JNEB – Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior https://sneb.org Wed, 19 Nov 2025 21:51:47 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1 New Year, New Thoughts, New Directions https://sneb.org/new-year-new-thoughts-new-directions/ Thu, 13 Jan 2022 17:46:28 +0000 https://www.sneb.org/?p=2334

It is an exciting time for JNEB, and this issue is especially great! Exciting for JNEB because we are online only and with a new website! Check us out at www.jneb.org.
I may be prejudiced as the Editor in Chief, and each of our issues is filled with pearls, but this issue, in particular, has particularly impressed me. Our lead article is a SNEB position paper: Healthful Food for Children is the Same as Adults.Of course it is, you say! Think about this concept, though, and read the paper. Think about it when you babysit your grandkids and try to fix lunch or snacks. Think about when you teach nutrition across the lifecycle or when you see what kids are served in restaurants or on picnics. Think about the implications for food companies and marketing firms. I think that although we all (probably) acknowledge this is true, we may not always act on the concept and don’t always promote the policies and practice beyond our specific focus.
A new idea to me was the concept of diet-related self-identity, as described by Ryan et al. In this article, the authors adapted the 8 diet-related self-identity constructs of Rosenfeld and Burrow , into 4 constructs. Self-reported dietary patterns were also analyzed. Together, these were analyzed to predict diet quality.
Also interesting to me was how Ye et al  looked at how health communication strategies were received by ethnic groups in China. One was influenced most by mass media, another by family,and the third by village doctors. This analysis lends itself to either using certain strategies with certain groups or broadening communication strategies to include several types in order to ensure widespread acceptance.
We know that dietary diversity is important, but the systematic review by Molani Gol et al examined the association of dietary diversity with growth outcomes for infants aged under 2 years and for children under 5. Their results suggest a stronger association with the infant-centered studies (45 studies) and less strong for children under 5 years (36 studies). Examining possible modifiers to dietary diversity is recommended by the authors for future studies.
Finally, I must comment on the Perspective by Bellows et al.  They call on us to sustain our research rigor by acknowledging the complexity of our work, enhancing training, and endeavoring to promote funding of our critical research areas. I hope this article is read widely, and that it influences many to consider their own training, collaborations, and the training of our students.
]]> Lifting Each Other Through Collaborations and Feedback https://sneb.org/lifting-each-other-through-collaborations-and-feedback/ Thu, 13 Jan 2022 17:43:09 +0000 https://www.sneb.org/?p=2332
The Student Division of the Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior (SNEB) is a fairly young division that was established in 2019 and continues to provide an enriched experience for the student members. The 2020-21 school year was filled with compounded challenges of the pandemic. However, the student division witnessed an increased student membership and showed great enthusiasm in the 2020 and 2021 annual conferences of the SNEB. The student division leadership created a virtual higher education fair to connect students with graduate programs in 2020, organized a conference session in 2021, and relaunched the SNEB’s mentorship program in 2021. Through this editorial, our primary objectives are to share the opportunities we plan to lead as SNEB student division and reflect on those key elements that can help current and future student division leaders successfully contribute to SNEB while still fulfilling our academic duties as students.
Planning is the crucial step for achieving goals. For this year, the student division has some exciting plans built on milestones achieved by the previous leadership. Our primary activities include planning a “for students and by students” conference session at the SNEB 2022 Annual Conference and organizing a webinar on developing application materials for academic and non-academic jobs for both students and early career professionals. This webinar will also address the common obstacles that students and early-career professionals face in the job market. Our third activity would be to increase the involvement of students in various leadership roles that the society offers. Additionally, we plan to increase SNEB membership and online presence (through social media platforms and virtual competitions) to increase knowledge and advancement in nutrition education and behavior while excelling as a team. These are the key elements to building a sustainable and efficient division that meets the society’s mission and vision.
Teamwork and collaboration: Leading a division and getting involved in division leadership opportunities is a volunteer job. The only way for a division to sustain itself is increased participation by its members. Establishing a supportive environment is a crucial starting point to engage volunteers; thus, relationship building, and inclusivity need to be at the center of these efforts. This means eschewing transactional interactions with members and embracing each member for their unique talents and background. One way to approach teamwork and collaboration, especially when joining a new effort, is to be “curious, not furious.” This axiom is attributed colloquially to Dr. Joy Browne, a renowned psychologist and syndicated talk radio show host.
Humility: Humility is another characteristic that helps individuals in their approach to research and is a natural extension of a “curious not furious” mentality. The health benefits of taking a humble attitude are noted empirically. Mindfulness and self-awareness can help us strengthen our “humility muscles.”
Communication: Communication is the key to achieving results while maintaining a work-life balance. Student division leadership highly recommends communicating your needs, capacities, and boundaries to people you work with. These may include immediate supervisors, work colleagues, and even professional division members.
Mentorship program: The SNEB mentorship program was well received, and 48 mentees/mentors are currently enrolled in the program. However, there was a small gap between their expectations: mentees expected longer program periods, whereas mentors suggested having an official meeting with mentees and having reserved mentors. We are conducting another survey and planning a meetup to improve the mentorship program.
Through the planned activities for this coming year, the student division leadership team offers a great deal to students who want to improve their professional and leadership skills and connect and collaborate with professions across the country. The division also provides their members a friendship that offers mutual support and might increase individuals’ sense of belonging and professional purpose.
]]> Targeted Questionnaire Development https://sneb.org/targeted-questionnaire-development/ Thu, 09 Dec 2021 19:27:13 +0000 https://www.sneb.org/?p=2285

