieve their weight goal.  This results suggest that telephonic health coaching programs can be an effective approach to helping patients achieve wellness goals. -KC http://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2013/13_0116.htm

A recent study in Philadelphia looked at if consumers used the calorie information given on fast food menus when placing their orders. They found that only 40% of participants age 18-64 noticed that calories were posted on the menu. And only 10% used these numbers to help them decide on their meals. It was also noted that since the calories have been posted in 2010 there has been no significant difference in food items ordered. As a community dietitian, we can continue to educate the population of the knowledge available to them and how they can use this information. This may be an issue with the older population that regularly visit these fast food venues and may not look as closely at the menus. Younger populations may notice the numbers but may need more information on how they can use this information to make healthy choices.  Although calories have been posted for some years and this has been a topic in the news, it is still being overlooked. Whether working with individuals...

On November 12, the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology released new guidelines on how to treat high cholesterol.   The new guidelines essentially recommend physicians prescribe medication, a cholesterol-lowering drug called statin, if you answer yes to any of the following questions: 1.               Do you have heart disease? 2.               Do you have Type I or II Diabetes? 3.               Is your LDL cholesterol > 190? 4.               Is your 10 year risk of a heart attack > 7.5%? The new guidelines no longer focus on the lab values for LDL, HDL and total cholesterol, instead it looks at risk factors.   The new guidelines have a focus on medicatio...