February is National Heart Month - heart disease  is the leading cause of death  for men, women, and people of most racial and ethnic groups in the United States.   Among its many resources, the American Heart Association offers the Check. Change. Control. Calculator that assesses risk of a heart attack for people between 40 and 75 years old in the next 10 years.  You'll need to know your total cholesterol, LDL level, HDL, and blood pressure to complete.   In my undergraduate nutrition classes I would provide several different and diverse profiles of individuals in this age range for students to use the calculator to estimate risk and to discuss ways to reduce risk and manage modifiable risk factors.   We were fortunate to have a cardiologist come to the class on heart disease to share and address questions - he even showed videos of cardiac cauterizations with blockages.  Students were really engaged!  He encouraged students to get baseline lipids if they hadn't already, especially if they had a family history of heart disease.  Spotlight B in Nutrition for a Changing World addresses heart disease risk factors and heart health and helps students interpret their "numbers".      As per the 2021 Scientific Statement from the American Heart Association with dietary guidance to improve cardiovascular health, poor diet quality is strongly associated with elevated cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality.   Evidence-based dietary pattern guidance to promote cardiometabolic health includes the following: (1) adjust energy intake and expenditure to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight; (2) eat plenty and a variety of fruits and vegetables; (3) choose whole grain foods and products; (4) choose healthy sources of protein (mostly plants; regular intake of fish and seafood; low-fat or fat-free dairy products; and if meat or poultry is desired, choose lean cuts and unprocessed forms); (5) use liquid plant oils rather than tropical oils and partially hydrogenated fats; (6) choose minimally processed foods instead of ultra-processed foods; (7) minimize the intake of beverages and foods with added sugars; (8) choose and prepare foods with little or no salt; (9) if you do not drink alcohol, do not start; if you choose to drink alcohol, limit intake; and (10) adhere to this guidance regardless of where food is prepared or consumed.   ... View more

Does healthy eating sometimes feel more like prescription than pleasure?   When you consider some of the longest living populations around the world where healthy diet plays a central role (see Spotlight G in Nutrition for a Changing World), you don’t find them counting calories, jumping on the latest fad diet, or worrying about how each bite might add to their health risk or waist line.   Their food, social, and cultural environment are such that healthful food choices and behaviors are the norm – which isn’t necessarily the case in most of the US or other westernized nations.   We are often faced with making lifestyle choices that are contrary to our environments and difficult to sustain.   We are influenced by the behaviors, preferences, and beliefs of those in our lives (for example, studies demonstrate that people are more active when their peer group is active – social norms) and by our food environment (what we have available to us and how convenient/accessible it might be – not saying have a purist kitchen cupboard and frig, but making more healthful, nutrient dense options more visible and less healthful items more out of sight – or choosing restaurants with enjoyable and healthy offerings).   If you don’t enjoy what you are eating and feel deprived of foods you enjoy in attempts to eat “healthy” then something isn’t working and won’t work long.   JOY of eating is so important – don’t lose sight of that in pursuit of commendable health and dietary goals.  I appreciated that in the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics' Position Paper on nutrition in children (Spotlight E) where they included "Foster an enjoyment of eating" as one of the four nutrition goals for a healthy diet (along with meets nutrient needs, maintains a healthy weight, and prevents chronic disease).  Share the joy of eating and the role food plays in our lives along with nutrition facts and recommendations with your students.   I liked this article on Vitamin “P” for pleasure that provides links to studies and some good advice! https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/get-your-vitamin-p-why-pleasure-matters-when-it-comes-to-what-you-eat ... View more

Reduce risk of early death by eating more plants? The evidence continues to mount in support of a plant-forward eating style for health and longevity. In another study released this month in the Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers asked the question “Is there an association between Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) recommended dietary patterns with total and cause-specific mortality?” Results indicated that greater adherence to any of four plant-forward eating plans reduced risk of early death (reported to be by as much as 20%) and death from several chronic diseases. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36622660/ As one of the largest and longest running cohort studies, the research included over 75,000 women and over 44,000 men with data collected over an almost 40-year span. The four eating plans included the Mediterranean diet (no surprise!) along with the DASH diet (see my previous post), semi-vegetarian (think plant-based Flexitarian), and a healthful plant-based diet, that minimizes animal foods and alcohol. All four plans focused on more whole grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts, beans, and legumes – and all align with the DGA. Researchers said that the study suggests that there is no one “diet” and that people can create their own eating plans based on food preferences, culture, and health concerns. https://www.cnn.com/.../live-longer-diet-wellness/index.html Read more about diet's role in longevity and disease risk reduction in Spotlight G Nutrition and the Aging Adult in Nutrition for a Changing World!     ... View more