Last year we implemented a new article type category for Questionnaire Development. These can be found under the Collections tab on the jneb.org website. The Development and Validation of a Military Eating Survey includes 43 eating habits and 90 mediating behavior items.  The 14 habit scales include hunger, satiety, food craving, meal pattern, restraint, diet rigidity, emotional eating, fast/slow eating rate, environmental triggers, situational eating, supplement use, and food choice; the 8 mediating factor scales include body composition strategy, perceived stress, food access, sleep habits, military fitness, physical activity, military body image, and nutrition knowledge. While only appropriate for military personnel, the process that was used can provide a guideline for other questionnaire development.
Similarly, there are 2 Questionnaire Development papers in this issue: Development and inter-rater reliability of a street food stand assessment tool and Development of a 24-hour movement behavior questionnaire for youth: process and a reliability testing. The street food stand assessment was developed in Mexico with street food stands in Mexico City. Again, a unique target that doesn’t apply to other areas, but the authors provide an interesting lens into the issues with food access and availability. The youth movement questionnaire includes 19 questions in 5 categories: general information, sleep and nap, active transportation-related activity, school life, and free-time activities for Korean adolescents aged 13 to 17 years. I was amused that while pilot-testing the questionnaire with youth, 1 responded: “Is there anyone watching TV or DVD these days? I don’t have a TV at home.” Of course not. They use their phones.
One questionnaire development paper that was published in November is the Development of Food Literacy Assessment Tool Targeting Low-Income Adults.
Food literacy is becoming more popular over the last few years. I always like to read the items for each category and see how I’d do. The 2 in the nutrition knowledge section of this questionnaire relate to soda: how many calories and how many grams of sugar. I seldom drink soda so this is not on my radar. However, it probably is on the radar of adults from low-income environments. Indeed, food insecurity increased the odds of habitual sugar-sweetened beverage consumption in Hispanic/Latino WIC families in New York.
While the JNEB collection of Questionnaire Development is a valuable resource, we all know these are specific to the program aims and target population. Auld et al outline this issue in their 2017 article Confirming the Reliability and Validity of Others’ Evaluation Tools Before Adopting for Your Programs much better than I can. I know it is easier to adopt another’s work that has gone through rigorous development and testing, but you may not be pleased or satisfied with the results. And it certainly may be challenging when you go to publish. However, you will have a better program or intervention evaluation and you might get another publication if you develop a questionnaire specific to your needs!
]]> Curiosity and the Path Forward https://sneb.org/curiosity-and-the-path-forward/ Thu, 09 Dec 2021 19:22:06 +0000 https://www.sneb.org/?p=2283

