Dietetic Technicians Research Articles

American Dietetic Association: Standards of Practice and Standards of Professional Performance for Registered Dietitians (Competent, Proficient, and Expert) in Extended Care Settings

American Dietetic Association: Standards of Practice and Standards of Professional Performance for Registered Dietitians (Competent, Proficient, and Expert) in Extended Care Settings

Creating Healthy Menus within Budget Constraints

The dietetics practitioner involved with menu planning in hospitals, nursing homes, schools, prisons, nd other settings where the focus on ealth and quality is balanced with udget restraints has always been hallenged with providing the best roduct for the money. Today, dietetics ractitioners confront even greater diffiulty as the demand for food and enrgy across the globe has resulted in apid price increases, food shortages, nd increased transportation and deivery costs. While these costs are risng, the funds allocated to meet them re shrinking, making the task chalenging and rife with many potential thical issues. Are food costs, at the ery least, indexed to the inflation ate set by industry standards, or are ractitioners expected to adhere to nrealistic price control? It is paraount that registered dietitians RDs) and dietetic technicians, regisered (DTRs), network with other ractitioners in similar facilities and nstitutions to benchmark industry tandards. RDs and DTRs may be asked to ake choices, changes, or substituions in some settings that are not in ccordance with the accepted stanards of practice and/or dietary uidelines. For example, decisions ight include lower-cost meat items esulting in less protein or higher satrated fat or poor quality, limiting se of fresh fruits and vegetables, nd/or filling menus with more lessutrient-dense, carbohydrate-containng foods. In many settings, the pracitioners are not involved in contract egotiations; this may result in prodcts that are promoted by salesper-

Position of the American Dietetic Association: Benchmarks for Nutrition in Child Care

It is the position of the American Dietetic Association that child-care programs should achieve recommended benchmarks for meeting children's nutrition needs in a safe, sanitary, and supportive environment that promotes optimal growth and development. Use of child care has become increasingly common and is now the norm for the majority of families in the United States. Therefore, it is essential that registered dietitians; dietetic technicians, registered; and other food and nutrition practitioners work in partnership with child-care providers and families of children in child care to meet children's nutrition needs and provide them with models of healthful eating and active lifestyles. This Position Paper provides guidance for food and nutrition practitioners, health professionals, and child-care providers regarding recommendations for nutritional quality of foods and beverages served; menus, meal patterns, and portion sizes; food preparation and service; physical and social environment; nutrition training; nutrition consultation; physical activity and active play; and working with families. This Position Paper targets children aged 2 to 5 years attending child-care programs and highlights opportunities for food and nutrition practitioners to promote healthful eating in child care through both intervention and policy-based initiatives.

2011 ADA Member Benefits Update

2011 ADA Member Benefits Update

Clinical Nutrition Insight CE QUIZ

This and future issues of Clinical Nutrition Insight will be certified for CE credit only for registered dietitians, dietetic technicians, registered dietary managers, and certified home economists. Physicians can receive CME credit for the 2009 issues by visiting http://cme.lwwnewsletters.com.

A Decade of Work Coming Together: Nutrition Care, Electronic Health Records, and the HITECH Act

Ten years of strategic direction and resource development by the American Dietetic Association (ADA) has positioned the profession for nutrition care integration into health information technology (HIT), specifically electronic health records (EHRs) and personal health records (PHRs). New legislation included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) (1) creates an unprecedented opportunity to bring this work in to the spotlight, improve health care, and promote evidence-based decision-making for nutrition care using HIT. Registered dietitians (RDs) and dietetic technicians, registered (DTRs) are positioned to become leaders in this area. The purpose of this article is to identify ADA resources appropriate for use in EHR adoption and detail related elements of ADA’s Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Action Plan (2) that provide immediate opportunities for RDs, DTRs, and the profession.

Practice Paper of the American Dietetic Association: Individualized Nutrition Approaches for Older Adults in Health Care Communities

It is the position of the American Dietetic Association that the quality of life and nutritional status of older adults residing in health care communities can be enhanced by individualization to less-restrictive diets. The Association advocates the use of qualified registered dietitians (RDs) to assess and evaluate the need for nutrition care according to each person's individual medical condition, needs, desires, and rights. Dietetic technicians, registered, provide support to RDs in the assessment and implementation of individualized nutrition care. Individual rights and freedom of choice are important components of the assessment process. An RD must assess each older adult's risks vs benefits for therapeutic diets. Older adults select housing options that provide a range of services from minimal assistance to 24-hour skilled nursing care. Food is an important part of any living arrangement and an essential component for quality of life. A therapeutic diet that limits seasoning options and food choices can lead to poor food and fluid intake, resulting in undernutrition and negative health effects. Including older individuals in decisions about food can increase the desire to eat and improve quality of life. The expansion of health care communities creates a multitude of options for RDs and dietetic technicians, registered, to promote the role of good food and nutrition in the overall quality of life for the older adults they serve.

