professional and consumer publication, programs, audiovisuals, and software

Edited by Hope Wilson, BA, Editorial Assis-tant, GEMs and Reviews

Books, curricula, audiovisuals, and other re-sources that nutrition professionals may use forreference, for continuing education, or in a formalor informal education setting are designated “pro-fessional.” Books, handouts, diet plans, and otherresources specified by authors as being written forgeneral audiences are categorized as “consumer.”Inclusion of any material in this section does notimply endorsement by the Society for NutritionEducation.Evaluative comments contained in thereviews reflect the views of the authors. Pricesquoted are those provided by the publishers at thetime materials were submitted. They may nolonger be current when the review is published.

( J Nutr Educ Behav. 2003;35:273-279.)

ProfessionalDiet and Nutrition in Oral Health.Palmer CA, 2003. From Pearson Education,Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458, soft-cover,$47.00,376 pp, ISBN 0-13-031384-X.

This book serves as a reference and clinicalmanual for patient care for use by oral healthprofessionals. Topics include basic nutrition, an

adequate diet, energy balance, macro- and mi-cronutrients, nutrition over the life cycle, and spe-cific information targeted at the oral health pro-fessional, such as growth and development ofdental structures, caries, and oral lesions, as wellas a final section on communication and the ap-plication of nutrition to the dental practice.

This book covers basic nutrition issuesand principles with application to the oralhealth professional. The 4 primary areascovered are core information on humannutrition and how it relates to oral health,specific nutritional issues of dental patients,oral nutrition over the life cycle, and inte-grating nutritional care into dental practice.Each specific chapter includes either a“Summary and Implications for Dentistry”section or case studies and accompanyingquestions, with answers provided in theback of the book.Thus, in all sections, ap-plication of the material to dental practiceis emphasized. For example, in the chapterentitled “The Minerals and Mineralization,”there is a “Summary and Implications” sec-tion that reinforces the concepts that iron isimportant for tissues and structures in theoral cavity and that zinc deficiency impairshealing and alters taste. The case study atthe end of this chapter is on iron deficiencyanemia in a 15-year-old girl. At the end ofthe chapter on energy balance, the casestudy addresses a patient with mouth sores,a poorly fitting partial denture, and con-cerns about her family risk of diabetes. Atthe end of each chapter, there are numerousreferences and some relevant Web sites.Theappendices include case study answers, foodguide pyramids, example nutrition evalua-tion forms, an oral health evaluation form,and a prevention plan guide.

The author has done a very good job ofintegrating issues and the application ofnutrition principles to dentistry throughoutthe book.The book is organized in a logicalprogression, and information on a specifictopic is easy to locate.The material coveredis up to date and includes both US andCanadian dietary food guide pyramids.Thisresource is unique in its dental perspective,with very appropriate integration of knowninformation with application in an area thathas not received as much attention as otherareas of nutritional health. The case studiesare relevant to the theme of their respectivechapters and emphasize that nutrition-related causes of oral health problems mustbe evaluated as part of total patient care. Insome cases, the dental professional is appro-

priately encouraged to refer the patient to aphysician for further medical evaluation foran underlying problem. There were alsotimes when referral to a registered dietitianin nutrition counseling would have beenappropriate. Figures and tables throughoutthe text emphasize and illustrate majorpoints and applications. There are severalextensive tables that are great quick refer-ences. Two of these more extensive tablesinclude electrolytes and other nonmineral-izing minerals and a summary of water-soluble vitamins. These tables provide acomprehensive overview of metabolismand function, deficiency or excess, oralimplications, and requirements and foodsources of micronutrients. Other excellentquick reference tables include “NutritionGuidance for Oral Health Promotion: AnOutline,”“Medications Affecting Nutritionand Oral Tissues,” and “Annotated Re-sources for Patient Education Materials”(including Web sites). One error, however, isthat the answers to the case study for Chap-ter 7,“Iron Deficiency Anemia,” are listed asChapter 8, and the answers to the case studyfor Chapter 8, “Vitamins,” are missing.Overall, this is a unique, informative, up-to-date, and easy to use resource for the oralhealth professional. A major strength is theability of the author to provide applicationand focus on oral health regardless of thenutrition topic being discussed.

Deborah E. Kipp, PhD, RD, Professor, De-partment of Nutrition, University of NorthCarolina at Greensboro, 1000 Spring Gar-den St, Rm 318 Stone Bldg, Greensboro,NC 27402

Frontiers in Agricultural Research:Food, Health, Environment, and Com-munities.The National Research Council,2003. From the National Academies Press,500 Fifth St, NW,Washington, DC 20001,(202) 334-1902, softcover, 268 pp, $39.00,ISBN 0-309-08494-6.

In Frontiers in Agricultural Research, theNational Research Council describes its review ofthe US Department of Agriculture’s Research,Education, and Economics mission area. TheCommittee on Opportunities in Agriculture pro-vides recommendations for future opportunitiesand direction in research related to food, health,the environment, and communities.

