An Overview of Traditional and Novel Tools to Assess Diet.

Effective dietary interventions are vital for combating morbidity and mortality, necessitating reliable assessment tools. This article explores diverse dietary assessment methods, emphasizing their complexities and applications. Food Frequency Questionnaires (FFQs) offer insights into dietary habits over specified periods but require validation for target populations.

Current Evidence on Common Dietary Supplements for Sleep Quality.

Poor sleep quality impacts nearly 70 million adults in the United States, resulting in nearly 1 in 5 adults regularly utilizing some sleep aid, either prescription or over-the-counter. Common dietary supplements utilized to improve sleep quality include nitrates, melatonin, magnesium, zinc, vitamin D, and L-theanine. While underlying physiologic mechanisms support the potential impact these compounds have on sleep quality, evidence from clinical trials varies widely.

Barriers, Facilitators, and Strategies for Developing a Culturally Informed Lifestyle Intervention for Native Hawaiian, CHamoru, and Filipino Breast Cancer Survivors: Mixed-Methods Findings from Focus Group Participants.

Breast cancer disproportionately impacts Native Hawaiian, CHamoru, and Filipino women. Few culturally informed interventions addressing breast cancer survivors exist and none have been developed or tested specifically for Native Hawaiian, CHamoru, and Filipino women. This study aimed to conduct focus groups with Native Hawaiian, CHamoru, and Filipino women previously diagnosed with breast cancer to inform future research in Guam and Hawai'i.

Children's Dietary Intake by Early Care and Education Setting in the US Affiliated Pacific.

Objective: Examine differences in dietary intake of children aged 2-5 years in early care and education (ECE) setting in the US Affiliated Pacific (USAP).

Design: Secondary analysis of cross-sectional data collected by the Children's Healthy Living program.

Participants: Children (n = 1,423) with complete dietary records and information on the ECE setting.

Traditional and new lifestyle interventions to prevent breast cancer recurrence (TANICA): a qualitative study.

Purpose: Breast cancer is the second cause of death from cancer in Guam and Hawai'i and disproportionately impacts Native Hawaiian, CHamoru, and Filipino women. Although a few culturally informed interventions addressing breast cancer survivorship exist, none have been developed or tested for Native Hawaiian, CHamoru, and Filipino women. To address this, the TANICA study began with key informant interviews in 2021.

Nutritional Status and Nutrients Related to Pre-Eclampsia Risk.

Elevated blood pressure during pregnancy, pre-eclampsia, is in part a result of inflammatory processes related to pregnancy. Reducing risk for pre-eclampsia is important to improve birth outcomes and reduce morbidity and mortality. Nutritional status and dietary intake of key foods and nutrients can aid in the reduction of pre-eclampsia risk.

A Qualitative Study on the Motivators, Barriers and Supports to Participation in a Pediatric Produce Prescription Program in Hawai'i.

Produce prescriptions that provide vouchers to individuals to purchase fresh FVs at a specified retail outlet have the potential to positively impact food security status, diet, and chronic disease risk. However, maximizing program participation is vital to ensuring program success. This research describes motivators, barriers, and support for participation in a child produce prescription program among a population of Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islanders, who are underrepresented in this field of research.

An Exploratory Mixed Method Cross-Sectional Study to Identify Opportunities to Increase Enrollment and Retention of Native Hawaiian Students in an Undergraduate Dietetic Program.

Background: Native Hawaiians (NH) are underrepresented in dietetics, contributing to less than 1% of the profession nationally. Increasing the number of NH Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDN) is one mechanism to facilitate improved health outcomes in disparate populations.

Objectives: 1) Identify and summarize NH student interests in the field of nutrition and dietetics; 2) Identify and contextualize factors that support and prohibit achievement of academic goals and aspirations; 3) Identify NH students' responsibility to the community; 4) Explore the context around NH alumni enrollment in nutrition and dietetics and their perceived impact of RDNs in the community; 5) Identify and describe supporting agencies that foster academic and professional success.

Food Group, Macronutrient Intake, and Metabolic Status in the US-Affiliated Pacific's Children's Healthy Living (CHL) Program.

Background: The Children's Healthy Living study provided dietary intake information for understudied Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (NHOPI) young children.

Objectives: Our objective was to describe food group and macronutrient intakes of NHOPI children in the US-Affiliated Pacific region (USAP), overall and by jurisdiction, income level, and metabolic status.

Methods: We evaluated 2-8-y-olds (n = 3520) in a cross-sectional cluster sampled study using 2 d of dietary records completed by caregivers using provided tools, quantified by a specially developed food composition table and compared with US dietary recommendations.

Nutrition Benefits and Considerations for Whole Foods Plant-Based Eating Patterns.

Whole foods plant-based approaches to eating place an emphasis on the intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes and have many health benefits. While there are key nutrients and phytochemicals that can contribute to the purported health benefits, practitioners and patients should also be advised of key nutrients for which intake may be compromised when following this dietary pattern. With careful planning and utility of dietary supplements, individuals can achieve optimal intake of calcium, iron, vitamin D, omega 3 fatty acid-docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and vitamin B12 and experience the health benefits of a dietary fiber and a host of phytochemicals.

Hawai'i Registered Dietitian Nutritionist 2019-2020 Workforce Assessment.

There is scant literature available on the Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) workforce in the United States, but a review of healthcare systems suggests that implementation of RDNs in primary care settings may improve access to care, patient satisfaction, and quality of care. The Area Health Education Center (AHEC), in partnership with the Hawai'i Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (HAND), investigated 395 providers to evaluate the status of Hawai'i's RDN workforce. The research team utilized all available provider information and direct calling methodology to collect data from August 2019 to February 2020.

