FROM THE EDITORIAL TEAM

Abstract

It is with great pleasure that we present this first Nutrition and Dietetics Supplement from the New Zealand Dietetic Association (NZDA)—the Conference Abstracts. The publication of Volume 64, Supplement 3, September 2007, marks another milestone in the trans-Tasman relationship between NZDA and the Dietitians Association of Australia, and the joint journal, Nutrition and Dietetics. The 2007 conference theme ‘Up, Up, and Away: Achieving New Heights in Dietetic Practice’ aimed to highlight the latest nutrition research and its meaningful application. The first day featured as a pre-conference symposium for the 4th International Academy of Nutrition and Ageing, held in Adelaide. The meeting was hosted in our largest South Island city, Christchurch, which bears more than a passing resemblance to Adelaide. Both cities share town planner Colonel William Light and have a similar topography. They also boast handsomely solid Victorian architecture and an abundance of green parks. In September, spring bursts with blossom trees in Hagley Park and the lush new green of willows and poplars emerge along the meandering Avon River. The program aimed to stimulate the diverse practice interests of dietitians, with a focus on topics such as nutritional issues for older people, children's health, nutrigenomics, gastroenterology, renal and sports nutrition, eating disorders, food standards and food industry issues, the program reflected the many areas in which dietitians work. The pre-conference symposium, which attracted health professionals involved in the nutritional care of the older person, recognised the need to cater for this fast-growing demographic sector. Inadequate nutrition is a key factor that restricts quality of life and results in excess health and welfare spending. There is a need for us to understand what nutritional factors predict successful advanced ageing, especially in the community. 2007 is the first year that invited speakers, free paper and poster presenters at a NZDA Conference have submitted their abstracts for a formal peer-review for this supplement. It has been a challenge to authors, reviewers and editors alike, and they can be well pleased with the result. One of the advantages of having one's work reviewed by a new set of eyes includes the opportunity to have an independent colleague provide constructive comment that may assist in developing an even better paper! The New Zealand editorial team is most appreciative of the speed with which reviewers and authors fulfilled their responsibilities, so that we could meet the tight time frame imposed by the publication process. Conferences such as the annual NZDA meeting create important opportunities to showcase professional practice and research, to learn from other experts, and to network with colleagues, friends and sponsors who support the profession in so many ways. The poster presentations from the graduating student dietitians' research projects are always a highlight at NZDA Conferences. They cover a wide range of practice situations, and give conference delegates an opportunity to update on new topics of interest. Abstracts of these posters are also presented in this supplement—we congratulate the students and wish them well as they begin their professional careers. Abstracts have been arranged in alphabetical order of the primary author's surname. Note that the abstracts will be available online through Blackwell Publishing.