Agricultural research needs a new vision.Changes in the food and agriculture sectorover the past 3 decades and the new demands

273

BOOKS

EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS IN REVIEW

BooksDiet and Nutrition in

Oral Health . . . . . . . . . . . . . .273Frontiers in Agricultural Research:

Food, Health, Environment,and Communities . . . . . . . . . .273

Nitrate and Man:Toxic, Harmless or Beneficial? . . . . . . . . . . . . .274

ADA Complete Food and Nutrition Guide, 2nd ed. . . . . .275

Wellness Foods A to Z . . . . . . . . .275The Natural Woman’s Guide to

Living with the Complications of Diabetes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .276

AudiovisualsGlobal Eating: Learning From

Other Cultures . . . . . . . . . . . .277Software

Exploring the Food Guide Pyramid with Professor Popcorn . . . . . . .277

The Four Steps to Food Safety . . .278Resource Packets

Children and Weight:What Communities Can Do . . . . . . .278

Recent Arrivals . . . . . . . . . . . . . .279

TABLE OF CONTENTS

placed on agriculture require an innovativeapproach.The notion that agriculture goesbeyond food production is novel for manynutrition professionals. Agriculture is thefoundation of a system that for the sake ofsustainability must be a “positive economic,social and environmental force.” The foodand fiber system is not limited to agricul-tural production but also includes food pro-cessing, distribution, and consumption offood and agricultural goods. Natural re-sources are an integral part of that system, asare human resources and rural and urbancommunities.

The authors provide a detailed executivesummary that explains the process and con-text within which this report was writtenand includes each of the 12 major recom-mendations made by the Committee onOpportunities in Agriculture as a result ofthis review of the US Department of Agri-culture’s (USDA) Research, Education, andEconomics (REE) mission area. The firstchapter justifies the need for a new visionfor agricultural research, citing changes inboth public attitudes and science and tech-nology. The authors conclude the chapterwith a concise statement of that vision, onwhich the remainder of the text is based.

The second chapter helps readers betterunderstand the structure of the USDA andits 7 mission areas, of which REE is one.The chapter also explains how the variousUSDA services and agencies interact, usinga detailed chart. The 4 agencies that com-prise the REE include the Agricultural Re-search Service (ARS); the CooperativeState Research, Education, and Extension

Service (CSREES); the Economic Re-search Service (ERS); and the NationalAgricultural Statistics Service (NASS).Readers will become immediately aware ofthe immense amount of information gener-ated by REE agencies, much of which isavailable on their respective Web sites.

Agricultural research frontiers are de-scribed in Chapter 3 in the context of 5general categories, including globalization,food safety, nutrition and human health, en-vironmental stewardship, and rural commu-nities. The subtopic “understanding foodconsumption behavior and its links tohealth” will be of interest to nutrition edu-cators. What seems to be missing is a cri-tique of the technology that has createdmany of the problems we now face in foodproduction with regard to the environment,rural communities, and ethics. The issuessurrounding modern biotechnology andgenetically modified organisms and howthey relate to current research priorities arenot well covered.

Chapters 4 and 5 discuss funding ofagricultural research and the need for col-laboration. Food systems research must bemultidisciplinary and, in many cases, multi-institutional because developing a sustain-able food and fiber system will require anintegration of social and natural sciences.We must understand how actions in onesector of the food and fiber system impactother sectors, including the environment,human resources, and rural communities.The committee encourages the expansionof multidisciplinary education on food andagriculture topics at universities but dis-courages developing food professionals whoare “jacks of all trades but masters of none.”

Chapter 6 discusses quality and impact as-surance, and Chapter 7 critically reviews thecurrent capacity of the REE in the areas oforganization, human capacity, information,and infrastructure. Seven appendices providebackground details about how the NationalResearch Council conducted this review.

For nutrition educators, Frontiers in Agri-cultural Research will be most useful to thosewho conduct USDA-funded research onfood, agriculture, the environment, or com-munities or for those involved in nutritioneducation related to a USDA food programsuch as Food Stamps. Reading this bookwill help such nutrition educators betterunderstand how their work fits into the na-tional vision, how the USDA is structured,how research is funded and prioritized, andthe overall importance of viewing food andagriculture, the environment, and commu-nities as one dynamic system.

Alison H. Harmon, PhD, RD, Senior Ex-tension Associate, Penn State Department ofFood Science, 203A Borland Laboratory,University Park, PA 16802

Nitrate and Man: Toxic, Harmless orBeneficial? L’hirondel J, L’hirondel JL,2002. From CABI Publishing, 10E 40th St,Ste 3203, New York, NY 10016, (212) 481-7018, hardcover, $65.00, 168 pp, ISBN0-85199-566-7.

Nitrate and Man: Toxic, Harmless orBeneficial? provides a brief history of nitrate usein medicine and explains the role of nitrogen inthe human body and plants.This technical bookexplores all aspects of nitrate and how it relatesto the population by providing numerous studiesthroughout history.

