Sample of writing skills

1. Illinois​ ​Academy​ ​of​ ​Nutrition​ ​&​ ​Dietetics
Henry,​ ​IL
Press​ ​Room:​ ​Room​ ​C303
Phone:​ ​(309)​ ​364-2919
​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​
FOR​ ​RELEASE​ ​FEBRUARY​ ​28,​ ​2017
Media​ ​Contact:​ ​Cheryl​ ​Fitzgerald
Phone:​ ​(309)​ ​364-2919
media@eatrightillinois.org
A​ ​Sweet​ ​Spot​ ​for​ ​Selenium​ ​Intake
CHICAGO​ ​-​ ​The​ ​micronutrient​ ​Selenium​ ​(Se)​ ​plays​ ​a​ ​not​ ​so​ ​micro​ ​role​ ​as​ ​an​ ​essential​ ​trace​ ​element​ ​and
antioxidant​ ​for​ ​human​ ​health.​ ​Much​ ​research​ ​has​ ​focused​ ​on​ ​Se’s​ ​role​ ​in​ ​hyper-​ ​or​ ​hypothyroidism​ ​but​ ​a​ ​recent
study​ ​in​ ​the​ ​​Nutricion​ ​Hospitalaria​ ​​journal​ ​turns​ ​the​ ​spotlight​ ​from​ ​the​ ​association​ ​of​ ​Se​ ​status​ ​with​ ​thyroid
hormones​ ​to​ ​anthropometric​ ​values​ ​in​ ​dyslipidemic​ ​patients.
Dyslipidemia​ ​is​ ​an​ ​elevation​ ​of​ ​plasma​ ​cholesterol,​ ​LDL,​ ​triglycerides,​ ​or​ ​a​ ​combination​ ​of​ ​these,​ ​or​ ​low​ ​HDL
levels.​ ​It​ ​is​​ ​​a​ ​condition​ ​not​ ​to​ ​be​ ​taken​ ​lightly​ ​as​ ​it​ ​can​ ​lead​ ​to​ ​cardiovascular​ ​disorders.​ ​According​ ​to​ ​the​ ​CDC,
only​ ​1​ ​out​ ​of​ ​3​ ​adults​ ​with​ ​high​ ​LDL​ ​cholesterol​ ​has​ ​the​ ​condition​ ​under​ ​control.​ ​Eighty-three​ ​dyslipidemic
patients​ ​participated​ ​in​ ​the​ ​study​ ​at​ ​the​ ​National​ ​Institute​ ​of​ ​Cardiology,​ ​who​ ​were​ ​between​ ​the​ ​ages​ ​of​ ​45​ ​and
85​ ​years​ ​old​ ​and​ ​on​ ​lipid​ ​lowering​ ​medications(statins,​ ​ezetimibes,​ ​fibrates).​ ​This​ ​group​ ​of​ ​83​ ​dyslipidemic​ ​and
hypertensive​ ​men​ ​and​ ​women​ ​consisted​ ​of​ ​3​ ​hyperthyroid​ ​individuals,​ ​3​ ​hypothyroid​ ​individuals,​ ​2​ ​chronic
kidney​ ​disease​ ​individuals,​ ​and​ ​the​ ​group​ ​also​ ​had​ ​1​ ​individual​ ​with​ ​a​ ​malignancy.
The​ ​cross-sectional​ ​study​ ​took​ ​place​ ​in​ ​Rio​ ​de​ ​Janeiro,​ ​Brazil​ ​between​ ​July​ ​2011​ ​and​ ​June​ ​2012.
Questionnaires​ ​were​ ​used​ ​to​ ​obtain​ ​information​ ​regarding​ ​medication​ ​use,​ ​physical​ ​activity​ ​levels,​ ​and​ ​dietary
habits.​ ​Lab​ ​tests​ ​were​ ​conducted​ ​for​ ​thyroid​ ​hormone​ ​levels,​ ​lipid​ ​profiles,​ ​and​ ​Se​ ​levels​ ​in​ ​the​ ​blood.
Anthropometric​ ​information​ ​such​ ​as​ ​waist​ ​circumference​ ​(WC),​ ​BMI,​ ​and​ ​waist-to-height​ ​ratio​ ​were​ ​also
measured.
Normal​ ​range​ ​of​ ​Se​ ​concentrations​ ​are​ ​between​ ​95​ ​and​ ​150​ ​ug/L.​ ​The​ ​Dietary​ ​Reference​ ​Intake​ ​(DRI)​ ​for
Selenium​ ​is​ ​55​ ​ug/day​ ​for​ ​both​ ​adult​ ​men​ ​and​ ​women.​ ​The​ ​participants​ ​with​ ​the​ ​highest​ ​Se​ ​concentrations
between​ ​95-122​ ​ug/L​ ​were​ ​found​ ​to​ ​have​ ​the​ ​highest​ ​WC​ ​and​ ​BMI.​ ​The​ ​61.5%​ ​of​ ​the​ ​patients​ ​with​ ​low​ ​Se
concentrations​ ​and​ ​intake​ ​below​ ​DRI​ ​also​ ​had​ ​higher​ ​waist​ ​circumference​ ​and​ ​BMI.​ ​The​ ​range​ ​of​ ​Se
concentration​ ​that​ ​may​ ​be​ ​“just​ ​right”​ ​according​ ​the​ ​the​ ​study’s​ ​results​ ​is​ ​80-94​ ​ug/L.​ ​The​ ​participants​ ​with​ ​Se
levels​ ​in​ ​this​ ​range​ ​had​ ​the​ ​lowest​ ​BMI​ ​and​ ​WC.

