Nutrition-labeling regulation impacts on restaurant environments.

Background: Recent attempts to improve the healthfulness of away-from-home eating include regulations requiring restaurants to post nutrition information. The impact of such regulations on restaurant environments is unknown.

Purpose: To examine changes in restaurant environments from before to after nutrition-labeling regulation in a newly regulated county versus a nonregulated county.

Publishing nutrition research: a review of multivariate techniques--part 2: analysis of variance.

This article is the eighth in a series exploring the importance of research design, statistical analysis, and epidemiology in nutrition and dietetics research, and the second in a series focused on multivariate statistical analytical techniques. The purpose of this review is to examine the statistical technique, analysis of variance (ANOVA), from its simplest to multivariate applications. Many dietetics practitioners are familiar with basic ANOVA, but less informed of the multivariate applications such as multiway ANOVA, repeated-measures ANOVA, analysis of covariance, multiple ANOVA, and multiple analysis of covariance.

Energy, saturated fat, and sodium were lower in entrées at chain restaurants at 18 months compared with 6 months following the implementation of mandatory menu labeling regulation in King County, Washington.

Background: Policies on menu labeling have been proposed as a method to improve the food environment. However, there is little information on the nutrient content of chain restaurant menu items and changes over time.

Objective: To evaluate the energy, saturated fat, and sodium content of entrées 6 and 18 months post-implementation of restaurant menu labeling in King County of Washington State for items that were on the menu at both time periods, and across all items at 6 and 18 months and to compare energy content to recommendations provided by the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Soda intake and osteoporosis risk in postmenopausal American-Indian women.

Objective: Low bone mass often leads to osteoporosis and increased risk of bone fractures. Soda consumption may contribute to imbalances that lead to decreased bone mineral density (BMD) and general bone health. We examined the relationship between soda consumption and osteoporosis risk in postmenopausal American-Indian women, an at-risk population because of nutritional and other lifestyle-related factors.

Publishing nutrition research: a review of multivariate techniques--part 1.

This article is the seventh in a series reviewing the importance of research design, analyses, and epidemiology in the conduct, interpretation, and publication of nutrition research. Although there are a variety of factors to consider before conducting nutrition research, the techniques used to conduct the statistical analysis are fundamental for translating raw data into interpretable findings. The statistical approach must be considered during the design phase of any study and often involves the use of multivariate analytical techniques.

BALANCE (Bioengineering Approaches for Lifestyle Activity and Nutrition Continuous Engagement): developing new technology for monitoring energy balance in real time.

Methods that measure energy balance accurately in real time represent promising avenues to address the obesity epidemic. We developed an electronic food diary on a mobile phone that includes an energy balance visualization and computes and displays the difference between energy intake from food entries and energy expenditure from a multiple-sensor device that provides objective estimates of energy expenditure in real time. A geographic information system dataset containing locations associated with activity and eating episodes is integrated with an ArcPad mapping application on the phone to provide users with a visual display of food sources and locations associated with physical activity within their proximal environment.

Publishing nutrition research: validity, reliability, and diagnostic test assessment in nutrition-related research.

This is the sixth in a series of monographs on research design and analysis. The purpose of this article is to describe and discuss several concepts related to the measurement of nutrition-related characteristics and outcomes, including validity, reliability, and diagnostic tests. The article reviews the methodologic issues related to capturing the various aspects of a given nutrition measure's reliability, including test-retest, inter-item, and interobserver or inter-rater reliability.

Publishing nutrition research: a review of epidemiologic methods.

The use of epidemiologic research designs and analytical methods is common in dietetics research. Food and nutrition professionals who seek to perform evidence-based practice or participate in research design, analysis, and communication need skills in the essentials of epidemiology. This is one of a series of monographs on research methodology that addresses these needs and supports the goals of the Board of Editors of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association to further enhance competency and skills.

Impact of school district sugar-sweetened beverage policies on student beverage exposure and consumption in middle schools.

Purpose: To determine the associations between 1) exposure to sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) in middle schools and student consumption of SSB during the school day; and 2) school district policies about SSB and exposure to SSB in schools.

Methods: The strength of school district SSB policies was scored on three SSB policy indicators. Student SSB consumption at school was assessed by a self-administered Beverage and Snack Questionnaire.

An introduction to qualitative research for food and nutrition professionals.

The purpose of this article is to define qualitative research, explain its design, explore its congruence with quantitative research, and provide examples of its applications in dietetics. Also, methods to ensure validity, reliability, and relevance are addressed. Readers will gain increased knowledge about qualitative research and greater competency in evaluating this type of research.