Nitrate and Man:Toxic, Harmless or Benefi-cial? is organized into 8 chapters completewith references for professionals in science-oriented fields. Chapters highlight the his-tory of nitrates in medicine and preservationof meats and nitrate’s role through the 20thand 21st centuries. Fundamental introduc-tory information regarding nitrate is de-scribed in the first 4 chapters, including top-ics such as its importance in plants andhumans, the nitrogen cycle, and foods thatcontain an abundance of nitrate.The next 3chapters discuss the toxic effects, the bene-fits of nitrate, and the current recommendeddietary guidelines. The final chapter sum-marizes the book and presents further re-search that needs to be undertaken.

The cover of Nitrate and Man: Toxic,Harmless or Beneficial? depicts the variety oftopics discussed. Important points, such asthe potential toxicity in infants and nitrate’spotential protection against cardiovasculardisease, are highlighted through the use ofgray text boxes at the top and bottom ofpages. The functionality of nitrate is pre-sented in several graphs and diagrams,whereas the clinical aspects and consump-tion trends of nitrates are described in 6 ap-pendices. Moreover, summaries at the endof each chapter and a total summative chap-ter help to clarify the material.

Nitrate and Man:Toxic, Harmless or Bene-ficial? is a good resource for researchers orprofessionals in science-oriented fields. Sci-entists, agronomists, policy makers, and re-search dietitians, rather than laypeople ornutrition educators, would benefit morefrom this comprehensive text.

Jane Kabogo and Jeanette Evans,Graduate Di-etetic Interns, Melanie Tracy Burns, PhD, RD,School of Family and Consumer Sciences,East-ern Illinois University, Charleston, IL 61920

274 EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS IN REVIEW (J Nutr Educ Behav. 2003;35:273-279.)

Professional/ConsumerADA Complete Food and NutritionGuide, 2nd ed. Duyff R, 2002. From JohnWiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River St, Hoboken,NJ 07030, (201) 748-6000, softcover,658 pp, $24.95, ISBN 0-471-44144-9.

This guide provides nutrition advice for everyage and stage of life, based on the latest health-ful eating guidelines, including foods and food-re-lated strategies for good health.

Still trying to find that “perfect” holidaygift for the person on your holiday list whoseems to have everything? This book maynot only be an answer to your gift listdilemma, it can also help you, as a nutritioneducation professional, cunningly spreadthe word about nutrition and health.

Perhaps one should not judge a book byits exterior, but my first impression of thebook, as a consumer, was positive becauseappealing foods appear on the cover. How-ever, the nutritionist in me immediatelytried to categorize the foods into foodgroups, and I found that the high-calciumgroup was represented only by cheese, notmilk (either regular or chocolate), whichcaused me to wonder why.

ADA Complete Food and Nutrition Guidecontains a wealth of science-based informa-tion about food, nutrition, and health pro-motion and is written in a style and formatthat should be attractive and readable formost members of the general public withhigh school–level reading proficiency. Thearray of topics in the book is extensive andwide-ranging.Chapters cover basic nutritionconcepts (eg, food choices, healthful weight,individual nutrients, and life span informa-tion) and special issues in nutrition (eg, nu-trition for athletes, vegetarianism, food sen-

sitivities, eating to prevent and treat disease,and use/abuse of supplements).A final chap-ter and several appendices offer a variety ofresources and tools for lifelong learners.These include guidelines for identifying rep-utable nutrition professionals, the signs of“junk science,” a list of over 120 nutrition-related organizations and contact informa-tion, including Web addresses, and a varietyof reference tables for the more scientificallyinclined reader. In addition, the author con-sistently couches the information and rec-ommendations throughout the book in thelanguage used in both the Food Guide Pyra-mid and the US Dietary Guidelines forAmericans. However, I would suggest infuture editions of the book that the US De-partment of Agriculture/US Department ofHealth and Human Services version of theDietary Guidelines appear first or exclu-sively, rather than a secondarily derived onesupported by the Dietary Guidelines Al-liance, to avoid any hint of industry bias.

None of the chapters make for monot-onous reading. The prose in each is inter-spersed with a variety of useful charts,“how-to” sheets, nutrition quizzes, vignettes(“Have you ever wondered?”), and lists ofpractical suggestions related to the topic be-ing discussed (eg,“Easy substitutions to cutfat and/or cholesterol”). Each section of in-formational prose is short and to the point;in some cases, the information is even pre-sented as a set of succinct, bulleted points.

The author has been successful in creat-ing a book that informs about nutrition butalso emphasizes the fact that we still eatfood, not nutrients. Each chapter containsample practical information about howfood choices can help maintain health andfitness throughout our lives. No formalrecipes are included, but suggestions formenu options, food preparation techniques,and food combinations should satisfy the“foodie” urges in many of us.

