Teaching and evaluating smartphone applications: The effectiveness of a curriculum expansion.

Background: Mobile health (mHealth) technology is increasingly utilized to support lifestyle recommendations through nutrient and blood pressure tracking. As patients pose questions regarding the validity and use of this technology, curriculum targeting mHealth technology is essential for the future health professionals. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a curriculum expansion which addressed mHealth technology provided to physician assistant (PA) and clinical nutrition (CN) students enrolled in an academic health center. In addition, the validity of the mobile application (app), MyNetDiary, was determined. Methods: A smartphone application appraisal tool, based on scientific recommendations, was developed. Students were taught how to use this tool to evaluate mobile apps. Students received instruction on providing patient education on mobile apps used to track calories and nutrients and mobile medical apps to measure blood pressure. Pre-/post-surveys and objectively structured clinical examinations measured students' confidence and abilities in teaching patients to use MyNetDiary and Withings Health Mate apps. Wilcoxon rank sum tests evaluated statistical significance. Validity of nutrient estimates was determined using Spearman correlations. Results: Confidence levels improved significantly on all items measured for both PA and CN students (P < 0.001). During the objectively structured clinical examination, all students demonstrated effective communication skills with 98.4% successfully demonstrating of how to enter foods into the MyNetDiary app and 94.3% connecting the blood pressure cuff with the withings app. Significant correlations were found when comparing MyNetDiary to SuperTracker (all P < 0.001). Discussion: This study investigated and demonstrated the effectiveness of an expanded curriculum designed to enhance students' confidence and skills in providing lifestyle counseling incorporating the use of mHealth technology.

2015 Evidence Analysis Library Evidence-Based Nutrition Practice Guideline for the Management of Hypertension in Adults.

Hypertension (HTN) or high blood pressure (BP) is among the most prevalent forms of cardiovascular disease and occurs in approximately one of every three adults in the United States. The purpose of this Evidence Analysis Library (EAL) guideline is to provide an evidence-based summary of nutrition therapy for the management of HTN in adults aged 18 years or older. Implementation of this guideline aims to promote evidence-based practice decisions by registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs), and other collaborating health professionals to decrease or manage HTN in adults while enhancing patient quality of life and taking into account individual preferences. The systematic review and guideline development methodology of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics were applied. A total of 70 research studies were included, analyzed, and rated for quality by trained evidence analysts (literature review dates ranged between 2004 and 2015). Evaluation and synthesis of related evidence resulted in the development of nine recommendations. To reduce BP in adults with HTN, there is strong evidence to recommend provision of medical nutrition therapy by an RDN, adoption of the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension dietary pattern, calcium supplementation, physical activity as a component of a healthy lifestyle, reduction in dietary sodium intake, and reduction of alcohol consumption in heavy drinkers. Increased intake of dietary potassium and calcium as well as supplementation with potassium and magnesium for lowering BP are also recommended (fair evidence). Finally, recommendations related to lowering BP were formulated on vitamin D, magnesium, and the putative role of alcohol consumption in moderate drinkers (weak evidence). In conclusion, the present evidence-based nutrition practice guideline describes the most current recommendations on the dietary management of HTN in adults intended to support the practice of RDNs and other health professionals.

Weight loss via diet and exercise improves exercise breathing mechanics in obese men.

BACKGROUND: Obesity alters breathing mechanics during exercise. Weight loss improves lung function at rest, but the effect of weight loss, especially regional fat loss, on exercise breathing mechanics is unclear. We hypothesized that weight loss, especially a decrease in abdominal fat, would improve breathing mechanics during exercise because of an increase in end-expiratory lung volume (EELV). METHODS: Nine obese men were studied before and after weight loss (13% ± 8% of total fat weight, mean ± SD). Subjects underwent pulmonary function testing, underwater weighing, fat distribution estimates (MRI), and graded cycle ergometry before and after a 12-week diet and exercise program. In seven men, esophageal and gastric pressures were measured. The effects of weight loss were analyzed at rest, at ventilatory threshold (VTh), and during peak exercise by dependent Student t test, and the relationship among variables was determined by correlation analysis. RESULTS: Subjects lost 7.4 ± 4.2 kg of body weight (P < .001), but the distribution of fat remained unchanged. After weight loss, lung volume subdivisions at rest were increased (P < .05) and were moderately associated (P < .05) with changes in chest, waist, and hip circumferences. At VTh, EELV increased, and gastric pressure decreased significantly (P < .05). The changes in waist circumference, hip circumference, BMI, and sum of chest, waist, and hip circumferences were also consistently and significantly correlated (P < .05) with changes in gastric pressure during exercise at VTh. CONCLUSIONS: Modest weight loss improves breathing mechanics during submaximal exercise in otherwise healthy obese men, which is clinically encouraging. Improvement appears to be related to the cumulative loss of chest wall fat.