Kent State Interns

http://www.todaysdietitian.com/news/exclusive0711.shtml   Palmer, S. (n.d.). Supermarket dietitians: What they can do for you and your clients. Todays Dietitian. Retrieved from Supermarket dietitians are made up of energetic and passionate individuals that counsel people in stores.   In the article, “Supermarket dietitians: What they can ado for you and your clients” by Sharon Palmer, RD, lists off some of the services supermarket dietitians can provide.   These include education in the form of label-reading and cooking demonstration.   By creating meals in the aisles where the ingredients are found, customers may be more apt to try the meals if they watch the recipe be made and have the ingredients nearby.   They also promote the purchasing of produce to increase vegetable and fruit intake.   Another service they help to provide is food allergen management for those that need assistanc...

Thalheimer, J.C. (2015, January). Alternative natural sweeteners. Today’s Dietitian , 17(1), 18. Retrieved from http://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/011315p18.shtml The USDA estimates that the average American consumes more than 22 teaspoons of added sugar per day, contributing to weight gain, insulin resistance, fatty liver disease, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. This article highlights the numerous health benefits of alternative natural sweeteners.   Honey is praised for its antioxidant content, antimicrobial, and soothing effects and is recommended for children older than one to use as a natural cough remedy.   Maple syrup, comprised of 50% glucose and 50% fructose, contains minerals such as manganese and zinc, polyphenols, and antioxidants that help reduce inflammation.   Compared to table sugar, maple syrup raises blood sugar levels much slower. Agave syrup is 1.5 times sweeter than table sugar and con...

Teaching MyPlate to Low-Literate & Low-Income Families The MyPlate graphic has proven to be very helpful when educating families on how to create a balanced meal.   However, if families have lower reading abilities the graphic is not as great of a tool to use for education.   This article discusses one approach to teaching MyPlate to low literate families in four steps.   Step one consists of asking the family what a typical meal looks like for them.   Once these foods are identified, it is possible to modify it to fit MyPlate guidelines.   Meal images are then created.   The second step is to show the meal images to the target audience to ensure acceptability.    Once meal images are appropriate, step three states education messages should be developed.   The messages should be simple, with few words so that the target audience can understand the message.   Step four tests the meal images with education messages for acceptabili...

USDA Food and Nutrition Education: Does it Work?             This article evaluates the success of the USDA’s Expanded Food and Nutrition Education program focused on low income populations in the mountain region of the U.S.   The goal of this program is to increase the participants’ knowledge of food preparation, production, proper storage and safety.   It also teaches them how to make better food choices and helps facilitate behavior changes.   This study found that participants exited the program with a significantly higher knowledge of healthy foods and had improved skills for food preparation and storage.   Teaching a person about better food choices is not helpful unless they know how to cook them.   I think this program was successful in linking the two.   It is also important to note that this program took place over six classes.   Putting too much information in one class can increase c...

Grocery Lists Lead to Healthier Diets Grocery shopping for the average person can be difficult with the many choices on the shelves.   This article addresses how grocery lists leads to better decision making when grocery shopping. Researchers assessed participants on food security, education level, income, employment, marital status, diet history and weight.   They concluded that participants who used a grocery list made healthier food selections and had slightly lower weights when compared with participants who did not use a grocery list.   While this is only one study, I think when practicing we should stress the importance of a grocery lists.   Having a list keeps clients focused on the food they should be buying and not that they are craving.    A grocery list can be an important tool for weight loss and better health. Source:   Dubowitz, T., Cohen, D., Huang, C., Beckman, R., & Collins, R. (2015). Using a Grocery ...

“Study Provides Strongest Evidence Yet of a Link Between Breakfast Quality and Educational Outcomes” Article: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/11/151116212635.htm Data Source: http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=9976458&fileId=S1368980015002669 A new study carried out by public health experts at Cardiff University involving 5,000 9-11 year olds found a direct and positive link between breakfast consumption and educational outcomes.   The study used the attainment in Key Stage 2 Teacher Assessments 6-18 months later as their test variable.   Researchers found that above average educational performances were twice as likely in students who ate breakfast and that those who ate unhealthy items had no positive impact on educational outcomes.             This study is important to community dietitians because it not only stresses the importance of eating bre...

        Social media has gained popularity over the past decade and provides us with news, entertainment, and communication.   As we also know, some of the most “loudest” voices on social media are sometimes also not the most accurate.   As future dietitians, this leaves us many opportunities to promote our knowledge and to provide science-based information to consumers.   Many pseudo-experts attempt to write health and nutrition related articles; however, sometimes these articles make false claims.          In a recent Today’s Dietitian article, Melissa Joy Dobbins who is a registered dietitian and owner of Sound Bites, Inc., states, “RDs are uniquely qualified to translate nutrition science into meaningful sound bites for the public.   If we aren’t part of the conversation, we can’t be part of the solution.”   Utilizing social media gives dietitians visibility and recognition a...