I believe that curiosity is one of our super powers. In my undergraduate class focused on sustainable food systems, we follow an inquiry-based model and identify a topic, then create a series of questions that we try to answer to find a path forward in the food system. Our latest topic was the new plant-based and cell-based meat substitutes.
The students’ curiosity led them to logical and valuable questions. Were the new meats more ecologically sustainable? Nutritionally equal to meat? Healthy? Affordable? Accessible for everyone? Fundamentally, were these new products better to create a future world that allows us to “live in harmony with nature,” which is the vision of the UN Global Biodiversity Framework  , while also meeting our social, health, and economic needs?
One third of the class had already tried new plant-based products, with reactions ranging from unimpressed to acceptable, indicating their curiosity led to a purchasing decision. Potential market opportunity does drive investments into the path forward. A recent report suggests that the U.S. plant-based food market will reach $10.7 billion by 2027 , and the global investment specifically in lab-grown meat drew six-fold in 2020.
My students’ curiosity is also reflected in the conversations by many others. Within the business arena, specific questions about the new lab-grown meats were featured in a Forbes article titled “What Questions Should We Be Asking About Cell-Based Meats?” Broader questions about how investments shape the path in food production and food systems, especially the underinvestment in agroecology, which is recognized as a sustainable path, have been the topic of webinars and a recent International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems publication.
As food and nutrition educators and leaders in behavior change, we often are responding to the food system but recognize that now is our time to have an active voice in shaping the food system and considering the often divergent paths forward. As theories shape our practice, there are emerging models that can help us direct our curiosity and conversations.
The discussions leading up to the UN Food Systems Summit 2021, a discussion starter document included these 10 elements to consider in designing nature-positive food production systems, and we are using this as a guide in my class discussions. The 10 elements include diversification, co-creation and sharing of knowledge, synergies, efficiency, recycling, resilience, human and social values, culture and food traditions, responsible governance, and circular and solidarity economy.
These elements may provide a roadmap for our curiosity and potential checklist as we consider our path forward. These may also help our discussions within local communities, because a resilient and sustainable future is lived locally, while recognizing the global repercussions of our food patterns.
The curiosity within our class was exciting and empowering as we look for answers and take action. For those who might be curious, the conclusion from my class about plant-based meats is that we need access to much more information to make a decision, and we would proceed with caution and moderation.
]]> Systematic Reviews: Their Spot at Our Table https://sneb.org/systematic-reviews-their-spot-at-our-table/ Wed, 10 Nov 2021 00:21:25 +0000 https://www.sneb.org/?p=2261

Systematic reviews have been around for a long time. JNEB published its first systematic review in 2008, analyzing the impact of peer education on dietary behaviors and health outcomes among Latinos.  While peer education was found to have positive outcomes, the authors called for additional research concerning the peer educator themselves, the length and type of intervention, and of course, better standardization of questionnaires and scales. Because this paper has been cited in Scopus 113 times, I think the message was received and instigated or supported other work in this field. To me, this is a crucial reason for conducting and publishing systematic reviews.
Since that first systematic review, JNEB has published 24 others. They can be found in the Collections, Paper Types on jneb.org. There is a range of topics, including online nutrition courses, the effectiveness of interventions for community-dwelling older adults, college students, and adults with low income. Most called for better research, longer studies, and improved study design. Many of these calls to action would involve improved funding to implement. That may or may not happen, but it is important to document what we probably know and where research gaps are. These discussions should always be at the table, whether it is in a dissertation, at a conference, or in our own lab groups.
The findings of this issue’s systematic review may seem intuitive: more frequent grocery shopping may lead to increased fruit and vegetable intake.  The authors acknowledge that these were observational studies, not interventions, so caution must be taken. However, they pose an interesting issue of those using federal assistance and the limited shopping frequency capacity of many of these clients because of allotment distribution. If this were adjusted, and shopping more frequent, would the fruit and vegetable purchase and intake of these individuals with low income increase? The questions raised by our systematic reviews have implications not only for research, but also for policy and practice.
Although there are many guidelines for how to conduct a systematic review, and even college or online courses, we at JNEB are in the process of updating our guidelines. We’ve had discussions about the need to include only interventions that have been powered on the outcomes of interest, or to explain why this wasn’t possible. Evaluation of the quality of the articles included is a must, but there are many tools available to conduct this evaluation. Are there some that are better than others? And finally, what about “failed searches” or those where the only conclusion is that more research is needed? Generally, JNEB does not accept these, unless the gap in the research is truly novel and moves nutrition education and behavior research forward. I must note, JNEB does not accept scoping or narrative reviews. These have a place in the literature, but JNEB prefers to include only those with the systematic review methodology.
Lastly, I wanted to alert you to JNEB’s new tagline: Advancing Research, Practice, and Policy. Soon you will see it everywhere! I want to thank the editors, Journal Committee, publisher, and Society for working on this.
]]> Growing Our Commitment to Promoting Fruits and Vegetables: Looking Beyond the International Year of Fruits and Vegetables 2021 https://sneb.org/growing-our-commitment-to-promoting-fruits-and-vegetables-looking-beyond-the-international-year-of-fruits-and-vegetables-2021/ Wed, 10 Nov 2021 00:16:24 +0000 https://www.sneb.org/?p=2259 , 
Despite the essential benefits of fruits and vegetables (F&V), much of the world does not eat the minimum recommended amounts. In addition, nearly 50% of all F&V produced globally is wasted between harvest and consumption. These issues put unnecessary pressures on both the health of the people and the planet.
In recognition of the critical role F&Vs play in promoting both healthy diets and sustainable food systems, the United Nations declared 2021 as the International Year of Fruits and Vegetables (IYFV 2021).
As we approach the end of this celebration, we call on nutrition educators to continue and extend this important work beyond the IYFV 2021 through nutrition education actions that promote (1) advocacy and awareness raising, (2) knowledge creation and dissemination, (3) policy making, and (4) capacity development and education.

