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EDUCATIONAL MATERlALS IN REVIEW
Each article in this book is extensively referenced, and the text includes a thorough discussion of all aspects of cancer prevention research relating to environmental factors. The book will be of interest to professionals concerned with human nutritional assessment, nutrient composition analysis, and disease prevention trials . This book is state-of-theart, outlines new methods and research needs in the field of cancer prevention , and can be a valuable resource for public knowledge of the role of nutrition in the prevention of cancer. Suzanne Martin, Ph .D. , R D . ., Professor of Nutrition , The School of the Ozarks, Point Lookout, MO 65726. CONSUMER Essential Supplements for Women, Reuben, C. and J. Priestley, 1988. From The Putnam Group, 200 Madison Ave. , New York, NY 10016, 195pp. , softcover, $9.95. ISBN 0-399-51437-6. This is a mixture of medical facts on female health problems and grandious promises for curing the se ailments through the use of vitamins and mineral supplements. Many of the references used to support theories on the etiology of female health problems come from respected journals, but the studies that "support" the need for nutritional supplementation are anecdotal and unreferenced. The authors have gone one step further and designated very specific dose requirements of vitamins and minerals to help "cure" a wide variety of problems such as breast cysts, PMS, nausea during ,lregnancy, abnormal menstrual flow, and menopausal heatflashes, to name a few. The book is written for a very motivated, highly educated, female audience, able to afford buying the vast assortment of vitamins and minerals that are recommended in this book. Another potential audience for this book are health food store owners and employees who want to sound educated enough in general medicine and basic physiology to cast a good sales pitch. The layout of the book is easy to follow. Subtitles are in larger print and bold type, and each chapter starts with a table explaining the signs, symptoms, causes and solution/supplements for each health problem. The s~ientific validity of some of these charts, however, is debatable. For example, the solutions range from "working through toxic thoughts and attitudes" for treating vaginal cancer to "taking herbal douches" for vaginitis. I appreciate the fact that some attention is placed on being aware of one's overall diet - food nutrition and attitude on life, and I agree with the authors that chemotherapy, radiation therapy and non-
therapies may not be the answer to current female problems. However, I do not believe that there are sufficient scientifically sound, controlled studies to support such specific doses and combinations of vitamins. In the meanwhile, books like these se rve to nurture the vitamin and mineral supplement business, along with a lot of false hope that through supplementation alone women can be free of physical suffering. Natalie Nicole Tauzin, M.P.H., RD., Assistant Director of Health and Wellness, API Corporation. Teleflora Plaza 12233 W. Olympic Blvd . Suite 140a, Los Angeles, CA 90064 . PROFESSIONAL Current Therapy in Nutrition, Jeejeebhoy, K., ed.1988. FromTheC.V. Mosby Co., 11830 Westline Industrial Dr. , Saint Louis, MO 63146, 497 pp., softcover, $29.95. This publication discusses the role of nutrition in the treatment of a variety of disorders. Examples include: enteral and parenteral nutrition, dietary fiber, dietary supplements, nutrition and gastrointestinal diseases, liver diseases, surgery, renal diseases, cardiovascular diseases, metabolic disorders, pediatrics, and cancer. An excellent variety of authors, all experts in their fields, prOVide the commentary . Specific investigators and study results are listed but few references are given. Tables and figures provide summary data but are also not referenced. There are short lists of suggested readings from current texts or research literature at the end of each topic. This book provides a sound and current blend of research and practical information in an easily readable format. The resource would best be used as a reference handbook and would be useful to dietitians , physicians , nurses , students, and others in the health care field who work with nutrition as a treatment modality in various diseases. Olivia B. Wood, M.P.H ., RD., Assistant Professor, Department of Foods and Nutrition, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907. PROFESSIONAL Clinical Nutrition, Paige, D . , ed., 1988. From the C.V. Mosby Co., 11830 Westline Industrial Drive, Saint Louis, MO 63146,937 pp., hardcover, $54.95. ISBN 0-8016-3873-9. This updated compendium integrates the basic elements of nutrition with the principles of patient assessment and intervention . The text is divided into seven parts, with each chapter containing useful tables, diagrams and references. Part I reviews the fundamentals of nu-