As I read and skimmed the book, theeducator in me kept wondering where, be-yond the general public, this book might beof further use. I see possibilities for its use asthe main textbook in a high school foodscourse, in which some science-based nutri-tion information is necessary but the inter-est and level of the students dictate a morefood-oriented approach. I also see it usefulas a “bridging” book because it contains el-ements of both food and nutrition andenough descriptive science to provide thenecessary foundation for either. In that ca-pacity, it might work well as a reference textfor culinary arts programs in which the em-phasis is on food and its preparation, but the

instructor wants the students to have someunderstanding of the nutrition conceptsunderlying the foods that they are prepar-ing and serving.

There are sporadic and minor problemswith nutrition and food information in thetext, which are bound to creep into a bookof this length and breadth of focus. For ex-ample, celery does not contain more fiberthan french fries (a common misconceptionabout celery), and stearic acid is correctlynot another saturated fat (rather it is a fattyacid). In addition, my “taro sensibilities”were tweaked in the description of theleaves as being edible (only when wellcooked). Likewise, the interchangeable useof the terms “calorie” and “Calorie” in sev-eral places may be confusing to the readerwho does not realize that “Calories” are thesame as “kilocalories” and that “calories” isan incorrect term for describing the energycontent of food. However, these very minorinconsistencies should not detract from theuse of this book either as a source of nutri-tion information for the general public orfor use as a textbook in selected formaleducational settings.

Could Duyff ’s book serve as a textbookin an introductory university nutritioncourse for nonmajors, such as the one I havetaught for the past 14 years? My professionaljudgment says no because of the lack ofdepth in the coverage of the science con-cepts. However, I do see her book as anexcellent and completely appropriate exam-ple for showing my senior-level nutritioneducation students that nutrition bookswritten for the general public can be sciencebased, informative, and captivating to readand can also deal with “real” food. Duyff ’sbook is certainly one that I could recom-mend to my students as a great, inexpensivegift for family and friends who want to learnmore about food, nutrition, and health.

Dian A.Dooley,PhD,Associate Professor,Hu-man Nutrition, Food, and Animal Sciences,1955 East-West Rd,AgSci 314H,Universityof Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822

Wellness Foods A to Z. Margen S, and theeditors of the UC Berkeley Wellness Letter,2002. From Health Letter Associates, 632Broadway, New York, NY 10012, hardcover,640 pp, $39.95, ISBN 0-929661-70-2.

Wellness Foods A to Z is a functional guidefor food and nutrition lovers. Optimal health canbe achieved by understanding the benefits of dif-ferent food combinations. New information aboutthe benefits of food is being published daily, andWellness Foods A to Z contains this informa-

Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior Volume 35 Number 5 September • October 2003 275

tion. It provides insightful information on over500 alphabetized foods.

In today’s world, the public is bombardedwith many “buzz words”purporting the im-provement of our health status. But what doall of these new buzz words mean? WellnessFoods A to Z defines these buzz words whileproviding helpful nutrition information ontopics such as cooking techniques, supple-ments, and historical information.

Wellness Foods A to Z is organizedthrough the use of color-coded sectionsthat enhance the accessibility and readabil-ity of the large volume. The thoroughnessof this text enhances its usefulness in boththe educational and medical environments.Professionals such as educators, dietitians,nurses, and other medical professionalswould benefit by adding this reference totheir libraries owing to its easy accessibilityand in-depth information.

Wellness Foods A to Z provides educatorswith accurate information on topics such asphytochemicals and their possible disease-preventing benefits.Visual aids such as foodlabels and realistic pictures offer a greaterlevel of stimulation for the readers’ learningexperience. The reader is presented withproper cooking techniques that explainhow to decrease nutrient loss. Up-to-dateinformation is provided for educators andstudents alike on numerous topics, such asomega-3 fatty acids and other wellness rec-ommendations.The authors of the text of-fer references to other studies that help tosupport that the data are reliable and accu-rate.Although the topics are current, owingto new research being performed daily, up-dating will be needed in the future.

Wellness Foods A to Z is a stimulating ref-erence for basic or advanced nutritionneeds as it does more than just brush thesurface of nutrition information. Its originallayout makes its advanced nature easier toread. It could be found in kitchens or class-rooms as a reference. Learning is a less time-consuming process when using a book withsuch an excellent format.

Kristyn Makowka and Sandy Hussey,Graduate Dietetic Interns, Melanie TracyBurns, PhD, RD, School of Family andConsumer Sciences, Eastern Illinois Univer-sity, Charleston, IL 61920

ConsumerThe Natural Woman’s Guide to Livingwith the Complications of Diabetes.Rosenthal M, 2003. From New PageBooks/Career Press, 3 Tice Rd, PO Box687, Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417, (800) 227-

3371, softcover, 223 pp, $13.99, ISBN 1-56414-633-2.

This is a book about diabetes, written espe-cially for women. It discusses strategies to preventor treat the complications of this disease naturally,using diet, nutritional and herbal supplements, ex-ercise, and other alternative systems of healing.

