The MCH Library Releases Child and Adolescent Nutrition Knowledge Path

The Maternal and Child Health Library released a new knowledge path, Nutrition: Children and Adolescents. The knowledge path offers a guide to recent resources that analyze data, describe public-awareness campaigns and other health-promotion programs, and report on research aimed at identifying promising strategies for improving nutrition and eating behaviors within families, schools, and communities. Separate sections identify resources for professionals, resources for families, and resources on specific aspects of child and adolescent nutrition. Topics include child care and early childhood education, food marketing to children, food safety, food-security and nutrition-assistance programs, and school-based nutrition education and food services. View the path online at http://www.mchlibrary.info/KnowledgePaths/kp_childnutr.html. Knowledge paths on other maternal and child health topics are available at http://mchlibrary.info/KnowledgePaths/index.html.

The Obesity Challenge in Public Health, March 13-14, 2008 Workshop

Register Now for March 13-14, 2008 Workshop!
The Obesity Challenge in Public Health:
Integrating Best Practices into Culturally Competent, Family-Centered Solutions
An Interdisciplinary Distance Learning Workshop
10 or more continuing education credits for your professions!
(RD, RN, OT, PT, SLP, social work, case managers,
educators, psychologists, physicians, and others)

Registration is free; however there is a $20.00 lunch fee .

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Intensive Course, "Nutrition for Infants, Children & Adolescents" Feb. 2008

February 24-28, 2008

This program provides leadership training in pediatric/adolescent nutrition by developing high levels of clinical competence, providing instruction in nutritional needs and services for children and providing training in systems of delivery of nutritional care.  Program is designed for pediatric practitioners, including dietitians, nurses, nutritionists, pediatric nurse practitioners, physicians and other professionals who are involved in the care of children.

See our Website:  http://adolescent.chsys.org or Contact Charlene Rhoades at (205) 939-9254

After School Programs: Exemplary Practices in Nutrition, Physical Activity & Food Security

If you've been looking for great ideas for afterschool programs, visit www.ccscenter.org to download a copy of the new publication, below.  It was developed in response to California's Proposition 49 which, once a budget threshhold was passed, would put over $500M into afterschool programs that provide educational enrichment. The "trigger" was pulled last year, so now school districts and county offices of education are delivering services themselves or contracting w/ other entities.  This document is intended to help them!  We'd love your feedback!   

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Curricula Enhancement Module Series


The Curricula Enhancement Module Series was developed by the National Center for Cultural Competence (NCCC) to increase the capacity of DRTE-funded programs to incorporate principles and practices of cultural and linguistic competence into all aspects of their leadership training.  Key content areas are:  Cultural Awareness, Cultural Self-Assessment, Process of Inquiry -- Communicating in a Multicultural Environment, and Public Health in a Multicultural Environment. 

Each Module offers:
    Section A:  Overview and Purpose of the Modules
    Section B:  Cultural and Linguistic Competence:  Rationale, Conceptual Frameworks, and Values
    Section C:  Key Content
    Section D:  Teaching Tools, Strategies, and Resources including case studies, vignettes, and self-discovery exercises

The module series is supported by the NCCC web site, with regularly updated content, including an online searchable Resource Database, Promising Practices, Research and the Evidence, the Cultural Broker portal, the Spanish Language portal, Frequently Asked Questions in Language Access and a wide range of publications and tools.

To access the modules, click here (the link should be to http://NCCCcurricula.info
 

New Breastfeeding Report Available

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has released a new evidence report on breastfeeding and health outcomes.  The report found evidence that breastfeeding decreases infants's and mothers's risk of having many short-term and chronic diseases.

There is good evidence that breastfeeding reduced infants's risk of ear infections by up to 50 percent, serious lower respiratory tract infections by 72 percent, and a skin rash similar to eczema by 42 percent. Children with a family history of asthma who had been breastfed were 40 percent less likely to have asthma, and children who were not prone to asthma had a 27 percent reduced risk compared to those children who were not breastfed. The risk of developing type 1 diabetes was reduced by about 20 percent. These benefits were seen in infants who were breastfed for three or more months. Breastfeeding also reduced the risk of type 2 diabetes by 39 percent compared to those who were not breastfed.

The report also found that breastfeeding was associated with fewer episodes of diarrhea during infancy, decreased incidence of childhood leukemia, and decreased deaths from sudden infant death syndrome. The report found no clear relationship between breastfeeding and improvement in IQ. In premature infants, breastfeeding decreased the occurrence of necrotizing enterocolitis, a serious gastrointestinal infection that often results in death.  

