Reviews of the medical nutrition therapy literature indicate a continuing need to document the specific contribution of the registered dietitian to health outcomes attained (8). In the specific area of prenatal nutrition interventions, Boyd and Windsor (9) concluded there is a need for high-quality prenatal nutrition education programs, including descriptions of program process and content. Published reports of nutrition interventions suggest that programs are more likely to be successful if they are adapted to the particular minority target culture (10) and if they are individualized to the specific client’s needs (11). A continuing need exists for well-documented and effective prenatal nutrition interventions designed to reduce the incidence of LBW among minority populations. The objective of this project was to evaluate an in-home prenatal nutrition intervention designed to prevent LBW among low-income African-American women.

Leadership has been identified as essential for success in the 21st century and according to Bennis, “our quality of life amidst the volatility, turbulence and ambiguity of our present day societal context, depends on the quality of our leaders” (4). Leadership research theory has been based on objective measures such as traits, attitudes and performance, intellect, personality, relationships, competencies, and values. Dietetic leadership studies are limited and describe these objective characteristics and leadership styles (5-9). In their review of traditional leadership theory, Gregoire and Arendt (10) suggested that more information is needed about how dietitians develop as leaders. The present article describes one theory of leadership development—constructive developmental theory. Registered dietitians at advanced leadership stages can be identified and factors enabling their development can be studied. This theory provides a subjective approach for studying dietetic leadership and gives insight for leadership development programs.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of the addition of LNA- and DHA-enriched eggs on serum lipids of people with hyperlipidemia who were consuming a low-fat diet.

Design/Subjects This descriptive survey invited all Board Certified Specialists in Gerontological Nutrition (CSG) to participate by mail. An instrument was developed that included the definition, etiologies, and signs and symptoms (s/s) of the diagnosis with items added from literature review. CSG rated how common or characteristic each item is to the diagnosis using a 5 point Likert scale. A weighted response for each item was used to calculate a Diagnostic Content Validity (DCV) score. DCV scores of 0.80 and above were classified as major characteristics, 0.50 to 0.799 were minor characteristics, and those scoring below 0.50 were unrepresentative of the diagnosis. A mean total DCV score was calculated using the major and minor characteristics. Dietitians were asked to comment on clarity and completeness of the language.

Results/Discussion Seventy three percent of CSG (n=110) had participated, 43% percent had an MS degree or higher level of education. Reported years of practice in gerontological nutrition were 15±10 years (mean ± SD). The DCV score was 0.80 for the definition, 0.63 for the etiologies, and 0.70 for s/s. Total DCV score for the diagnostic term was 0.69. Thirty six percent and 40% of the CSG recommended adding language to etiologies and s/s respectively. Results indicate the majority of items were valid to the diagnostic term but responses for adding items need further investigation.