Dr. Sara M. Rosenthal is a Canadianmedical health journalist and the author of25 books, including several on diabetes. Shehas written this book for women witheither type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Some 90%of the diabetic population has type 2 dia-betes, and, according to Dr.Rosenthal, 65 to70% of those with type 2 are women.Chap-ter 1 begins with a description of some ofthe complications of diabetes—such as heartdisease, peripheral vascular disease, hyper-tension, and kidney and eye disease—andsuggests that the key to preventing thesecomplications is to keep fasting blood sugarbelow 126 mg/dL. The most importantthing a person with diabetes can do to keepblood sugar levels down, says Rosenthal, isto monitor blood sugar at least twice a day,once fasting, and again 2 hours after a meal.

The tone of The Natural Woman’s Guide toLiving with the Complications of Diabetes is ed-ucational. Individual chapters touch on im-portant topics ranging from preventing heartdisease and stroke to understanding periph-eral neuropathy and protecting your kidneys.The exchange system of food planning ismentioned.There is even a section on ques-tions to ask when shopping for an artificiallimb.The problem is that much of the infor-mation provided is superficial. Whereas the

range of topics mentioned is wide, the depthof the information is less so. There are, forexample, few clearly understandable, stand-alone, nutrition guidelines. Although theGlycemic Index is mentioned, a newly diag-nosed person with diabetes who has notdone additional reading on her own will notunderstand its significance or how to use it.Also missing is a discussion and an explana-tion of insulin resistance, including how andwhy it occurs and what to do about it.

Most chapters include sections on“Flower Power,” consisting of lists of herbalproducts that can be used to help prevent ortreat the complications of diabetes. Here,again, the information provided is superfi-cial. We are given the names of herbs re-ported to be good for the eyes and kidneys,some others that may help to thin the blood,and still others to lower blood pressure.Weare not told about the possible side effects,contraindications, herb–drug interactions, oreven herb–herb interactions. Most of thetime, we are not told how much of an indi-vidual herb to take or whether to try one ata time or the entire list all at once.

There are 7 herbs listed to lower bloodpressure, including hawthorn, ginseng, andgarlic.These products are indeed useful forthat purpose, but they also have additionalactions.Ginseng and garlic have blood-thin-ning properties. Anyone taking an aspirin aday or using other nutritional or herbalblood thinners should be given this infor-mation. Ginseng is also a hypoglycemic, andpersons on oral hypoglycemic medicationsneed to know that because they may need toadjust their medication accordingly. Ironi-cally, there is no listing of herbal or nutri-tional hypoglycemics—Gymnema sylvestre,bitter melon, and vanadyl sulfate—despitethe book’s focus on diabetes.

Nine herbs are listed as blood thinners,from alfalfa to wintergreen. More familiarblood thinning nutraceuticals—Ginkgobiloba, garlic, omega-3 fatty acids, vitaminE, and bromelain—are absent from the list.Flower Power for kidneys lists cranberry anduva ursi. The first is useful for bladder in-fections; the latter is a diuretic. Neither willprotect kidneys from the damaging effectsof hyperglycemia.

This guide would improve its usefulnessby narrowing its focus and providing moredetailed information on the use of herbalproducts in the prevention and treatment ofdiabetes.

Jackie Storm, PhD, CNS, Clinical and Be-havioral Nutrition, 115 East 57 St, 8th Fl,New York, NY 10022


VideotapeGlobal Eating: Learning From OtherCultures. The Learning Seed, 2003. Fromthe Learning Seed, 330 Telser Rd, LakeZurich, IL 60047, (800) 634-4941,videotape,22 minutes, $89.00, ISBN 0-917159-05-1.

This videotape presents several cuisines withtheir foods and practices.Common threads emerge,including a dependence on fresh, locally producedfood, and an emphasis on grains with meat as partof the meal rather than the heart of the meal.

Although most Americans eat in “eth-nic” restaurants on a regular basis, we maynot know what the authentic cuisines of theMediterranean area, various Asian coun-tries, and Mexico are like. For example,most authentic Chinese food is not fried,and Mexican food is not smothered incheese, sour cream, and guacamole! OurAmericanized versions do not very closelyresemble the dishes made from fresh veg-etables and fruits obtained from local mar-kets, the emphasis on grains of a wide vari-ety, and the sparing use of meat. Thisvideotape does an admirable presentation ofthe cuisines of the Mediterranean area,Asia(specifically China, Thailand, and Japan),and Mexico. The healthful aspects of thefoods of the area are given, as well as moredetailed information about the benefits ofusing soybeans and some of their deriva-tives, the use of olive oil and other “heart-healthy” fats, and practical eating tips. Exer-cise is promoted throughout the videotapeas an adjunct to a healthy life.

One of the pleasures of viewing thisvideotape is the beautiful presentation of

fresh fruits and vegetables from around theworld in local markets. Most produce isused the same day it is picked—at the peakof perfection and nutritive quality. Severalwomen were interviewed as they preparedfavorite recipes, and then families were fea-tured enjoying the meals. There wereno“talking heads” presenting information;rather information was incorporated intoviews in markets and kitchens with inter-esting narration.