For health outcomes in mothers, there is good evidence that women who breastfed their infants had up to a 12 percent reduced risk of type 2 diabetes for each year they breastfed. Breastfeeding decreased the risk of ovarian cancer by up to 21 percent. Breastfeeding also decreased the risk of breast cancer by up to 28 percent in those whose lifetime duration of breastfeeding was 12 months or longer. Women who did not breastfeed their infants were more likely to have postpartum depression, but unmeasured factors-Msuch as depression that was undiagnosed prior to giving birth-Mmay have increased the rate of depression seen in this group. Breastfeeding did not increase the risk of fractures due to osteoporosis. The effect of breastfeeding on a woman'9s weight could not be determined based on the available studies.

The report was nominated and funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services's Office on Women's Health and prepared by Stanley Ip, M.D., Joseph Lau, M.D., and colleagues at AHRQ's Tufts-New England Medical Center Evidence-based Practice Center in Boston, Massachusetts.
AHRQ'9s EPCs develop evidence reports and technology assessments on topics relevant to clinical, social science/behavioral, economic, and other health care organization and delivery issues-Mspecifically those that are common, expensive, and/or significant for the Medicare and Medicaid populations.  

To access Breastfeeding and Maternal and Infant Outcomes in Developed Countries, go to: http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/tp/brfouttp.htm 

Position Available: Public Health & Community Nutrition

Assistant/Associate/Full Professor - Public Health & Community Nutrition
Department of Community Health Sciences - School of Public Health
University of California at Los Angeles
Web Site: www.ph.ucla.edu/chs

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Faculty Position in Nutrition, Behavioral Sciences, Obesity and Weight Management

The Department of Nutrition at The University of Tennessee in Knoxville has a new tenure-track position available at the Assistant/Associate Professor rank for someone with a focus in nutrition, behavioral sciences, obesity, and weight management.   If you are interested in a position of this nature, we encourage you to apply.  If you know of someone who might be interested, please share the position announcement.  Click the "Read more..." link below for more information about the position and how to apply. Please contact Betsy Haughton ( ; Telephone 865/974-6267) if you have questions or need additional information.

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NuPAC and DNPA/CDC offer social marketing resources

The Nutrition and Physical Activity Communication Team (NuPAC) from DNPA/CDC would like to announce two new social marketing resources!

1.  A series of social marketing case studies has been developed and is available online at www.cdc.gov/dnpa/socialmarketing.  One of the questions NuPAC is asked a lot is "how have other states done social marketing?"  These case studies are our attempt to help answer that question for you.  They describe the process used in five different states to plan and develop nutrition and physical activity interventions.  They are real-life, concrete examples of how to incorporate social marketing into the intervention planning process.

Informational boxes are included that highlight:

  • Ways to apply social marketing to intervention planning
  • Lessons learned
  • Challenges faced
  • Creative ideas
  • Potential areas for saving money

Finally, a summary table is included at the end of each case study that includes a contact person as a resource for additional information.

If you have questions about the cases, or ideas for social marketing projects in the areas of nutrition, physical activity, or obesity, please contact:

Jenny Miller:
Becky Payne:
Lori Schmoyer:

2. Turning Point has announced a new version of CDCynergy-Social Marketing Edition.  This interactive CD-ROM provides step-by-step support for developing a social marketing program.  The new version includes additional guidance at every phase.  To purchase a (low cost!) copy of the CD-ROM, please visit:  www.tangibledata.com/cdcynergy-soc  Several trainings for using the new CD-ROM will be offered in the fall, including a training in conjunction with APHA.  To find dates and registration information, please visit: www.turningpointprogram.org/Pages/socialmkt.html

 
Nutrition Research Positions Available
Positions Available

The Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology at Drexel University invites applicants for a tenure track position in the Division of Nutrition and Food Science.  The successful candidate must have a Ph.D. in nutrition or a related field and should have a strong desire to will take a leading role in the division which is doing dynamic research in basic and clinical nutrition sciences.  The candidate must have a strong Nutritional research program, peer-reviewed publications, and a track record of extramural funding.  The candidate will teach at both the graduate and undergraduate students in the Nutrition Division levels.  Drexel University is located in the heart of Philadelphia, close to other major universities and has a diverse array of cultural activities.
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