President’s Message
Happy February!
What a winter, huh? I hope all of you have been able to adjust after our ice-storm week. It was so fun seeing the pictures of some of you with your family and friends in the snow. One thing’s for sure, we made some memories!
March is upon us and we know what that means – Virtual Conference! As a reminder, the MS-AND Virtual Conference is March 25th & 26th. We’ve got a great slate of speakers for these two days. Topics such as Secrets to Successful Leadership Change, Health Disparities in MS/Cultural Sensitivity, Vitamin D: A Must-Have for Seniors and Namaste Happy with Advances in Treatment for Inflammatory Bowel Disease are just a few of the awesome sessions you can expect. The conference will be held from 8am – 1:00pm on the 25th & 26th. This year, sessions will be recorded and available for use if you can’t participate in the conference in real time. Sign up today! You’re not going to want to miss it. Click here for more information and to register today!
Heather White
MS-AND 2021 Annual Conference: The Diverse Field of Dietetics
The conference will be held virtually on Thursday, March 25th and Friday, March 26th from 8:00am to 1:00pm. By attending you are eligible to earn up to 8 CEU’s during the two-day virtual event.
Registration is now open! Click here to register today!
Note: Non-member students will need to email [email protected] to register.
Please see the agenda for the meeting below.
Email [email protected] with any questions!
Visit our website for the latest conference information. Link to conference page:
MS-AND Award Nominations – Deadline Extended!
The MS-AND Nominating Committee is seeking award nominations for the following awards. Please complete the attached nomination form and email it to [email protected], [email protected], and [email protected] by March 5, 2021.
Please reach out with any questions.
Have you read the Academy’s Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities and Chronic Disease Issue Brief
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recognizes that it is essential to address the
root causes of health inequities by examining the social determinants of health that play a role in the etiology and amplification of chronic health disparities. The most recent U.S. Census reports that approximately 40 percent of the U.S. population belong to a racial or ethnic minority group. Many minority populations in the United States have long faced chronic disease health disparities due to socioeconomic inequities, barriers to education, systemic racism, insufficient access to health care, as well as limited access to healthful and affordable foods and safe places to be active. This month the Academy has released Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities and Chronic Disease Issue Brief. The brief describes how the social determinants of health of education, economic stability, social and community context, health and health care, as well as the build environment affect the overall health of Americans. The Academy advocates for a broad range of policies to target social determinants of health and address these racial and ethnic health disparities, including economic stability and access to healthful food, adequate access to health care and reducing barriers to education.
Take Action Today to Fight for Funding for Crucial Nutrition Programs
During the annual appropriations process, the Academy advocates for funding for federal programs that help people live a healthy life. Your voice matters – members of Congress need to hear from Academy members on these important issues that impact our profession and communities. Take action now!
Federal Nutrition Impact Story Collection Open
The Academy wants to hear from you! The Academy is collecting federal nutrition stories to assist in advocacy efforts for FY2022 federal budget requests: please share your stories about the importance of federal nutrition programs and services, research and research grants and other crucial funding priorities, such as workforce development and food safety. Your stories help illustrate to policymakers why they should support nutrition, prevention and research priorities. Please complete the story collection form here: https://www.votervoice.net/EATRIGHT/Surveys/6539/Respond
Don’t forget to renew your licensure!
The Mississippi State Department of Health, Division of Professional Licensure will waive all continuing education requirements for the 2021 dietetic licensure renewal. Also, the renewal period will be extended an additional sixty (60) days, it will be open until May 31, 2021. Anyone renewing after the extended renewal date will be closed and assessed the late fee of $200.00. For additional information, please call 601-364-7360 or email [email protected].
State Legislative Tracking Map
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Policy Initiatives and Advocacy Division has created a State Legislative Tracking Map. As of January 16, 2021, Mississippi has 98 bills that have been introduced so far. These relate to licensure and education, food security, health IT/telehealth, dietary guidelines/guidance, food and water safety, as well as food labeling.
Visit the “Take Action” section of the eatright Advocacy section to follow along as these bills move through the Mississippi Legislature: https://www.eatrightpro.org/advocacy. If you would like to contact your state senator or representative, you can find out his or her name, as well as their contact information here: https://openstates.org/find_your_legislator/
Congratulations Elise Smith – ANDPAC Hall of Fame
Congratulations to Elise Smith for being recognized as one of the inaugural group of ANDPAC donors Hall of Fame. She was recognized for her continued support of ANDPAC and commitment to advancing the profession during the January 26 “Eat Right Advocacy Policy Priorities for the 117th Congress” webinar. To learn more about ANDPAC and make a donation, click here: https://www.eatrightpro.org/advocacy/political-action-committee/donate-to-andpac.
Be a Part of the RESTORE Study
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Research, International Scientific Affairs Team is collaborating with George Mason University (GMU) and Indiana University (IU) to help collect data for a study assessing standard nutrition care practices of COVID-19 patients admitted to the ICU. Dietitians providing support to COVID-19 patients in the ICU are needed for The RESTORE Study (NutRitional CarE PracticeS and STatus Of SARS-CoV-2 PatiEnts). If you agree to participate, this study will involve entering weekly patient de-identified case data from the time of admission through discharge from the ICU into ANDHII for a 3- to 6-month timeframe. The study will help inform current Academy COVID-19 efforts, and future Academy policy and advocacy initiatives, education and research. Learn more here.