Several of the topics that were especiallywell covered included the use of olive oiland other vegetable oils, for example, dip-ping bread in olive oil rather than usingbutter. The importance of a variety of soyproducts was well explained, showing dishesusing tofu, soymilk, and tempeh. Showinghow some dishes are prepared also adds in-terest. Did you know that sushi does notmean raw fish? Rather it is rice wrappedaround fish and a colorful array of vegeta-bles and then sliced into bite-size pieces.The preparation and use of coconut milkwere also good additions.

The differences in Thai, Chinese, andJapanese cuisines were discussed, with theunique features of each shown as disheswere prepared and families enjoyed them.Added details were given such as whyround or square tables (not oblong) areused. The eater mixes the foods together,not the cook. In other words, the videotapedoes not just show food and preparation; italso opens the door to thinking about howculture affects the way we shop, cook,serve, and, especially, eat.

Learning that the Aztecs ate many of thesame foods that today’s Mexican populationenjoys certainly gave a historical perspectiveto their cuisine.The benefits of the wide va-riety of fruits and vegetables were a reminderof the nutrients present in these foods.

It was disappointing to have just a hintof information about “soul food,” Scandi-navian cuisine, and French food.The video-tape leaves one wanting the same kind ofdetail on these topics as had been given tothe ones covered in Global Eating. Perhapsthere will be another videotape that willdelve into additional cuisines.

This videotape would be appropriate foruse with middle school, high school, andadult audiences.The three distinctive types ofcuisines from around the globe are popularwith American audiences today.Understand-ing more about the basis of the dishes that arefeatured in these cuisines may encourage usto experiment in our own kitchens and to bemore adventuresome when choosing whereto dine with friends and family.

Sondra King, PhD, RD, Professor Emeritus,Family, Consumer and Nutrition Science,Northern Illinois University, DeKalb IL60115

SoftwareExploring the Food Guide Pyramidwith Professor Popcorn. Switzer B,Van-dergraff D, Koontz F, eds, 2002. From Pur-due Extension, 231 South University St,West Lafayette, IN 47907-2064, (765) 494-6794, CD-ROM, $50.00.

This curriculum is designed to help youngpeople develop into healthy adults by gaining aninterest in eating healthful foods, using safe food-handling techniques, and making physical activ-ity part of their lifestyle.

The alarming rise in childhood obesitytoday emphasizes the need for greater in-corporation of nutrition education into thecurriculum of all school-aged children. Ex-ploring the Food Guide Pyramid with ProfessorPopcorn is a resource for educators searchingfor an informative and fun way to teach stu-dents about nutrition, food safety, and phys-ical activity.The CD-ROM is designed foreducators to use with students in grades 1through 6.The same concepts are taught foreach grade, but the activities are tailored toeach grade level, building from grade 1through grade 6. The 5 main concepts orlessons include the Food Guide Pyramid,grains, fruits and vegetables, milk, and meat.For each concept, activities are providedthat involve food safety, physical activity,recipes for snacks, visual aids, handouts forstudents, and a pre- and a posttest. Thelessons are versatile and can be used for asingle grade level or adjusted for use by adifferent grade.The lessons have also beenupdated with the 2000 Dietary Guidelinesfor Americans and meet the Indiana De-


AUDIOVISUALS

SOFTWARE


partment of Education State CurriculumGuidelines/Academic Standards.

The CD-ROM is well organized andfollows the same format for each grade level.The lesson plan clearly states the objectivesfor each grade in addition to the academicstandards met and the materials needed.Thecurriculum is designed to be used as a wholeor as individual lessons, which accommo-dates time constraints common to educa-tors. The handouts accompanying eachlesson are tailored for each grade level andprovide an assessment of knowledge gained.The visuals are conveniently broken up intocolor visuals and black and white visuals tomake printing easier. The color visuals arebright and attractive and can easily be cutapart and laminated. Professor Popcornstickers are also available for students with orwithout the 4-H clover.

Overall, this CD-ROM could be a veryuseful tool for educators to effectively in-corporate nutrition education into schoolcurricula.

Grace A. Falciglia, EdD, RD, Professor andHead, Department of Nutritional Sciences,East French Building, 202 Goodman Dr,University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH45267-0394

The Four Steps to Food Safety. US De-partment of Agriculture/Federal Drug Ad-ministration, 2002. From the US Depart-ment of Agriculture, 1400 IndependenceAve SW, Rm 2944 South Bldg,Washington,DC 20250-3700, free.

The Four Steps to Food Safety CD-ROM contains a variety of suggested food safetyeducation activities and ideas for implementingthem into the classroom and home.The goal ofthis CD-ROM is to communicate to consumersthat each of the food safety messages, “Clean,Separate, Cook, and Chill,” is important.

In observance of National Food SafetyEducation Month 2002, the US Food andDrug Administration (FDA) and the FoodSafety and Inspection Service (FSIS) joinedforces with the restaurant and food serviceindustry to educate the public about safefood-handling practices. Over the last 4years, the food safety messages highlightedwere “Clean, Separate, Cook, and Chill.”The goal of 2002 was to communicate toconsumers that each of the 4 food safetymessages is of equal importance; therefore,the theme “Four Steps to Food Safety” waspromoted.The Web pages, including relatedactivities, are available on the CD-ROM.