Publishing nutrition research: a review of nonparametric methods, part 3.

This is the third article in a periodic five-part series on publishing nutrition research. These monographs are designed to assist in the interpretation of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association author guidelines and provide guidance in publishing and interpreting nutrition-related research articles. This installment focuses on the use of nonparametric statistical methods.

Publishing nutrition research: a review of sampling, sample size, statistical analysis, and other key elements of manuscript preparation, Part 2.

Members of the Board of Editors recognize the importance of providing a resource for researchers to insure quality and accuracy of reporting in the Journal. This second monograph of a periodic series focuses on study sample selection, sample size, and common statistical procedures using parametric methods, and the presentation of statistical methods and results. Attention to sample selection and sample size is critical to avoid study bias.

Worksite study promoting activity and changes in eating (PACE): design and baseline results.

Objective: Based on previous worksite-wide intervention studies and an ecological framework, we created a behavioral intervention program to maintain or reduce weight through healthy eating and physical activity. The design and evaluation plan of the group-randomized trial and the recruitment of worksites are described. Preliminary results regarding the dietary and physical activity behaviors associated with BMI are discussed.

Small-grants programs: lessons from community-based approaches to changing nutrition environments.

Providing small grants to community organizations can be an effective way to encourage changes in the environment that support better nutrition. This is effective because these organizations can provide insights into their communities, ready-made relationships with community members, and the trust of the community. Small-grants programs are more likely to be successful when they are tailored to the needs of individual communities, led by organizations that have established reputations with the community, fully supported by the lead community organization, and engage local partners that complement the skills and resources of the lead organization.

Publishing nutrition research: a review of study design, statistical analyses, and other key elements of manuscript preparation, Part 1.

To enhance the Journal's position as the premier source for peer-reviewed research in the science of food, nutrition, and dietetics, members of the Board of Editors recognize the importance of providing a resource for researchers to ensure quality and accuracy of reporting in the Journal. This first monograph of a periodic four-part series focuses on the study hypothesis, study design, and collaboration with a statistician. The basics of study design start with a clear hypothesis or research question and a definitive outcome measure.

A comparison of three methods of determination of energy density of elite figure skaters.

Dietary energy density (kcal/g) is defined as available dietary energy per unit weight or volume of food. The consumption of energy-dense foods has been associated with increased obesity risk and with excessive weight gain. The objectives of this study were to compare how dietary energy density, calculated using three different methods relates to food choices and nutrient composition of the diets of elite figure skaters.

Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase genotype affects risk of relapse after hematopoietic cell transplantation for chronic myelogenous leukemia.

Purpose: Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) directs intracellular folate toward homocysteine metabolism and away from nucleotide synthesis. Two common MTHFR polymorphisms, C677T and A1298C, are associated with reduced enzyme activity. We evaluated the association of these polymorphisms with risk of relapse and bcr-abl mRNA transcript detection among 336 Caucasian patients who underwent allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation for chronic myelogenous leukemia.

Predictors of oral mucositis in patients receiving hematopoietic cell transplants for chronic myelogenous leukemia.

Purpose: Oral mucositis is a nearly universal and often severe complication following hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). The objective of this study was to evaluate factors predicting oral mucositis severity among 133 patients undergoing allogeneic HCT for chronic myelogenous leukemia.

Patients And Methods: All patients were transplanted between 1992 and 1999, were >or= 18 years of age, received either cyclophosphamide/total-body irradiation (TBI) or busulfan/cyclophosphamide conditioning regimens, and received four doses of methotrexate for graft-versus-host disease prophylaxis post-transplant.

Measuring fruit and vegetable consumption: providing serving size information doubles estimated percent eating five per day.

Measuring the extent to which individuals meet the 5 A Day dietary recommendation for fruits and vegetables can provide information on the effectiveness of public health efforts to increase consumption of these foods. However, dietary measurement is complicated by the issue of serving size. We compared two methods of measuring fruit and vegetable consumption using a random-digit-dialed telephone survey of 917 Washington state adults.

The association between vitamin C and vitamin E supplement use before hematopoietic stem cell transplant and outcomes to two years.

Objective: To examine the prevalence of supplement use in persons before receiving hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) and the association of select supplements with outcomes.

Design: This observational cohort study included a questionnaire on supplement use before HSCT. Nonrelapse mortality, recurrence/relapse, and mortality or relapse (the inverse of disease-free survival) were followed to two years.