Addressing Food Insecurity to Optimize Nutritional Status.

Chronic health conditions related to diet are linked with increased risk for COVID-19 infection, complications, and mortality. Adherence to a healthy diet pattern can be protective, but a major barrier to healthy eating is the high cost of healthy foods. Access to healthy foods is especially limited in households that experience food insecurity, not having enough food or resources to get food.

Struggling with the basics: food and housing insecurity among college students across twenty-two colleges and universities.

Objectives: To quantify the number and type of students failing to secure basic needs.

Participants: Students attending 22 postsecondary schools in the United States in Fall 2019.

Methods: The Adult Food Security Module and part of the #RealCollege Survey were used to measure food and housing insecurity, respectively.

Nutrition for Pregnant and Lactating Women: The Latest Recommendations From the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025 and Practice Implications.

The influence of maternal nutrition and dietary intake is intergenerational. In recognizing that diet-related chronic conditions, such as obesity and diabetes, especially during conception and pregnancy, are associated with childhood obesity and diabetes risk, the latest Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025 includes an emphasis on lifespan nutrition. Research supports the need to achieve a healthy weight preconception, as women with a high body mass index before pregnancy are at risk for excessive gestational weight gain, gestational diabetes, hypertension, caesarian section delivery, and excessive postpartum weight retention, which sets the stage for subsequent risk in future pregnancies.

Energy Balance Dynamics: Exercise, Appetite, Diet, and Weight Control.

Individuals seeking to achieve weight loss are encouraged to achieve a negative energy balance, essentially eat less and move more. The complex relationship between energy expenditure and intake is often overlooked, leaving individuals and practitioners underwhelmed by the results of weight loss efforts. Independently, physical activity and diet interventions can yield modest weight loss and when combined have synergistic effects that promote sustained weight loss.

Nutrition Strategies for Reducing Risk of Burnout Among Physicians and Health Care Professionals.

Under typical circumstances, up to half of physicians, 31% of nurses who provide direct patient care, and 37% of nurses working in nursing homes experience burnout, and these rates are likely exacerbated following the Coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Diet is a mediating and modifiable factor with regard to burnout risk. Chronic stress, such as the stress experienced by individuals suffering from burnout, has been shown to influence the amounts and types of foods individuals eat, contributing both to excessive eating and undereating and the development of chronic diseases.

College student sleep quality and mental and physical health are associated with food insecurity in a multi-campus study.

Objective: To assess the relationship between food insecurity, sleep quality, and days with mental and physical health issues among college students.

Design: An online survey was administered. Food insecurity was assessed using the ten-item Adult Food Security Survey Module.

Keiki Produce Prescription (KPRx) Program Feasibility Study to Reduce Food Insecurity and Obesity Risk.

One in 6 US children experience food insecurity, signifying that at some time during the last year their household did not have sufficient food, money, or resources to feed their family. These children experience little intake of fresh fruits and vegetables (FV), a risk factor for chronic disease, including obesity. Produce prescription programs provide vouchers to purchase fresh FV at participating retailers.

Best Practices for Community-Engaged Research with Pacific Islander Communities in the US and USAPI: A Scoping Review.

This scoping review identifies the best practices of community-based participatory research with Pacific Islanders in the United States and United States Affiliated Pacific Islands. Eighty-four articles from January 2000 to December 2017 were included in the review. Best practices included the importance of engaging Pacific Islander community leaders as research staff, community co-investigators, and community advisory board members.

Diabetes Disparities and Promising Interventions to Address Diabetes in Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Populations.

Purpose Of Review: The Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) population is rapidly growing in the USA. NHPIs face significant health disparities and have a high prevalence of diabetes compared to the general US population.

Recent Findings: Recent culturally-adapted diabetes interventions have shown promise in addressing these disparities among NHPI communities.

Nutritional Assessment and Intervention to Prevent and Treat Malnutrition for Fall Risk Reduction in Elderly Populations.

The aging US population is increasing, and it is estimated that adults older than 65 years will make up 20% of the population by 2029 and the proportion of individuals in the United States older than 65 years will outnumber individuals younger than 18 years. In older adults, accidental falls are the leading cause of fatal and nonfatal injuries. Prevalence of chronic conditions such as sarcopenia and frailty contribute to the increased risk for fall observed in this population.

Best practices for community-engaged participatory research with Pacific Islander communities in the USA and USAPI: protocol for a scoping review.

Introduction: Community-based participatory research is a partnership approach to research that seeks to equally involve community members, organisational representatives and academic partners throughout the research process in a coequal and mutually beneficial partnership. To date, no published article has synthesised the best practices for community-based participatory research practices with Pacific Islanders.

Methods And Analysis: The reviewers will examine studies' titles, abstracts and full text, comparing eligibility to address discrepancies.

Influence of Teachers' Personal Health Behaviors on Operationalizing Obesity Prevention Policy in Head Start Preschools: A Project of the Children's Healthy Living Program (CHL).

Objective: To quantify the Head Start (HS) teacher mediating and moderating influence on the effect of a wellness policy intervention.

Design: Intervention trial within a larger randomized community trial.

Setting: HS preschools in Hawaii.

Head Start Wellness Policy Intervention in Hawaii: A Project of the Children's Healthy Living Program.

Background: The increased prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity across the United States and the Pacific has become a serious public health concern, with especially high prevalence among Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) children. This study aimed to measure the effect of a Head Start (HS) policy intervention for childhood obesity prevention.

Methods: Twenty-three HS classrooms located in Hawaii participated in the trial of a 7-month policy intervention with HS teachers.