Background/Objectives: The ongoing obesity epidemic remains a significant public health challenge in the U.S. Nearly one-third of adults are overweight, and nearly half of the population (42.4%) are obese. These conditions, driven by poor and unsustainable diets, are major risk factors for several chronic diseases, including heart disease, which continues to be the leading cause of death in the country. This review aims to examine existing research on health care professionals’ attitudes and perceptions of plant-based nutrition and explore how this knowledge can be utilized to promote the adoption of plant-based diets (PBDs) among Americans as an alternative to the standard American diet. Methods: PubMed and Web of Science databases were searched in April, 2024. Out of the 151 articles identified, 27 were deemed eligible and included in the narrative review. Results: Nine key themes were identified as major influences on the attitudes and behaviors of health professionals regarding PBDs. These themes were mapped with the domains of the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) to stratify key enablers and barriers to implementation of PBDs in routine care for patients. Conclusions: Key barriers to incorporating plant-based nutrition into routine care include time constraints, limited educational resources, insufficient skills, lack of multidisciplinary collaboration, and inadequate professional training. Access to evidence-based research summaries, clear guidelines, ongoing professional development, and other relevant educational resources were identified as facilitators of successfully integrating PBDs into everyday practice.

Background/Objectives: Alpha-gal syndrome (AGS) is a tick-borne allergic condition increasingly prevalent in the Southern, Eastern and Mid-western regions of the United States. This study aims to assess the awareness and understanding of AGS among Kansas residents, focusing on its symptoms, impact, and available management resources. Methods: Two anonymous, self-reported surveys were administered using Qualtrics software [Qualtrics XM, Provo, UT, USA], one targeting Kansas Extension professionals and the other directed at Kansas community residents. Results: Participants from both groups demonstrated general awareness of AGS, with 82 respondents self-identifying as having the condition. Beyond the dietary restrictions associated with the condition, individuals with AGS also faced a range of social, financial and health-related challenges. The study revealed critical gaps in healthcare preparedness and support infrastructure for managing AGS in rural Kansas communities. Conclusions: While awareness of AGS is increasing in Kansas, individuals affected by this condition continue to encounter significant challenges. These are not limited to personal and emotional hardships but also include systemic challenges in healthcare and community support. Study findings highlight a critical gap between growing awareness and implementation of effective action.

Objective: To evaluate the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) rule that allows a meat/meat alternative to replace the breakfast grain requirement three times per week. Design: A 5-week menu including breakfast, lunch and snack was developed with meat/meat alternative replacing the breakfast grain requirement three times per week. Menu nutrients based on the minimum requirements were compared with reference values representing the Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range for fat and a range of reference values representing two-thirds the Dietary Reference Intake for 3-year-olds and 4-5-year-olds. The meal pattern minimum requirements were compared with two-thirds of those recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA). Setting: Evaluation took place between April and June 2019. Participants: Human subjects were not utilized. Results: The CACFP minimum grain requirement is well below the DGA reference value (0 center dot 5-1 center dot 5 v. 3 center dot 33 ounce-equivalents). Energy (2208 center dot 52 kJ) was below the reference values (3126 center dot 83-4362 center dot 53 kJ). Protein (34 center dot 43 g) was above the reference values (9 center dot 87-10 center dot 81 g). Carbohydrate (76 center dot 65 g), fibre (7 center dot 46 g) and vitamin E (1 center dot 69 mg) were below their reference values of 86 center dot 67 g, 10 center dot 46-14 center dot 60 g and 4-4 center dot 76 mg, respectively. Fat (22 center dot 57 %) was below the reference range (25-40 %). Conclusions: The CACFP rule which allows a meat/meat alternative to replace the breakfast grain requirement three times per week may result in meal patterns low in energy, carbohydrate, fat, fibre and vitamin E, while providing an excessive amount of protein.

Background/Objectives: The ongoing obesity epidemic remains a significant public health challenge in the U.S. Nearly one-third of adults are overweight, and nearly half of the population (42.4%) has obesity. These conditions, driven by poor and unsustainable diets, are major risk factors for several chronic diseases, including heart disease, which continues to be the leading cause of death in the country. This review aims to examine existing research on healthcare professionals' attitudes and perceptions of plant-based nutrition and explore how this knowledge can be utilized to promote the adoption of plant-based diets (PBDs) among Americans as an alternative to the standard American diet. Methods: PubMed and Web of Science databases were searched initially in April 2024. Out of the 151 articles identified, 27 were deemed eligible and included in the narrative review. Results: Nine key themes were identified as major influences on the attitudes and behaviors of health professionals regarding PBDs. These themes were mapped to the domains of the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) to identify key enablers and barriers to implementation of PBDs in routine care for patients. Conclusions: Key barriers to incorporating plant-based nutrition into routine care include time constraints, limited educational resources, insufficient skills, lack of multidisciplinary collaboration, and inadequate professional training. Access to evidence-based research summaries, clear guidelines, ongoing professional development, and other relevant educational resources were identified as facilitators of successfully integrating PBDs into everyday practice.

Diverse food system resilience frameworks and assessment tools are being developed to measure food system performance in the face of disruptive events. The divide between academic research and gray literature can result in inaccessibility of assessment tools to communities and non-academic researchers. The authors performed a literature review and selected seven urban food system resilience assessment frameworks for comparison with resilience attributes, as well as consideration of their intended audience; spatial scope; data type; data collection; strengths; and ease of use. The frameworks were found to match between three and seven of the ten identified resilience attributes, with a range of intended audiences. Framework data collection methodologies included surveys, spatial data analysis, and mixed methods approaches to collect quantitative, semi-quantitative, and qualitative data. Most of the included frameworks include flexible indicators and metrics for investigators to collect relevant data for their planning goals. While the ability to develop unique metrics can be a strength, undefined metrics present an issue for non-academic researchers in communities seeking to effectively assess their own food system. Limitations in existing assessment tools include a wide range of intended outcomes and burdensome data collection. The comparison of the assessment tools resulted in recommendations of frameworks for academic and non-academic researchers and revealed gaps including a lack of fair labor considerations. This review allows researchers to develop effective frameworks for diverse users to prioritize resilience in food systems.