With a new semester on the horizon it is a good time to reflect on what worked well, what might be improved upon, and what needs to be re-envisioned entirely from the previous semester.   Student course and instructor evaluations can provide helpful feedback, but also thoughtful and critical consideration of how course components and approach combined to achieve course learning outcomes.   It's relatively easy to just make a few tweaks in the course syllabus, course copy in the LMS, change dates, and use slight variations of the same course resources and assignments.   But once in a while we need to shake things (and ourselves!) up to become better educators and make our courses effective and impactful learning experiences.  The resources and learning activities in Achieve that are designed to support faculty and students are of course an incredible way to elevate your course.   And to continue to up your game as an instructor it's vital to keep learning and challenging yourself in best practices for teaching whether online, face-to-face, or hybrid.   The Macmillan Teaching Learning Community includes excellent resources for Learning Science Research with access to a variety of tools, learning science research articles, and ways to advance your teaching.  Macmillan has also developed instructor resources that provide instructors with exceptional tools to not only support teaching, but enhance and elevate the learning experience for students.    Decades ago before so much was offered online, the Center for Teaching at my university (Vanderbilt) regularly offered in person workshops and seminars for faculty to inspire and elevate teaching.   I attended these regularly and valued the opportunity to gather with other faculty to learn and discuss best practices in education - most of us were "experts" in our disciplines, but had never really been taught how to teach.    Vanderbilt's Center for Teaching (CFT) still supports and educates educators.   The CFT has produced and keeps updated numerous teaching guides and resources - just scroll through the impressive and extensive listing and you will find relevant topics to support you in course development and delivery.    Happy new year and best wishes for a great semester!    ... View more

How can you separate fact from fiction when it comes to what you read and hear? A primary goal of my nutrition courses over the years was to equip students with skills and insights to shift through the abundance of diet and nutrition advice and claims in news headlines, social media, product advertisements and labels, and online websites.  This was accomplished by evaluating media stories in class and through projects with scientific evidence and peer reviewed studies.  Always consider the source and if there is credible evidence to back up claims - not just testimonies and opinions from practitioners and individuals. Nutrition is a science not an opinion. One credible source of peer-reviewed, evidence based information is the International Food and Information Council. Here's an excellent article from their information hub, Food Insight, with tips on navigating nutrition info in the media and marketplace. Check out other topics and research while you are there https://foodinsight.org/navigating-science-in-the-media/!   #nutrition #FoodInsight #Research  ... View more

The wrap up of fall semester and plans for spring semester often begins with an update of your course syllabus.   A few years ago I attended a workshop in which we examined and revised our syllabi with some best practices in mind.   Beyond changing dates and logistics, read your syllabi with a student lens.   The syllabi serves a contract between instructor and student, not only expectations for students performance and engagement, but what students can expect to learn and the pathway to achieve the overall learning goals for the course.    As most syllabi are now posted rather than printed, consider where you can include links to course and supplementary resources.   The past semesters I have recorded a video with screen share of the syllabus that I posted along with the document itself to highlight and review content pertinent to student success - and what they can expect from me.   This works well for online and face-to-face courses and supplements the briefer overview when orienting your class to the course.   It is also useful for students who may join the course after the first meeting or two.   I urge students to view as it helps provide a vision for the course and minimizes surprises ("I didn't know I was expected to do that...") My department provided a syllabi template with content related to accommodations, honor code, and other policies and processes.   I incorporated policies for late work, expectations on attendance, and the like.   I'd be happy to share a copy of my syllabi (not that mine is the model) as designed for face-to-face classes and when taught online - just email me at jamie.pope@vanderbilt.edu.    Here's a link to Vanderbilt's Center for Teaching helpful and informative guide to syllabus design https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/syllabus-design/  ... View more

