There are three approaches I take to staying updated on the latest nutrition research: 1) I subscribe to a newsletter called 'Obesity and Energetics Offerings'. It's a weekly newsletter which links to the latest publications in diet, nutrition, physiology, basic science, and other. 2) I follow respected researchers on Twitter (X) and retweet and read any interesting research they share. Now that I've been doing this for a few years, Twitter knows what I'm into, and my feed mainly consists of nutrition—and exercise-related research. 3) We have a journal club channel in Slack at work. People will regularly share research and stories about nutrition that we discuss and try to dissect and make sense of. In terms of how this has influenced my practice, I think a key example is through Twitter. I've followed Dr Stuart Phillips for years since I first heard his name on a podcast. Dr Stuart is one of the world's leading researchers in protein metabolism. After following him on Twitter and reading much of his research, I started applying his recommendations with my clients. The key ones being: 1) Ensure you eat 20-40g of protein each meal 2) Ensure fairly even protein distribution, so 30-30-30 rather than 10-10-70 A practical approach with this information is to base your meals around protein and going from there.
I stay updated on the latest nutrition research through a combination of reading recent journal articles, attending conferences (such as Expo West) and going to workshops and classes led by experts. This knowledge has influenced my practice by providing me with the most updated research and wellness products on the market. As knowledge continues to grow and investigations continue to be pursued regarding the chemicals within the food we eat, supplements we may ingest and the air we breathe, we discover that something we thought was a healthy choice many years ago is no longer the best option and there are healthier and/or safer products on the market. It is important to continue learning and growing within the field of nutrition and in life.
My favorite way is staying connected to peers and colleagues in the field. When someone else finds a new article or finds out about new research outcomes that could impact practice, we share the information between one another. I also stay connected to certain distribution lists for entities that disseminate or publish peer-reviewed articles, as well as participate in forums with other dietitians in similar areas of practice to hear about how they're evolving their practice and what research fueled those decisions.
As a tech CEO, I actively follow the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and nutrition sections in other medical journals for the latest researches. For instance, learning about the impact of hydration on physical and cognitive performance led me to introduce 'Hydrate+Innovate Tuesdays'. On this day, we ensure all meeting rooms are always stocked with water, sparking reminders for adequate hydration amidst brainstorming. This not only promotes better health but also indirectly encourages innovative discussions.