trition metabolism in general terms. The six major classes of nutrients and nonnutrient factors that can alter the nutritional requirements are discussed. Part II, which focuses on nutrition during the lifespan of an indiVidual, includes a chapter dealing specifically with the elderly. Part III is devoted to methods of evaluating nutritional status. Extensive coverage is given to anthropometric techniques. Clinical evaluation methods and relevant laboratory tests are discussed. Methods of dietary assessment as part of a comprehensive nutritional status evaluation are reviewed. Part IV focuses on systemic disorders, the nutritional disorders associated with them and nutritional intervention. Part V addresses specific disease states and their nutritional management. This section includes chapters on enteral and parenteral nutrition, infant parenteral nutrition and home parenteral nutrition. Part VI discusses the pathophysiology, diagnosis, consequences and treatment ofPEM, nutritional deficiencies and other abnormalities. Part VII includes an extensive chapter that examines the relationship between diet and physical performance and addresses developing eating strategies to meet specific needs . Other chapters include a discussion on nutrient density, vegetarianism, and guidelines for nutritional counseling. The Appendices provide detailed tables, including a selected summary of the availability, digestion, function and sources of RDA nutrients. Also included are selected references, diets and an analyses of popular diets . This book could serve as a text for advanced nutrition students or as a valuable reference for students and nutrition practitioners. Frances Tomaszewski, M.S ., R.D., Chief Clinical Dietitian, HCA Medical Center, Port St. Lucie, FL 34952 . PROFESSIONAUCONSUMER Managing Type II Diabetes: Your invitation to a healthier lifestyle, Bergenstal, R., S. Adolphson , P. Hollander and A. Monk, 1988. From DCI Publishing, Box 739, Wayzata, MN 55391, 150 pp., softcover, $9.95. ISBN 0-937721-24-7. The twenty chapters in this book encourage the person with Type II diabetes to become involved in his or her diabetes care . Chapter titles range from "More About Diabetes," "Emotions: They Affect Us Even When We Ignore Them," "Changing Eating Habits - for the Better," "Motivation: Keeping Yourself Moving," to "Action." In between these are additional chapters on nutrition, exercise, and the various complications of diabetes.
J. ofNutr. Educ. Vol. 21, No. 4
The book takes a positive approach to diabetes care, with a strong emphasis on eating well. It is written in a folksy, easyto-read fashion and contains a number of analogies (including one on carpenter ants) to make the information more understandable. Tables, drawings, and activities also contribute to the transfer of information. What I like most about this book is that it takes into consideration that most people with Type II diabetes are adults and should be treated as adults during their education. The book highlights the need for patients to set achievable goals and to be realistic in their overall expectations of themselves. The book is best used, as are most educational materials, in conjunction with a health team able to provide discussion and answer additional questions. It is appropriate for individual counseling or group activities. I would certainly recommend it as a resource for teaching the targeted population. Margaret A. Powers, R .D., M.S ., C.D.E ., Health Promotion Consultant, Powers and Associates, 4432 North Lamon - Suite 100, Chicago, IL 60630. PROFESSIONAL Maternal and Infant Nutrition: Bilingual counseling, English-Spanish, Kletzky, L. and G. Espinosa-Hall, 1987. From Bilingual Counseling, 251 N. Rexford Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90210, 83 pp., spiralbound handbook, $10.00 + P/H . Every year, thousands of Spanishspeaking women in the United States do not receive adequ~te prenatal counseling as a result the many economic, cultural and language barriers they face when trying to obtain health care . In an attempt to overcome one of these barriers, the Central Area Health Education Center of Los Angeles has developed a bilingual counseling handbook to be used by nutritionists, dietitians and other health care professionals in providing nutrition counseling to pregnant, Spanish-speaking women .