Are we really in the final few weeks of the semester? Students and faculty alike are checking their "to do" lists for final projects and exams. It's easy to get caught up in the scramble to the finish line. Here's some thoughts for wrapping up the semester and some resources to share with students for their reference after the course. In reflecting on overall course learning goals at the end of each semester, I ask myself if students have been equipped to navigate the evolving and often confusing arena of nutrition. The goal of an introductory course is not to create nutrition "experts", but to ignite interest, expose students to the many facets of nutrition, acquaint them with credible sources of information to which they might return, and to heighten their nutrition literacy - and to help them better evaluate what they read or hear about food and nutrition in the media and in the marketplace. During the semester as part of assignments or activities, we explored a wide variety of nutrition related websites. I compiled a list of all these sites and share with the students at the end of the course. Many of my students are future health professionals so it is valuable, for example, to explore the NIH vitamin and mineral factsheets with quiz-based questions related to the Health Professional version of a fact sheet. Or to visit the American Heart Association, American Diabetes Association, and the American Cancer Society to access disease risk tools or skim the nutrition resources available at these websites. I've attached the list of sites (feel free to edit and use!). In addition, remind your students that if they purchased a semester subscription to Achieve (includes E-book) that they can download the E-book NUTRITION FOR A CHANGING WORLD to access for up to 4 years! I have always hoped students would opt for a print version so that they could keep it on their shelf to refer to - but this download is a nice option. To download, use the dropdown menu under the individual's name in the upper right of the screen in Achieve to find "Download E-book from App Store". Best wishes for a great end of semester! Jamie Pope jamie.pope@vanderbilt.edu or jpopenutrition@gmail.com ... View more

This article from Faculty Focus entitled "How Conducting a Mixed-mode Class is Similar to Hosting a Late-night Talk Show" is a worthwhile read for those teaching online, mixed-mode, or even fully face-to-face.   I was reminded of Spring 2020 when we all had to quickly pivot to online as universities sent students home during early COVID days.  I had a class of over 180 students and had several guest lecturers in applicable practice areas of nutrition scheduled for the second half of the semester (cardiologist, nurse midwife, disordered eating therapist, etc.).  After learning nutrition fundamentals earlier in the semester this gave students (many future health care providers) exposure to the role nutrition plays in the guest lecturer's field and practice.   I didn't want to forfeit these opportunities and yet hesitated to ask these busy practitioners to record a lecture or VOPPTX - so, I decided to record Zoom interviews where I served as the host and guided a discussion that aligned with what would have been addressed in a lecture.  I sent them a few questions ahead of time, but also left time for natural flow of conversation.   I limited these to about 15-20 minutes.   Students loved this approach!   I noted on analytics that they watched more of these type videos than they did of narrated PPTX or lectures.   This approach would work well in face-to-face as could have guest join in remotely and have class share in host role as interview is projected on a screen.      ... View more

How would you define healthy? I had an in-class participation where groups of students would envision themselves as an FDA subcommittee proposing a definition of healthy - led to great discussions and recognition of the many caveats to consider. This week the FDA proposed updated criteria for when foods can be labeled with the nutrient content claim “healthy” on their packaging. This proposed rule would align the definition of the “healthy” claim with current nutrition science, the updated Nutrition Facts label and the current Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Since more than 80% of people in the U.S. aren’t eating enough vegetables, fruit and dairy. The proposed criteria would require a food to provide a "food group equivalent" from one of these groups. And because most people consume too much added sugars, saturated fat and sodium, the new criteria would add limits on saturated fat (not total fat), sodium, and for the first time, added sugars. "The proposed rule is part of the agency’s ongoing commitment to helping consumers improve nutrition and dietary patterns to help reduce the burden of chronic disease and advance health equity. Under the proposed definition for the updated “healthy” claim, which is based on current nutrition science, more foods that are part of a healthy dietary pattern and recommended by the Dietary Guidelines would be eligible to use the claim on their labeling, including nuts and seeds, higher fat fish (such as salmon), certain oils and water. “  https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-proposes-updated-definition-healthy-claim-food-packages-help-improve-diet-reduce-chronic-disease ... View more

