This study was conducted to evaluate applicability of job standards for diabetes nutrition management by hospital clinical dietitians. In order to promote the clinical nutrition services, it is necessary to present job standards of clinical dietitian and to actively apply these standardized tasks to the medical institution sites. The job standard of clinical dietitians for diabetic nutrition management was distributed to hospitals over 300 beds. Questionnaire was collected from 96 clinical dietitians of 40 tertiary hospitals, 47 general hospitals, and 9 hospitals. Based on each 5-point scale, the importance of overall duty was 4.4 ± 0.5, performance was 3.6 ± 0.8, and difficulty was 3.1 ± 0.7. ‘Nutrition intervention’ was 4.5 ± 0.5 for task importance, ‘nutrition assessment’ was 4.0 ± 0.7 for performance, and ‘nutrition diagnosis’ was 3.4 ± 0.9 for difficulty. These 3 items were high in each category. Based on the grid diagram, the tasks of both high importance and high performance were ‘checking basic information,’ ‘checking medical history and therapy plan,’ ‘decision of nutritional needs,’ ‘supply of foods and nutrients,’ and ‘education of nutrition and self-management.’ The tasks with high importance but low performance were ‘derivation of nutrition diagnosis,’ ‘planning of nutrition intervention,’ ‘monitoring of nutrition intervention process.’ The tasks of both high importance and high difficulty were ‘derivation of nutrition diagnosis,’ ‘planning of nutrition intervention,’ ‘supply of foods and nutrients,’ ‘education of nutrition and self-management,’ and ‘monitoring of nutrition intervention process.’ The tasks of both high performance and high difficulty were ‘documentation of nutrition assessment,’ ‘supply of foods and nutrients,’ and ‘education of nutrition and self-management.’
It is well known that high sodium intake is closely associated with the risk of cardiovascular disease, but the effect of low sodium intake on insulin resistance is not clear. In this article, we summarize findings from previous studies focusing on the association between low sodium intake and insulin resistance. While many investigations on this topic have been conducted actively, their major findings are inconsistent, partly due to different study designs. Thus, additional randomized controlled trials with an adequate study period and reasonable levels of low sodium intake are needed.
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We developed nutrition education materials for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) patients focusing on low-carbohydrate and low-simple sugar diet and assessed subjective difficulty and compliance for the developed materials. The materials were developed in 2 types, a booklet for face-to-face education and a handout for phone education. The booklet covered 4 topic areas of fatty liver, low-carbohydrate and low-simple sugar diet, weight control, and meal plan. The handout material included several eating behavior tips. To assess practical usability of nutrition education using the developed materials, subjective compliance and difficulty levels were examined in a sample for NAFLD patients. A total of 106 patients recruited from 5 general hospitals were randomly assigned to a low-carbohydrate and low-simple sugar weight control diet group or a general weight control diet group. Each participant received a 6-week nutrition education program consisting of a face-to-face education session and two sessions of phone education. The developed materials were used for the low-carbohydrate and low-simple sugar weight control diet group and general weight control information materials were used for the control group. Subjective difficulty and compliance levels were evaluated three times during the education period. Subjective difficulty level was significantly higher in the low-carbohydrate and low-simple sugar diet group compared to the control group at the end of the second week, but such a discrepancy disappeared afterward. No significant difference was found for subjective compliance between the groups at each time. In conclusion, the developed nutrition education materials for low-carbohydrate and low-simple sugar diet are reasonably applicable to general Korean NAFLD patients.
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High fruit and vegetable consumption is associated with a lower risk of breast cancer. The incidence of breast cancer is continuously increasing in Korea, but only a few studies on nutrition intervention in breast cancer patients has been reported. The aim of this study was to investigate whether an 8-week nutrition intervention based on dietary counseling can promote fruit and vegetable consumption, increase serum antioxidant nutrient levels, and improve quality of life in Korean breast cancer patients. Sixty-one breast cancer patients received either standard care (n = 31) or nutrition counseling (n = 30). The standard care group was given brochures recommending phytochemical rich diet. The intervention group was provided with two nutrition counseling sessions and one cooking class session, thereby encouraged subjects to eat at least 10 or more servings of fruits and vegetables per day. After 8-week intervention, waist circumference in the intervention group was significantly decreased (p < 0.001) even though no difference was reported for body mass index. Energy intake (p = 0.007), fiber (p < 0.001), and antioxidant nutrient (vitamin A, C, E, and β-carotene, p < 0.001, respectively) intakes were significantly increased. Serum antioxidant level was also increased significantly, i.e., vitamin A (p = 0.048); vitamin E (p = 0.004). Total vegetable intake (excluding kimchi intake) in the intervention group was increased from 425 g to 761 g (p < 0.001), fruit consumption was also increased from 232 g to 334 g (p < 0.001), while standard care group did not show any significant change. Our study showed that nutrition counseling and providing cooking tips helped to encourage the patient to consume and maintain more fruit and vegetable intakes.
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This study compared birth stature, parents' stature, and food and nutrient intakes between normal and short stature Korean children visiting a growth clinic. A total of 143 growth clinic visitors agreed to participate in the study. Out of the 143 subjects, 37 children with height below the fifth percentile (short stature group) and 58 children with height above the twenty-fifth percentile (normal group) were included in the study analysis. Data were collected through a survey of parents or guardians of children and anthropometric measurements. The ratio of short stature in either parent was significantly higher in short stature group. The mean intakes of protein, fat, calcium, and iron were lower in short stature children compared to normal children. Among five major food groups, the intake frequency of vegetables and fruits was significantly lower in short stature group and that of meat·fish·egg·legume group was also significantly lower in short stature group. In further analysis categorized into 11 detail food groups, the intake frequency of fruit group and legume group was significantly lower in short stature group. Nutritional counseling should be provided to emphasize adequate intake of various food groups including vegetables, fruits, and legumes to short stature children visiting a growth clinic.
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