August 1989
The handbook is written in an easy-toread, conversational style. Each line of English is followed by its translation in Spanish, and the organization of the book's chapters follow the sequence of events that would occur in a typical nutrition counseling session. The book is divided into three main sections: prenatal nutrition, postnatal nutrition, and infant feeding. The section on prenatal nutrition includes a chapter on assessment, followed by four chapters on counseling. Topics covered in the counseling chapters include an explanation of the four food groups , the nutritional require ments of pregnancy, and the possible health risks and common concerns of pregnancy. Each of the chapters on counseling is well organized, beginning with an assessment of the patient's needs and ending with a patient evaluation . The sections dealing with postnatal care cover nutrition and weight loss, exercise, and family planning. Chapters on infant nutrition deal with the issues pertaining to both breast and bottle feeding, and with introducing solid foods to the infant. In addition to the information provided, the handbook contains an appendix, which includes an extensive EnglishSpanish food list, and a bibliography of bilingual educational materials for both patient and professional use. Forms for recording dietary information and weight gain are also included. The information contain e d in the handbook is both accurate and practical, but not comprehensive. In an attempt to keep the dialogue and concepts simple for use with patients having limited knowledge of nutrition and counselors having a limited knowledge of Spanish, the authors have omitted several important nutritional and health issues. For example, toxemia is not included in the section on health concerns of pregnancy and protein complementation is not mentioned in the section dealing with meeting protein needs. Also the effects of alcohol and other hazardous substances in pregnancy is only briefly mentioned. This handbook will be useful to nutrition educators in providing basic information on the nutritional needs and health concerns in pregnancy. A translator and more detailed references should be utilized for a more in depth coverage of these issues. S.E.C PROFESSIONAL Eating Disorders Throughout the Lifespan, Field H . and B. Domangue, eds., 1987. From Praeger Publishers, 521 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10175, 164 pp. hardcover, $39.95. ISBN 0-275-92212-X.
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This book presents a concise and easy to read update on a variety of eating disorders, from failure to thrive in the infant to the nutritional disturbances of the elderly. Divided into three parts, the sections within each focus on the eating disorders of a single life phase - childhood, adulthood and post-adult (elderly). Obesity in childhood is explored as infant-onset or reactive. Descriptions of onset, physical and psychosocial evaluation, and various programs of treatment are outlined . Adult eating disorders of anorexia, bulimia and obesity are presented with both a physiological and a psychological perspective. Exercise components are explored. The surgical treatment of morbid obesity is reviewed, with illustrations of the procedures available, as well as the risks and expected outcome. The excellent presentation of the nutritional disturbances of the elderly should be required reading for all who work with this population group. Other areas, such as diet faddism, nutrient toxicity and megavitaminosis, and the role of gastrointestinal hormones in the control of appetite, present some new views on old subject matter. The chapters are well footnoted, enabling the serious reader to explore each subject further. References listed range from 1950s to 1987. Each author seems aware of the needed interface between medicine and psychiatry and the importance of a multidisciplinary team approach in the treatment of eating disorders throughout the life span. The book will make a valuable addition to the library of physicians, counselors, nurses, dietitians, and others who work within this field. Maureen D. Loughney, R.D ., L.D., Maureen Loughney Associates, 62 New Monmouth Road, Middletown, NJ 07748. CONSUMER
If I'm So Smart, Why Do I Eat Like
This?, Miller, P.M., andH. Rankin, 1988. From Rawson Associates, 866 Third Avenue, NY 10022, 239 pp., hardcover, $16.95. ISBN 0-89256-327-3. Self-help books dealing with substance abuse have grown in number and popularity over the past decade. The target audience for Why Do I Eat Like This? is highly educated women who have experienced occasional binge eating. The authors contend that the drive for perfection and the demands involved with juggling career, family and personal relationships may encourage binge eating in women who are otherwise health and exercise conscious. They call this condition the SWEET Syndrome (Smart Woman's Excessive Eating Trap).