Do you know about the National Resource Center for Nutrition and Aging?
The purpose of the National Resource Center for Nutrition and Aging (NRCNA) is to build the capacity of senior nutrition programs funded by the Older Americans Act (OAA), provide high quality, person-centered services, and assist Administration for Community Living and stakeholders to identify current and emerging issues and opportunities to enhance program sustainability and resiliency.
The intent of the OAA senior nutrition program is to: reduce food insecurity, hunger and malnutrition; enhance socialization; and promote health and well-being. The NRCNA website has information for providers and consumers, innovative program suggestions, as well as information, data and evaluation. Learn more here: https://seniornutrition.acl.gov/
Delegate Report
The House of Delegates “Power of Delegate Support” (PODS) work group meeting for January was a training by a Council on Future Practice member on the concept of VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity) and how we can be leaders that are agile, courageous, trusted and systems-thinkers in the House of Delegates, as well as in our personal and professional lives. If you would like learn more about the Council on Future Practice or VUCA, click here: https://www.eatrightpro.org/leadership/governance/governance-resources/visioning-process.
On January 28th, the House of Delegates met for a training on the new Academy Issue Brief: Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities and Chronic Disease (https://www.eatrightpro.org/advocacy/legislation/health-equity). We discussed specific policy initiatives including: ideas around how to increase diversification in allied health, the implementation of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, concerns around medical nutrition therapy and racial and ethnic health disparities, as well as how federal nutrition programs are effected by inequities.
The House of Delegates Spring 2021 meeting took place virtually on February 13. The topic for this meeting was “Implementation of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans: Customizing to Meeting Diverse Needs”. The critical issue question we explored in this meeting was “How can the Academy and nutrition and dietetics practitioners support and inform the translation of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans to be applicable to all?” The House of Delegates is devoting the 2020-21 program year to dialogue and action addressing various aspects of diversity and inclusion. In collaboration with the Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) Committee, the House Leadership Team determined the release of the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs)1 provided an opportune moment for discussion related to the critical issue question.
Results of this HOD dialogue will be shared with Academy organizational units to advance their work to arm members with the tools and resources needed in their daily work, whether it be directly through the Academy or through the Academy’s work with the USDA and the national strategic partners. Together the Academy and its members can be leaders in accelerating nutrition and health equity through appropriately sensitive translation of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. You can view any of the documents, including the backgrounder with some very interesting readings, on this Academy website: https://www.eatrightpro.org/leadership/governance/house-of-delegates/virtual-meeting-materials
For the remainder of the program year the House of Delegates will focus on a MIG Task Force, Town Hall Subcommittee, Diversity and Inclusion Committee updates, Nutrition and Health Equity Task Force, and delegate facilitated discussion on VUCA with you our MS-AND members.
I attended the Leveraging the Academy’s New Racial and Health Equity Disparities and Chronic Disase Policy Brief to Create Policy Opportunities conducted by the Academy Legislative and Public Policy Committee.
Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns ([email protected]).
Sincerely,
Lydia West, MPH, RDN, LD, CC, Delegate
Mississippi Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
Content Reviewers for the 2021 Diet Manual
Hello to all! My name is Jenna Moore. I currently serve as the 2020-21 MS-AND Diet Manual Manager. I’m seeking reviewers for the content of the following sections with each subsection listed under it.
Chapter 4: Diets with Gastrointestinal Modifications
Nutritional Management of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease; Dumping Syndrome Diet (Post-Gastrectomy); Fat Restricted Diet; Gluten Free Diet; High Fiber Diet; Lactose Restricted Diet; Minimal Residue Diet; Nutritional Management of Patients with an Ostomy; Bariatric Diet
Chapter 9: Nutrition Assessment
Nutrition Care Process; Components of a Comprehensive Nutrition Assessment; Biochemical Data; Clinical Data; Estimating Nutritional Needs for Adults; Estimating Nutritional Needs for Children; Conditions Associated with Nutrition
Chapter 10: Nutrition Support
Enteral Nutrition; Types of Enteral Formulas; Osmolality; Fluid Requirements; Vitamin and Mineral Content; Use of Medications; Preventing Contamination; Gastric Residuals; Blue Food Dye No. 1; Transition to Home Care; Initiation of Enteral Feedings; Routes of Feeding Administration; Methods of Administration; Complications of Enteral Nutrition Therapy; Monitoring of Enteral Nutrition Therapy; Commercially Available Formulas; Parenteral Nutrition Indications and Contraindications; Types of Parenteral Nutrition Support; Components of Parenteral Nutrition; Preparation of Parenteral Solutions; Parenteral Access; Guidelines for Parenteral Nutrition Initiation; Monitoring Parenteral Nutrition; Metabolic Complications of Parenteral Nutrition; Transitional Feedings; Home Parenteral Nutrition Support;
Refeeding Syndrome; Ethics
If you are interested, please let me know which section or subsection that you would be willing to review. I’ll send the corresponding section to you in Microsoft Word format via e-mail. Please place any additions/suggestions in red text and deletions in a crossed-out format, so I’ll know what has been changed. Please have all changes sent back to me at [email protected] no later than March 5, 2021.
Thank you so much for your help in advance. I look forward to receiving your input.
Sincerely,
Jenna Moore, MS, RD, LD
2020-21 MS-AND Diet Manual Manager