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Title: ARE DIETITIAN'S NEEDS FOR DATA BEING MET?

Author
item McCabe Sellers, Beverly
item CHENARD, CATHERINE - UNIV OF IOWA
item PENNINGTON, JEAN - NIH/NIDDK
item STUMBO, PHYLLIS - UNIV OF IOWA

Submitted to: National Nutrient Databank Conference
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/20/2006
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: LEARNING OUTCOME: To describe the variety of needs of the practicing dietitian for food composition data and gaps in currently available nutrient databases. TEXT: The client pool that dietitians work with is varied including individuals from all sectors of the life cycle and from around the globe. Desired patient outcomes range from maintenance of optimal health to treatment of chronic disease and disabilities. Acquiring appropriate data about the food components that clients consume is becoming increasingly complex, and these food components present complex challenges related to dietary assessment, analysis of food records or recalls, and monitoring of client progress. Dietitians who are building evidence-based practices and individual nutrition counseling strategies that need greater access to a broader database of food composition beyond simple nutrients and beyond the traditional American foodways. Rapid access to global food composition data is needed if ethnic foods are to be incorporated into medical nutritional therapy. As more food constituents are studied for their potential in preventing chronic disease and promoting optimal diets, dietitians need research data on good sources of new constituents and of appropriate levels to achieve good client outcomes. Identifying foods as a good or excellent source requires knowledge of effective levels of intakes and what effects, if any, that food preparation has on the food constituents of interest. Questions arise if computerized databases contain the needed food information and if the data can be accessed rapidly for dietetic practice. Are new dietitians are being trained with a sufficient background in using and skills in applying current databases? Dietitians must make client needs known if databases are to meet future needs.