  How can you evaluate a dietary supplement for effectiveness (that is delivering on it’s claims) and safety? It ain’t easy. Dietary supplements are regulated more like food than drugs and do not undergo the same level of scrutiny as drugs. Most were classified as GRAS substances (Generally Recognized As Safe) under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 and are assumed to be safe unless reports of adverse effects demonstrate otherwise. Any new supplement or dietary ingredient introduced by a manufacturer requires that the FDA be notified and provide evidence that a supplement is” reasonably expected to be safe”. When considering a supplement, it is wise to check with your health care provider as well as do some research on your own to examine claims, interactions with medications, and potential adverse effects.   For many semesters, my students completed a project in which they evaluated a dietary supplement of their choosing. The first step was to examine the label for claims, warnings, and dosage instructions. Supplement manufacturers generally use what are called “structure function” claims about how a product might affect the body’s structure and function (not a disease or condition). These use words like “promote”, “helps”, or “maintains” and require a disclaimer that the FDA has not evaluated the claim and that the product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. I then provided several credible, evidence-based websites where students could read about the supplement and address questions about efficacy of claims, interactions, contraindications, and potential side effects. A few of those sites are listed below.   Finally, students looked at a few scientific abstracts in PubMed – a repository of peer reviewed research and review papers – to gain some insight on the type and quality of research conducted on the supplement they were examining. Here's a  helpful guide to "To Find Information About Complementary and Integrative Health Practices on PubMed®"  Based on their readings and research students were asked to share their own recommendations and reservations about a supplement – and most concluded that more research was warranted to support claims and safety. Here are some websites to explore! National Institute of Health (NIH) Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS): https://ods.od.nih.gov/ NIH ODS Supplement Fact Sheets: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/list-all/ FDA Dietary Supplements https://www.fda.gov/food/dietary-supplements National Center for Complementary & Alternative Medicine www.nccam.nih.gov Medline Plus (Herbs and Supplements): https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/herb_All.html               ... View more

Do you include a dietary analysis project in your nutrition course?   Faculty surveys indicate that most instructors assign early in the semester.  If you are a Nutrition for a Changing World 2e user, I hope you’ve checked out AnalyzeMyDiet in the robust Achieve learning platform for the course that provides a comprehensive set of interconnected teaching and assessment tools.   I love that the assignments in AnalyzeMyDiet are now integrated in a pre-built course to align with topics and relevant chapters.   Assigning the entire project before covering topics can make context and appropriate answers challenging!   AnalyzeMyDiet provides both a diet tracker and personalized, auto-graded diet analysis activities, freeing instructors from hand-grading diet analysis projects.  It has a database of over 50,000 USDA and brand-name foods!  AnalyzeMyDiet generates comprehensive reports including an all-in-one “Combination Report” with personalized feedback and data in one file for easy reference when addressing questions that help students understand and apply fundamental nutrition concepts.   Check out the sample report attachment!    Here are a few thoughts about assigning a dietary analysis project: Consider having students document intake before entering into the analysis program.  Even though students can directly enter their food intake, this was often done from recall - which we all know is tough to do especially if recalling three days of intake!  I would ask students to document their intake over a three-day period (two weekdays, one weekend day) either by hand on a form (sample attached) or to download form as pdf or in Word.   This was the first step in the project from which they would then enter their food and beverages into AnalyzeMyDiet tracker.   Students would upload their records as attachments or photos of handwritten logs into the LMS for the assignment.  The records counted as part of total project points.  Students were instructed to record portions as accurately as possible, dissuading against using “1 serving” or “1 bowl” and such – as can vary significantly!   Would provide visual ways to estimate portions – i.e., a baseball or tennis ball about one cup, a ping pong or golf ball about 2 tablespoons, a deck of cards about 3 ounces of meat, chicken, etc. (examples included at bottom of attached food log). Encourage students to choose “maintain” their weight when setting up their profile and to use the project to evaluate nutritional adequacy not for weight management!   If students opt to say, “lose weight” and even put in 1 or 2 pounds the calorie target will be lower and skew how they compare their actual intake.   And add to the weight focus of many college age young adults!   Many of the free and popular tracking apps have a weight loss focus.  Speaking of weight focus – be careful with this project in view of the higher incidence and risk of disordered eating in this population!   I stress and put in red type “Note:   closely monitoring personal food intake may not be appropriate for some students; please contact Professor Pope to discuss confidential, alternative arrangements for this project.”   The student and I come up with a viable alternative whether it be analyzing someone else’s intake, using sample days, or even a research project that doesn’t involve any dietary analysis that aligns with their interests.   I usually have about several students reach out each semester! You can learn about all that AnalyzeMyDiet can do by scheduling a one-on-one demonstration here!  Scroll down to Achieve Demo for Nutrition.   ... View more

