K. Hicks

Viewpoint regarding the limited nutrition education opportunities for physicians worldwide

Abstract Current trends in obesity and modifiable chronic disease are on the rise globally. Yet in primary care nutrition and lifestyle counseling, potentially the ‘first line of defense’ to address public health concerns, is limited. Unfortunately, nutrition and lifestyle education in the medical education curriculum is minimal and, in many countries, on the decline. Patients however expect their primary healthcare provider to assist them with diet and lifestyle modification to prevent and delay progression of chronic disease. This is indeed a paradox: the lack of nutrition focused education expertise in the face of the increased demand for nutrition counseling being placed on the physician. Across many countries, programmes of nutrition-centered continuing education, both online and face to face, are scarce. There is a pressing need for these educational opportunities to improve physician knowledge and self-efficacy in integrating nutrition counseling into routine practice, with the ultimate goal of improving overall patient health outcomes.

Alcohol Advertising on Social Media: Examining the Content of Popular Alcohol Brands on Instagram

ABSTRACT Background: There is considerable evidence that exposure to alcohol marketing increases the likelihood of adolescents initiating and engaging in alcohol consumption. There is a paucity of research, however, specifically examining industry generated alcohol marketing occurring on social media/networking platforms. Objective: The purpose of this investigation was to analyze the content of promotional advertisements by alcohol brands on Instagram. Methods: For a 30-day period, Instagram profiles of 15 distinct alcohol brands were examined. Pictorial posts/updates from each profile were screen captured and individually documented. Approximately 184 distinct posts constituted our final sample. The Content Appealing to Youth Index was independently employed by two raters to assess each post. For each characteristic, Cohens Kappa measures, and associated 95% confidence intervals, were calculated. Descriptive statistics were performed. Results: Posts increased throughout the week and peaked on Thursday and Friday. The production value of the posts examined was generally high, frequently featuring color, texture, shine, contrast, faces, and action. Character appeals and use of youth-oriented genres were uncommon. Many of the posts used product appeals and physical benefits to consumption. The posts also emphasized the following rewarding appeal characteristics: positive emotional experiences, achievement, individuality, and camaraderie. The most commonly coded risk-related feature was inappropriate use. Conclusions/Importance: This investigation represents an initial attempt to provide insights into the content alcohol brands are including in their promotional materials on social networking sites.

Online nutrition and T2DM continuing medical education course launched on state-level medical association

Objective The purpose of this research study was to determine whether a 1-hour online continuing medical education (CME) course focused on nutrition for type 2 diabetes would result in a gain in nutrition knowledge by practicing physicians. Methods A practicing physician and dietitian collaborated to develop an online CME course (both webinar and self-study versions) on type 2 diabetes. This 1-hour accredited course was launched through the state-level medical association’s education library, available to all physicians. Results Physicians (n=43) registered for the course, and of those, 31 completed the course in its entirety. A gain in knowledge was found when comparing pre- versus post-test scores related to the online nutrition CME (P<0.0001). Conclusions Online CME courses launched via state-level medical associations offer convenient continuing education to assist practicing physicians in addressing patient nutrition and lifestyle concerns related to chronic disease. The present diabetes CME one-credit course allowed physicians to develop basic nutrition care concepts on this topic to assist patients in a better way.