The Food Choice Magician: The Dietician

Author

Sylvia E. Martinez, The University of Texas at El Paso

Date of Award

5-2020

Degree Type

DNP Project

Degree Name

Doctor of Nursing (ND)

Department

Nursing

Chair

Elizabeth Portugal

Abstract

Poor or inadequate caloric intake can hinder the improvement of comorbidities treated in primary care settings. Metabolic syndrome is major health concern that encompasses surplus of energy, obesity, and sedentary lifestyles (Kaur, 2014). The notion to develop and implement a multidisciplinary approach to improve the overall health of the community was the driving force of this quality improvement project to target metabolic syndromes. Following a 10-day reflective practice, those with hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes all had the necessity of dietary modifications to promote healthy food choices to ameliorate comorbidities and improve overall health. Literature reviewed outlined the significance of intervention strategies as a multidisciplinary approach that not only helped the patients but also encouraged shared decisionmaking concepts with healthcare providers. Evidence supported that collaborative care improves dietary management, diabetes outcomes, weight loss, and reduction in cardiovascular risk factors. The World Health Organization supports an integrative collaborative approach to chronic disease prevention that includes dietary changes and physical activity (Royall, 2019). The outcomes of this quality improvement project exemplified the importance of collaborative health promotion modalities to manage metabolic syndrome.

Recommended Citation

Martinez, Sylvia E., "The Food Choice Magician: The Dietician" (2020). Cohort VIII. 5.
https://scholarworks.utep.edu/cohort_8/5