The Four Steps to Food Safety CD-ROM,which is adapted from the US Department

of Agriculture/FSIS Web site, is brokendown into 4 sections: cleaning, separating,cooking, and chilling. Basic definitions andtemperature guidelines for heating, cooling,and storing are provided within each sec-tion. The cleaning section contains cleverinformation on the importance of handwashing, provides methods to promotecleaning on a regular basis to prevent cross-contamination, and discusses the hot zones.The section on separating provides usefulinformation on shopping for raw meats,proper storing techniques, handling un-cooked foods, and serving leftovers properly.The basics of temperature regulation, in-cluding the proper use of thermometers andminimum cooking temperatures, are pre-sented in the cooking section. Finally, thechill segment presents the top 4 cool rules:“the chill factor,”“the thaw law,”“divide andconquer,” and “avoid the pack attack.”

Games and other learning activities,such as crossword puzzles, the BAC puppet,and the BAC-catcher, are included, thus en-hancing the “fun factor” when learningabout food safety. Owing to the wide vari-ety of activities,The Four Steps to Food SafetyCD-ROM is appropriate for children andadolescents ranging from elementary schoolage to early high school age. Catchyphrases, such as “It’s safe to bite when thetemperature is right,” are designed to helpthe learner remember the content.

Adults and educators can benefit fromthe information presented as well owing toa plethora of information and activitiesavailable. Adults will find the informationuseful to safely prepare foods in their ownhomes, whereas educators will find theCD-ROM a bonus in the classroom. Ex-amples of innovative teaching aids, such as acalendar that includes the Fight BAC! In-formation and a food safety song, are in-cluded as well as strategies to incorporatethese lessons, such as a lunchtime program.Although the content on the CD-ROM isplentiful, the ease of navigation was some-times limiting. A visit to the Web site(www.FoodSafety.gov/September) was justas helpful as the CD-ROM.

Overall, The Four Steps to Food SafetyCD-ROM provides quality, credible infor-mation and education tools related to foodsafety. The activities and games make thisteaching aid a useful tool in teachingyoungsters about proper food handling, andthe thoroughness makes it a useful resourcefor adults and educators. The Four Steps toFood Safety is recommended for those need-ing a variety of activities or information onfood safety.

Katie Hyla, BS, and Staci Vetrovsky, BS,Graduate Dietetic Interns, and Melanie TracyBurns, PhD, RD, School of Family andConsumer Sciences, Eastern Illinois Univer-sity, Charleston, IL 61920

Program Planning KitChildren and Weight:What Communi-ties Can Do. University of California,Agriculture and Natural Resources, 2002.From the University of California, Agri-culture and Natural Resources, Communi-cation Services, 6701 San Pablo Ave, 2nd Fl,Oakland, CA 94608-1239, (800) 994-8849,resource kit, 255 pp, $100.00, ISBN 1-879906-60-0.

The Children and Weight: What Com-munities Can Do resource kit is a how-to guideoffering technical assistance to community leaderswho want to launch a local task force dedicatedto reducing childhood overweight.This resource ispart of a larger Children and Weight series, in-cluding publications for parents, teachers, andhealth professionals.

Many public health professionals arecalling for community-based efforts to ad-dress policy and environmental change toprevent obesity, but few are providing guid-ance as to how to accomplish this dauntingtask. The resource kit Children and Weight:What Communities Can Do, is a compre-hensive guide to addressing this issue inCalifornia, including background informa-tion and best practices; the rationale for anempowerment approach to communitychange; guidelines for mapping communityresources, recruiting task force members,and initiating the planning process; tips andstep-by-step guides for facilitating effectivemeetings; slides/overheads to cover contentarea for 5 initial meetings; electronic andprint resource listings; and the videotapeMake a Change showing different ways inwhich local communities have mobilized toimprove children’s access to healthful foodsand physical activity.

This is a very well-designed kit address-ing a significant and growing public healthproblem. Few existing resources providespecific strategies for community coalitionsto tackle childhood obesity. Designed forhealth professionals and other communityleaders, this resource kit provides the neces-sary background information to inspirecommunity groups to action while alsoguiding the user in terms of strategies tobuild and maintain a coalition of diversegroups that may have varying priorities andagendas.

RESOURCE PACKETS

The materials are organized to includeguidance on getting a coalition started andthen conducting the initial 5 meetings.Thefinal sections address maintaining the mo-mentum of the coalition and provide a va-riety of resources regarding advocacy,fundraising, and grant writing. Althoughcoalition work is often highly unpredictableand requires considerable flexibility in re-sponding iteratively to the desires and ideasof the collective, Children and Weight:WhatCommunities Can Do appears flexibleenough to be used in a different sequenceor format as dictated by the needs of thegroup. The background data on obesityprevalence and determinants are carefullyselected, supported, and presented. Infor-mation on lifestyle modification is based onsound behavior change theory and pre-sented in a practical format for communityleaders who are not experts in nutrition orphysical activity.

