The present study was conducted to provide the basis for improvement of clinical nutrition services through development of job standards of clinical dietitian for the clinical nutrition therapy to cancer patients in hospitals. Developing A Curriculum (DACUM) method was used for job analysis and development of job standards for clinical dietitians for cancer care. Based on DACUM analysis, information about duties, tasks, and task elements of clinical dietitians for cancer care was collected. Developed job standards were applied to clinical nutrition care for cancer patients in hospitals for evaluation. Based on DACUM analysis, consultations from professionals, and field application tests, the final job standards were composed of four duties, 18 tasks, and 56 task elements. The duties consisted of nutritional assessment, nutrition diagnosis, nutrition intervention, and nutrition monitoring.evaluation. For cancer nutrition care, 109 work activities were developed. They were composed of 75 basic and 34 recommended work activities. The application of developed job standards for clinical dietitians for cancer care at 10 hospitals showed a performance rate of 72.3%. In conclusion, job standards for clinical dietitians for cancer care developed in this study might be effectively used as guidelines for providing clinical nutrition services for cancer patients in hospitals.
Curriculum ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Nutrition Assessment ; Nutrition Therapy* ; Nutritionists* ; Referral and Consultation

Pediatric patients require specialized attention and have diverse demands for proper growth and development, and thus need a different approach and interest in nutritional assessment and supply. Enteral nutrition is the most basic and important method of nutritional intervention, and its indications should be identified. Also, the sites, modes, types, and timing of nutritional intervention according to the patient's condition should be determined. In addition, various complications associated with enteral nutrition supply should be identified, and prevention and treatment are required. This approach to enteral nutrition and proper administration can help in the proper growth and recovery of pediatric patients with nutritional imbalances or nutritional needs.
Child ; Enteral Nutrition ; Growth and Development ; Humans ; Malnutrition ; Methods ; Nutrition Assessment

No Abstract available.
Humans ; Nutrition Assessment* ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive*

The present study was conducted to develop a standardized job description for clinical dietitians working in hospitals. A developing curriculum (DACUM) method was used for the job analysis of clinical dietitians. Based on DACUM analysis with 14 members, including clinical dietitians and professors majoring in clinical nutrition and job analysis, information on the duties, tasks, and task elements of clinical dietitians was determined. To verify the job descriptions derived from DACUM analysis, a total of 46 tertiary and general hospitals with over 500 beds were recruited for the survey. The final developed job description for clinical dietitians included 7 duties, 27 tasks, and 93 task elements. The duties consisted of nutritional assessment, nutrition diagnosis, nutrition intervention, nutrition monitoring.evaluation, consultation.cooperation, nutrition research, and self-development. The mean scores of perceived importance, performance, and difficulty on the clinical dietitian's task elements (out of a maximum score of 5.0) were 4.5, 3.7, and 3.5, respectively, with significant differences between the items (P<0.001). The perceived importance and performance grid of clinical dietitian's tasks showed that "construction and maintenance of collaboration" (E2) and "activity of quality improvement" (F1) received relatively low scores for performance despite their high importance scores; thus the performance of these tasks requires significant improvement. In conclusion, the job descriptions of clinical dietitians developed from this study are useful for the qualitative improvement of clinical nutrition services in hospitals.
Curriculum ; Hospitals, General ; Job Description ; Nutrition Assessment

No abstract available.
Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Nutrition Assessment

The aims of this study were to develop strategies and algorithms of calculating food commodity intake suitable for exposure assessment of residual chemicals by using the food intake database of Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). In this study, apples and their processed food products were chosen as a model food for accurate calculation of food commodity intakes uthrough the recently developed Korea food commodity intake calculation (KFCIC) software. The average daily intakes of total apples in Korea Health Statistics were 29.60 g in 2008, 32.40 g in 2009, 34.30 g in 2010, 28.10 g in 2011, and 24.60 g in 2012. The average daily intakes of apples by KFCIC software was 2.65 g higher than that by Korea Health Statistics. The food intake data in Korea Health Statistics might have less reflected the intake of apples from mixed and processed foods than KFCIC software has. These results can affect outcome of risk assessment for residual chemicals in foods. Therefore, the accurate estimation of the average daily intake of food commodities is very important, and more data for food intakes and recipes have to be applied to improve the quality of data. Nevertheless, this study can contribute to the predictive estimation of exposure to possible residual chemicals and subsequent analysis for their potential risks.
Eating ; Korea* ; Malus ; Nutrition Surveys* ; Risk Assessment

