Food Systems, Nutrition, and Health
RDN Training
August 26, 2026
Clinical Decision-Making by Registered Dietitians Caring for Patients Who are Obese by BMI in Acute Care: A Qualitative Study
Objective: Dietitians in acute care settings are tasked with providing nutrition support to individuals with obesity amid complex clinical and systemic challenges, including variable application of clinical guidelines. This qualitative study aimed to examine registered dietitian nutritionists’ (RDNs) experience and perspectives related to providing nutrition care for individuals with obesity in acute care settings. Methods:...Beyond the Food Label: Nutrient Profiling Foods in the Indian Nutrition Data Bank for Public Nutrition Policy
The student developed What We Eat in India (WWEI), a new culturally relevant system for categorizing 1,014 cooked Indian recipes from the Indian Nutrition Data Bank. Two nutrient profiling approaches were applied and compared: the World Health Organization South-East Asia Region nutrient profile model and the Nutrient Rich Food model, including the NRF 6.3 and...Living on the Cusp: A Qualitative Exploration of Food Security Transitions in Washington State Households with Children
The purpose of this study was to qualitatively explore the experiences of households with children from the first five waves of the Washington State Food Security Survey (WAFOOD) that experienced at least one transition into or out of food security between 2020- 2025. This study used a mixed methods explanatory sequential study design. Quantitative data...Optimization of Intravenous Lipid Emulsion Use in Pediatric Patients Receiving Parenteral Nutrition at Harborview Medical Center
Current Harborview Medical Center (HMC) practice is to initiate pediatric parenteral nutrition (PN) with a soy-based intravenous lipid emulsion (SOILE) and monitor aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) weekly to assess liver function. If these labs are measured three times above normal twice, the patient is transitioned to soy-, MCT-, olive-, fish-oil lipid emulsion...Provider Perspectives and Institutional Assets and Barriers to Modifying NICU NG Tube Training for Families at Seattle Children’s Hospital
Comprehensive neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) pre-discharge family education on nasogastric tube (NGT) use is critical for a safe transition from hospital to home. Prior students’ work has identified NICU caregiver needs and informed the development of a family-centered NGT training curriculum. To fully implement the training, there is a need to better understand institutional...Creating a Nutrition Policy Toolkit for Community Food Banks and Meal Programs in Seattle, WA
A recent Washington Food Coalition (WFC) report showed that nutrition policies are effective tools for increasing the supply of nutritious foods in food banks. Many agencies interested in implementing nutrition policies, however, have indicated a need for additional support and technical assistance. Thus, this project focused on providing resources to Seattle-based food banks and meal...Disseminating Preventative Health Education to People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
More than 1 in 4 U.S. adults reports having some form of a disability. People with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) experience disproportionate health disparities with poorer overall health outcomes compared to the general population. Special Olympics Washington (SOWA) works to close these gaps through inclusive health screenings and athletecentered education, including a peer education...Farm to Care Centers: Building Local Procurement Resources for the Child and Adult Care Food Program in Washington
The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) is a federally funded nutrition program that reimburses child and adult sponsors, or care centers, for serving nutritious meals. The Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) Child Nutrition Services (CNS) provides administrative support and regulates use of federal funds for CACFP. Sponsors have diverse sizes,...Development of ARFID Following Bariatric Surgery: A Case Study
A case study of a man in his early 40s who developed Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) following gastric bypass surgery approximately six months earlier. The client presented to The Emily Program with significant weight loss and limited dietary variety due to adverse experiences with early dumping syndrome, reactive hypoglycemia, and a history of esophageal...Assessing Dietitans’ Preparedness for Eating Disorder Care: A Preliminary Needs Assessment
As part of the Leadership Education in Adolescent Health (LEAH) Traineeship at Seattle Children’s, the student designed and conducted a preliminary needs assessment to examine dietitians’ preparedness to care for patients with eating disorders. After developing Interview questions, interviewing five dietitians, and analysing their responses, common themes related to confidence, training, clinical challenges, and organizational...Next page