Each meeting guide section includes aninspirational “tip from the field,” a recom-mended agenda including timeframes anddesired outcomes, notes for leaders, and, insome cases, presentation slides with talkingpoints. The slides are also provided on aCD-ROM and in copy-ready form to pro-duce overheads. Documents useful to theplanning process are included on the CD-ROM so that they can be copied andadapted for the needs of a specific coalition.Perhaps the weakest part of the kit is thetable of contents, which provides little in-formation regarding the recommended fo-cus of each meeting and largely repeats thenames of the sections included in each.Given the critical role of the table of con-tents in guiding the user through the mate-rial, some additional annotation would beboth useful and motivational to communityleaders and members embarking on a newchallenge.

The videotape segment Make a Changedepicts 3 excellent examples of how the ef-forts of coalitions have resulted in successfulcommunity-based interventions that buildon cultural strengths or themes within thecommunity. The videotape provides a per-spective on how coalitions operate whilealso demonstrating the successes of creativecoalition planning and problem solving.Thesecond videotape segment, Body Talk, is less

well integrated into the kit and does not ap-pear to reflect the efforts of a coalition.

Although the primary focus of Childrenand Weight:What Communities Can Do is onCalifornia, this does not restrict the rele-vance of the kit to other parts of the coun-try.The slides and documents are created insuch a way that geographically relevant in-formation can be inserted or replaced. Al-though the videotape examples clearly re-flect the cultural diversity of California, thisis less important than the inspirational ideasconveyed that can be adapted for other cul-tural groups or regions of the country.

Overall, Children and Weight:What Com-munities Can Do is an excellent resource ad-dressing a critical public health problem. Itis unique in addressing approaches to form-ing and activating a community coalition,in keeping with emerging efforts to take amore “upstream” approach to nutritionprogramming and interventions in whichfactors and influences beyond the individ-ual are considered.

Alice Ammerman, MPH, DrPH, RD,Asso-ciate Professor, Department of Nutrition,University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill,CB#7461, Chapel Hill, NC 27599

The materials listed below were recently re-ceived in the JNEB editorial office. Materialsthat appear to be of particular interest to ourreaders will be reviewed in upcoming JNEB is-sues as space allows.

Consumer BookEating for Acid Reflux. Sklar J, Cohen A,2003. From Marlowe & Company, 161William St, 16th Fl, New York, NY 10038,softcover, 288 pp, $16.95, ISBN 1-56924-492-8.

Fitness Over Fifty. National Institute onAging, 2003. From Hatherleigh Press, 5-2246th Ave, Ste 200, Long Island City, NY11101, (800) 528-2550, softcover, 134 pp,$15.95, ISBN 1-57826-136-8.

The Pathway: Follow the Road toHealth and Happiness. Mellin L, 2003.

From HarperCollins Publishers, Inc., 10 East53rd St, New York, NY 10022, hardcover,412 pp, $24.95, ISBN 0-06-051402-7.

CookbookThe Everyday Dairy-Free Cookbook.Rogers M, White E, 2003. From SurreyBooks, Inc., 230 East Ohio St, Ste 120,Chicago, IL 60611, cookbook, 199 pp,$19.95, ISBN 1-57284-051-X.

Educational CurriculumHealthy Foods from Healthy Soils: AHands-On Resource for Educators.Patten E,Lyons K,2003.From Tilbury HousePublishers, 2 Mechanic St, Gardiner, ME04345, (800) 582-1899,educational resource,256 pp, $19.95, ISBN 0-88448-242-1.

Educational CurriculumPrinciples of Human Nutrition, Sec-ond Edition. Eastwood M, 2003. FromIowa State Press/Blackwell Science Ltd.,2121 State Ave,Ames, IA 50014-8300, (800)862-6657, textbook, 640 pp, $47.99, ISBN0-632-05811-0.

AudiovisualBreakfast: Most Important Meal of theDay. Meridian Education Corporation,2003. From Meridian EducationCorporation, PO Box 911, MonmouthJunction, NJ 08852-0911, (800) 727-5507,videotape, $69.95.

AudiovisualThe Learning Journey:Video LearningPackage. Oklahoma CooperativeExtension Service, 2003. From OklahomaCooperative Extension Service, 321 HESBldg, Stillwater, OK 74078-6141, (405)744-6283, videotape kit, $35.00.

Software Healthy Living Program: ENAFSDaily Food Guide Pyramid for EldersBingo Game, Module 2: Healthy Liv-ing for Elders, Module 3: Diabetes &Healthy Living Program, Module 4:Hypertension, Module 5: Healthy Eat-ing for Elders. University of Florida, IFASExtension, 2003. From University ofFlorida, IFAS Extension, 3038 McCartyHall, Gainesville, FL 32611-0310, (352)392-1895, CD-ROM, $15.00.


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