Position of the American Dietetic Association: Individualized Nutrition Approaches for Older Adults in Health Care Communities

It is the position of the American Dietetic Association that the quality of life and nutritional status of older adults residing in health care communities can be enhanced by individualization to less-restrictive diets. The American Dietetic Association advocates for registered dietitians to assess and evaluate the need for nutrition interventions tailored to each person's medical condition, needs, desires, and rights. Dietetic technicians, registered, assist registered dietitians in the assessment and implementation of individualized nutrition care. Health care practitioners must assess risks vs benefits of therapeutic diets, especially for older adults. Food is an essential component of quality of life; an unpalatable or unacceptable diet can lead to poor food and fluid intake, resulting in undernutrition and related negative health effects. Including older individuals in decisions about food can increase the desire to eat and improve quality of life. The Practice Paper of the American Dietetic Association: Individualized Nutrition Approaches for Older Adults in Health Care Communities provides guidance to practitioners on implementation of individualized diets and nutrition care.

The Omega-6/Omega-3 Ratio

This and future issues of Clinical Nutrition Insight will be certified for CE credit only for registered dietitians, dietetic technicians, registered dietary managers, and certified home economists. Physicians can receive CME credit for the 2010 issues by visiting http://cme.lwwnewsletters.com.

Position of the American Dietetic Association: Food Insecurity in the United States

It is the position of the American Dietetic Association that systematic and sustained action is needed to achieve food and nutrition security for all in the United States. To eliminate food insecurity, interventions are needed, including adequate funding for and increased utilization of food and nutrition assistance programs, inclusion of food and nutrition education in such programs, and innovative programs to promote and support individual and household economic self-sufficiency. More than 49 million individuals living in the United States experienced food insecurity in 2008. Negative nutrition and non–nutrition-related outcomes have been associated with food insecurity in children, adolescents, and adults, including substandard academic achievement, inadequate intake of key nutrients, poor health, increased risk for and development of chronic disease, poor disease management, and poor psychological and cognitive functioning. Registered dietitians and dietetic technicians, registered, can play key roles in ending food insecurity and are uniquely positioned to make valuable contributions through provision of comprehensive food and nutrition education; competent and collaborative practice; innovative research related to accessing a safe, secure, and sustainable food supply; and advocacy efforts at the local, state, regional, and national levels.

Development of an Organic Gardening Workshop for Registered Dietitians, Dietetic Technicians Registered, Students, and Community Members in Rural, Appalachian Ohio

Development of an Organic Gardening Workshop for Registered Dietitians, Dietetic Technicians Registered, Students, and Community Members in Rural, Appalachian Ohio

Can Probiotics Prevent Infections in Healthy Children?

Clinical Nutrition Insight is a newsletter designed to serve the clinical nutrition needs of physicians, registered dietitians, dietetic technicians, and other health care professionals with an interest in nutrition-related disorders.

Position of the American Dietetic Association: Local Support for Nutrition Integrity in Schools

It is the position of the American Dietetic Association (ADA) that schools and communities have a shared responsibility to provide students with access to high-quality, affordable, nutritious foods and beverages. School-based nutrition services, including the provision of meals through the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program, are an integral part of the total education program. Strong wellness policies promote environments that enhance nutrition integrity and help students to develop lifelong healthy behaviors. ADA actively supported the 2004 and proposed 2010 Child Nutrition reauthorization which determines school nutrition policy. ADA believes that the Dietary Guidelines for Americans should serve as the foundation for all food and nutrition assistance programs and should apply to all foods and beverages sold or served to students during the school day. Local wellness policies are mandated by federal legislation for all school districts participating in the National School Lunch Program. These policies support nutrition integrity, including a healthy school environment. Nutrition integrity also requires coordinating nutrition education and promotion and funding research on program outcomes. Registered dietitians and dietetic technicians, registered, and other credentialed staff, are essential for nutrition integrity in schools to perform in policy-making, management, education, and community-building roles. A healthy school environment can be achieved through adequate funding of school meals programs and through implementation and evaluation of strong local wellness policies.

