In its Dec. 2008 issue, the Journal of the American Dietetics Association published a work produced by a group of nutrition experts that included Patricia Coleman of NMC’s Cooperative Research Extension and Education Service.
NMC President Carmen Fernandez said the article highlighted the college’s dedication in promoting public health.
“We are proud that the work being produced by NMC staff in collaboration with others in the community is being recognized on la national level,” Fernandez said.
The publication discussed the results of a study done on the eating patterns of CNMI children.
Coleman, the coordinator for the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program of NMC-CREES, said the group that participated in writing the research article deserves the credit for its recognition, particularly the author, Yvette Paulino.
She said Lisa Benavente, Lynn Tenorio, Tayna Belyeu Camacho, Nicky Davison and Dr. Rachel Novotny got the project off the ground.
“They certainly need to be given credit for all of the hard work they put into the project,” Coleman added.
Joanne Ogo also played a major role during the data collection phase, she said.
The article, titled “Nutritional Characteristics and Body Mass Index of Children in the CNMI,” is about the series of studies conducted on 420 children between six months and 10 years old.
The nutrition survey was a collaborative effort of the University of Hawaii, the CNMI-Department of Public Health, and NMC-CREES.
Funding for the survey was provided through grants from the Agricultural Development in the American Pacific Project and the National Research Initiative.
The survey results were also published in the Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology.
A similar report, “Breastfeeding is Associated with Lower Body Mass Index in Children of the CNMI” was published by the Journal of the American Dietetics Association in 2007.
The journal is “the most widely read publication in its field, focuses on advancing knowledge across the range of research and practice issues, such as nutritional science, public health nutrition, and dietetics education,” NMC stated.
It added that the American Dietetic Association is the “world’s largest organization of food and nutrition professionals.”