2. The​ ​researchers​ ​discussed​ ​that​ ​the​ ​low​ ​Se​ ​dietary​ ​intakes,​ ​lowering​ ​effects​ ​of​ ​statin​ ​treatments,​ ​and​ ​increased
cytokines​ ​from​ ​visceral​ ​fat​ ​reduced​ ​Se​ ​plasma​ ​concentrations​ ​and​ ​increased​ ​weight​ ​but​ ​other​ ​human​ ​studies
they​ ​referenced​ ​showed​ ​a​ ​diet​ ​rich​ ​in​ ​Se​ ​resulted​ ​in​ ​weight​ ​gain.​ ​They​ ​concluded​ ​that​ ​those​ ​with​ ​dyslipidemia
have​ ​low​ ​Se​ ​intake​ ​and​ ​high​ ​occurrence​ ​of​ ​obesity.​ ​Further​ ​research​ ​on​ ​the​ ​topic​ ​should​ ​be​ ​investigated.
Registered​ ​Dietitians​ ​play​ ​a​ ​key​ ​role​ ​in​ ​nutritional​ ​health.​ ​Jennie​ ​Smith,​ ​MS​ ​RD​ ​and​ ​IAND​ ​board​ ​member​ ​states
that​ ​“Selenium​ ​is​ ​essential​ ​and​ ​plays​ ​such​ ​an​ ​important​ ​role​ ​in​ ​antioxidant​ ​and​ ​thyroid​ ​function​ ​in​ ​our​ ​body​ ​but
there​ ​is​ ​quite​ ​a​ ​narrow​ ​range​ ​in​ ​which​ ​deficiency​ ​can​ ​occur​ ​or​ ​toxicity​ ​can​ ​develop.”​ ​In​ ​effort​ ​to​ ​help
dyslipidemic​ ​patients​ ​in​ ​weight​ ​control,​ ​it​ ​may​ ​be​ ​valuable​ ​for​ ​RDs​ ​to​ ​monitor​ ​Se​ ​dietary​ ​and​ ​supplemental
intake​ ​so​ ​their​ ​patients​ ​hit​ ​a​ ​sweet​ ​spot​ ​range.​ ​​ ​Se​ ​rich​ ​foods​ ​include​ ​spinach,​ ​garlic,​ ​asparagus,​ ​brazil​ ​nuts,
yellowfin​ ​tuna,​ ​halibut,​ ​sardines,​ ​beef,​ ​turkey,​ ​chicken,​ ​and​ ​eggs.
Cheryl​ ​Fitzgerald​ ​is​ ​a​ ​Dietetic​ ​Intern​ ​at​ ​Dominican​ ​University.​ ​She​ ​is​ ​an​ ​IAND​ ​member​ ​and​ ​is​ ​completing​ ​a
dietetic​ ​rotation​ ​in​ ​the​ ​media​ ​department​ ​of​ ​the​ ​organization.​ ​She​ ​loves​ ​spreading​ ​the​ ​word​ ​on​ ​new​ ​research
and​ ​development.
Contact​ ​the​ ​author​ ​Cheryl​ ​Fitzgerald​ ​at​ ​media@eatrightillinois.org​ ​or​ ​by​ ​phone​ ​at​ ​(309)​ ​364-2919.
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All​ ​registered​ ​dietitians​ ​are​ ​nutritionists​ ​–​ ​but​ ​not​ ​all​ ​nutritionists​ ​are​ ​registered​ ​dietitians.​ ​The​ ​Academy’s​ ​Board
of​ ​Directors​ ​and​ ​Commission​ ​on​ ​Dietetic​ ​Registration​ ​have​ ​determined​ ​that​ ​those​ ​who​ ​hold​ ​the​ ​credential
registered​ ​dietitian​ ​(RD)​ ​may​ ​optionally​ ​use​ ​"registered​ ​dietitian​ ​nutritionist"​ ​(RDN)​ ​instead.​ ​The​ ​two​ ​credentials
have​ ​identical​ ​meanings.
The​ ​Academy​ ​of​ ​Nutrition​ ​and​ ​Dietetics​ ​is​ ​the​ ​world's​ ​largest​ ​organization​ ​of​ ​food​ ​and​ ​nutrition​ ​professionals.
The​ ​Academy​ ​is​ ​committed​ ​to​ ​improving​ ​the​ ​nation's​ ​health​ ​and​ ​advancing​ ​the​ ​profession​ ​of​ ​dietetics​ ​through
research,​ ​education​ ​and​ ​advocacy.​ ​Visit​ ​the​ ​Academy​ ​at​ ​eatright.org.
Tags:​ ​Selenium,​ ​Dyslipidemia,​ ​Obesity,​ ​Cardiovascular​ ​Health,​ ​Thyroid​ ​Hormones