Whether you are sharing teaching responsibilities with another instructor or teaching one or more sections of the same course alongside other faculty, this Faculty Focus article has some helpful insights for creating a collaborative experience that benefits both the educators and learners.   I’ve cotaught a large introductory course a few of my 40+ semesters –initially alongside my predecessor and most recently to orient my successor.  Both situations had their challenges in workload distribution, student communications, approach, and willingness to give more than the minimum.   Admittedly, I prefer solo teaching, but that is likely because I feel such ownership and accountability for student experience and learning outcomes – and my own need to control what and how content is taught.   As my university only had one section of introductory nutrition, I haven’t experienced teaching the same course with multiple sections, but imagine it requires collaboration for consistency and expectations.   We can all learn from one another and benefit from the unique strengths and experience each educator brings to the face-to-face, remote, or hybrid classroom.   This Nutrition Community can help us connect and collaborate!   What are you thoughts or experiences in coteaching?   ... View more

The first day of class can set the tone for the semester and is a chance to engage and motivate your new students.   I am always excited with a mix of adrenaline and butterflies to greet students (whether face-to-face or online) and preview course content and expectations.  After a brief warm welcome and introduction,  I usually kick off with a "fun" activity, video, or poll that is intended to demonstrate the significance and scope of nutrition - and to possibly challenge preconceived perceptions.   If using PPTX, I created a slide with a variety of snapshots about me and my life to provide some personal and professional insights - and also slides with photos about the teaching associates for that semester to put a personable face with their name.   If online, can create this as separate narrated VOPPTX or video.  I then discussed highlights and important takeaways from the syllabus, but in recent semesters I recorded a VOPPTX that walked students through the syllabus in more detail that would be posted on the course page and provided a link within the first week announcement for easy access (also was helpful for students who might miss the first class).   Would love to hear your thoughts about the first week of class!   Vanderbilt's Center for Teaching and Learning has a wide range of excellent, accessible resources for faculty - here's a link to some excellent ideas for that first day of class!  Here's wishing you a great semester!   Jamie ... View more

How do you feel about a warning symbol on the front of packaged foods alerting you to higher amounts of nutrients linked to chronic disease risk? In the US, we often see label statements and claims on the front of packages as to what “positive” nutrient a food might contain (fiber, omega-3, vitamin D, etc.) or what a food might not contain (gluten, GMOs, added sugars, etc.) – but in terms of amounts consumers must pick up a product and take a look (and try to decipher) at the Nutrition Facts Panel. Earlier this month, Canada instituted new food policy that requires packaged foods that contain more than 15% of the Daily Value for saturated fat, added sugars, and sodium to include a standardized warning on the front of the package. https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/news/2022/06/front-of-package-nutrition-labelling.html I admit, while I applaud the intent as we do overconsume these chronic disease promoting constituents, I am mixed about fostering a “good” “bad” approach to food choice – and how some consumers and manufacturers alike will respond. I often joke that dietitians often begin addressing questions with “it depends….”. Individual food choice must be viewed in context with the rest of the overall diet. Not sure if a warning label will be coming to a food package near you in the future. Would love to hear your perspective. https://www.foodbusinessnews.net/articles/21683-front-of-package-warning-labels-coming-to-canada   ... View more

Link to 5 minute podcast about the Assertion Evidence approach for educational PPTX or read on..... 🙂 Several years ago, I attended a workshop offered by our Center for Teaching here at Vanderbilt on approaches for educational Power Point presentations for use in higher ed.  I was most intrigued and impressed by examples and the pedagogy behind the “Assertion-Evidence” approach to creating slide presentations. Rather than a topic heading on the slide, this format uses an assertion statement to make a point – and builds a presentation around messages rather than topics. The assertion is a statement or short sentence as the slide heading that expresses the primary focus or take away from that slide.  Even a quick glance at the slide provides the central concept or message being communicated.   For example, rather than a topic heading that says, “Blood Glucose Regulation”, the assertion would be “Blood glucose levels are maintained through the actions of pancreatic hormones”.  Or rather than a topic of “Carbohydrate Classification” the assertion would be “Carbohydrates are classified as simple or complex”.   The assertion communicates a message about a topic that is then supported by additional information or evidence of the assertion.  The “evidence” that follows would be bullet points, a visual image, or infographic that supports the assertion.   Regarding the assertion “carbohydrates are classified as simple or complex” the evidence would be examples of simple and complex carbohydrates along with or even just an image of some of these foods from the text.  The assertion is not repeated in the body of the slide.  For my own classes and for the textbook, I adapted the “regular” (and still very good!) slides to incorporate the Assertion-Evidence approach as an alternative for instructors. Thus, as currently found in the instructor resources - and unique to our text - educators have the choice of either topic-based slides or my Assertion-Evidence.   Both can be adapted and edited to meet individual instructor’s style and learning goals.    You can also read more about this approach at www.assertion-evidence.com.  ... View more