Background and Objectives: Malnutrition is prevalent both at baseline admission and because of hospitalization. It is aggravated by adverse hospital practices and results in poor outcomes, reduced quality of life, and higher treatment costs. Improving quality of care involves nutritional intervention as a low-risk, cost-effective strategy which guides providers in improving practices systems-wise. This study aims to assess the quality of nutritional care and the nutritional status of critically- ill patients admitted in a low-resource setting.

Materials and Methods: This is a mixed methods study among adults admitted in intensive care units (ICUs) of a tertiary government hospital. Anthropometric and biochemical indicators were obtained through chart review. The degree of malnutrition was assessed using the Subjective Global Assessment. Quality indicators under Donabedian domains were assessed and compared to current standards. The length of ICU stay and mortality rate were recorded. Dietary prescription and provision practices of healthcare providers were supplemented by a focus group discussion (FGD). Factors causing provision interruptions were also identified.

Results and Discussion: Sixty-four ICU admissions were included. Staff-to-patient ratio was not ideal. Under process-related factors, out of 49% with actual anthropometric documentations (rest were estimates), 24% had normal body mass indices (BMI), 17% were underweight, and the rest were either overweight or obese. The baseline ICU malnutrition rate was 69%. Malnutrition screening, and assessment of risk and biochemical indicators were not done routinely. Majority (92%) had baseline dietary prescription but only 69% had specific energy and macronutrient breakdown, all done through predictive weight-based equations. Nutritional supplies arrived within 8 hours in 65% of patients. Feeding was initiated within 24-28 hours in 94% of patients. Commercial formula was the preferred type of enteral nutrition (EN). Total duration on nothing-by-mouth (NPO) (hours) throughout ICU stay was significant. Supportive measures to improve gastro-intestinal (GI) tolerance were not standardized. Common factors in delaying feeding initiation were hemodynamic instability, fasting for procedures and GI bleeding. Throughout the ICU stay, fasting for procedures, hemodynamic instability and mechanical ventilation (MV)-related factors were common. ICU mortality rate was 19% and average length of ICU stay was 5 days.

Conclusion: Malnutrition is still prevalent in our ICUs and is affected by suboptimal healthcare practices. Staff - to-patient ratios, malnutrition risk screening and assessment, dietary referrals, documentation and minimizing interruptions in nutritional care provision needs improvement. A system review and establishment of a nutrition team is imperative.

Chronic Disease ; Heart Failure ; Humans ; Nutrition Assessment

This research aimed to compare the nutrient intake of children with cleft lip and palate (CLP) with that of normal children (without CLP) in the same age groups. The study was conducted at the School of Dental Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia. A total of 139 children, of both sexes, from two to six years of age, either with CLP (40 children) or without CLP (99 children), were selected. The CLP and non-CLP children were grouped according to age, which is a key determinant of nutrient intake. Children in subgroup I were between the ages of 2 and 4 years, the group comprising 48 normal children of mean age 39.85 months (SD 7.1), and 20 CLP children of mean age 37.05 months (SD 5.9). Children in subgroup II were those over 4 years and up to 6 years old, and the group comprised 51 normal children, of mean age 64.16 months (SD 7.9), and 20 CLP children of mean age 56.75 months (SD 9.9). A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate nutrient intake in subgroups I and II, using a 24 hours diet recall method. The nutrient intake of CLP children was shown to have no significant differences from that of normal children. A comparison of intake per day with Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) for Malaysian children showed that the consumption of nutrients was inadequate in both the normal and CLP children, in both age sub-groups.
Cleft Lip ; Nutrition Assessment ; Cleft Palate ; Child

No abstract available.
Insulin-Like Growth Factor I ; Nutrition Assessment