Presidentʼs Cancer Panel Report

Clinical Nutrition Insight is a newsletter designed to serve the clinical nutrition needs of physicians, registered dietitians, dietetic technicians, and other health care professionals with an interest in nutrition-related disorders.

Position of the American Dietetic Association: Nutrition Intervention and Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection

It is the position of the American Dietetic Association that efforts to optimize nutritional status through individualized medical nutrition therapy, assurance of food and nutrition security, and nutrition education are essential to the total system of health care available to people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection throughout the continuum of care. Broad-based efforts to improve health care access and treatment have stabilized HIV prevalence levels in many parts of the world and led to longer survival for people living with HIV infection. Confounding clinical and social issues, such as medication interactions, comorbidities, wasting, lipodystrophy, food insecurity, aging, and other related conditions further complicate disease management. With greater understanding of the mechanisms of HIV disease and its impact on body function, development of new treatments, and wider ranges of populations affected, the management of chronic HIV infection continues to become more complex and demanding. Achievement of food and nutrition security and management of nutrition-related complications of HIV infection remain significant challenges for clients with HIV infection and health care professionals. Registered dietitians and dietetic technicians, registered, should integrate their efforts into the overall health care strategies to optimize their clinical and social influence for people living with HIV infection.

Obesity Plus Alcohol

Clinical Nutrition Insight is a newsletter designed to serve the clinical nutrition needs of physicians, registered dietitians, dietetic technicians, and other health care professionals with an interest in nutrition-related disorders.

Position of the American Dietetic Association: Child and Adolescent Nutrition Assistance Programs

It is the position of the American Dietetic Association that children and adolescents should have access to an adequate supply of healthful and safe foods that promote optimal physical, cognitive, and social growth and development. Nutrition assistance programs, such as food assistance and meal service programs and nutrition education initiatives, play a vital role in meeting this critical need. Nutrition assistance programs create a safety net that ensures that children and adolescents at risk for poor nutritional intakes have access to a safe, adequate, and nutritious food supply. Federally funded nutrition assistance programs help ensure that children and adolescents receive meals that provide adequate energy and nutrients to meet their growth and development needs; children and adolescents have access to adequate food supplies; and women, infants, and children who have nutritional or medical risk factors, such as iron-deficiency anemia or overweight, receive supplemental nutritious foods as well as nutrition education. In addition, federally funded nutrition assistance programs serve as a means to combat hunger and food insecurity and as a vehicle for nutrition education and promotion of physical activity designed to prevent or reduce obesity and chronic disease. It is important that continued funding be provided for these programs that have been consistently shown to have a positive influence on child and adolescent well-being. Registered dietitians and dietetic technicians, registered, are uniquely qualified to design, implement, and evaluate nutrition assistance programs for children and adolescents. Registered dietitians and dietetic technicians, registered, are the only food and nutrition practitioners with adequate training in food science, nutrition, and food systems to implement research and surveillance programs to monitor, evaluate, and improve the nutritional status of children and adolescents.

Meta-Analysis Suggests No Harm From Saturated Fat

Editor, Clinical Nutrition Insight Mr. Lomangino has disclosed that he has no significant relationships with or financial interests in any commercial organizations pertaining to this educational activity. This and future issues of Clinical Nutrition Insight will be certified only for CE credit for registered dietitians, dietetic technicians, registered dietary managers, and certified home economists. Physicians can receive CME credit for the 2009 issues by visiting http://cme.lwwnewsletters.com.

2010 ADA Member Benefits Update

2010 ADA Member Benefits Update

Setting the Standard: Including the RD and DTR in State and Facility Policies

As with all health professions, dietetic practice is regulated. Health professionals from physicians to chiropractors are required to follow the letter of the law in every task they perform in order to protect the public by maintaining a minimum quality of service. The federal government dictates some of these standards through agencies within the US Department of Health and Human Services; however, states also regulate, and the states have the authority to implement higher standards than the federal government. This is a source of great opportunity for registered dietitians (RDs) and dietetic technicians, registered (DTRs) to be recognized as the qualified providers of nutrition and dietary services in programs and facilities in your state. Increasing the quality of nutrition and food services and supporting the employment of RDs and DTRs in health facilities nationwide must happen at the state administrative level, often through regulations.