Advocacy and Awareness Raising

Transformative approaches for better F&V production and consumption starts with all of us advocating for systemic change. Let’s reach into our toolkit that includes a wide assortment of advocacy and awareness-raising tools from which to choose: 5-A-Day campaigns, webinars or virtual events related to F&V, and other fresh approaches such as cooking demonstrations, recipes contests, and exhibitions of local F&Vs in farm-to-school programs. , , 

Knowledge Creation and Dissemination

As nutrition educators, we play a vital role in building a strong evidence-base on the nutritional, health, and environmental benefits of the various components of F&V food systems, from production to consumption. We also play an important role in developing, validating, and promoting tools to measure F&V intake that are essential to monitoring progress toward reaching F&V consumption recommendations. By creatively varying our dissemination and implementation toolkit, findings are better translated into practice.

Policy Making

Evidence-informed policies that promote appropriate investments, partnerships, and holistic approaches to enhance F&V access and intake and reduce waste in a range of settings from schools to food pantries to hospitals can have a significant and sustained impact, especially now within the context of COVID-19. As nutrition educators, we can sensitize policy makers on the need for these synergistic policies. School-based nutrition policies in support of F&V, for example, should be comprehensive enough to promote the availability and access to locally grown F&V and school gardens, as well as the fruitful integration of gastronomy or quality food education initiatives. These types of policy actions can increase children’s F&V intake while simultaneously reducing food waste in national school meals programs. , ,

Capacity Development and Education

A systematic approach to capacity development and education can amplify the impact we have as nutrition educators on increasing awareness, generating knowledge, and influencing policies around F&V food systems. Our reach should extend to producers, children, families, communities, and policy makers from multiple sectors. Only through meaningful engagement with a range of actors along the F&V food system can we make impactful progress toward the 2030 Global Development goals. , , , ,
SNEB Division of International Nutrition Education (DINE)
]]> JNEB to Become Online Only in January https://sneb.org/jneb-to-become-online-only-in-january/ Tue, 26 Oct 2021 13:46:28 +0000 https://www.sneb.org/?p=2236 For over 50 years the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior has been serving as a global resource to advance nutrition education and behavior related research, practice and policy. In that time the Journal has grown from a quarterly publication to a monthly publication fulfilling the vision of SNEB’s founders of “a journal for the professional improvement of persons working in the field of nutrition education.” In 2021 alone, the Journal will publish over 1,000 pages of original research focused on emerging issues, policies and practices.
Beginning in January 2022, JNEB will become an online journal. Each issue of the Journal will continue to publish the latest research while fulfilling SNEB’s mission of supporting planetary health and value of fiscal responsibility by eliminating printed copies.

While trees are a renewable resource, industrial logging does destroy forest ecosystems and replanting trees in plantations does not replace the diverse forest ecosystem. This change helps us support diverse species in a forest ecosystem. Please be conscious of your electronic waste as you enjoy reading JNEB online since these devices contain both valuable minerals, including rare earth minerals, as well as toxic materials.  The decisions to move to electronic publication is based on the best use of our precious resources.

The cost-savings from this change has already been reinvested in the Journal with the addition of both a  senior associate editor and an additional associate editor position based on the recommendations of the Journal Committee in order to support the number of submissions and education initiatives.

All members of SNEB will continue to have full access to all content on the Journal website including all issues since the Journal of Nutrition Education was first published in 1969. Additionally,

  • Articles will continue to be available as .pdf files which can easily be downloaded or printed.
  • Each month you’ll receive an email with a table of contents and article highlights alerting you to the topics and resources available in each issue.
  • The Journal website has recently been updated to a mobile-friendly, search oriented design.
  • Step by step instructions for setting up your personal account and SNEB member access on www.jneb.org are attached and assistance is available from the SNEB staff.
SNEB leadership, the Journal Committee, and the Journal staff are excited about how this redirection of resource will benefit and grow the Journal.

Jasia Steinmetz, PhD, RD, President

]]> 2050: The Year of Our Carbon-Neutral Food System https://sneb.org/2050-the-year-of-our-carbon-neutral-food-system/ Thu, 07 Oct 2021 15:12:43 +0000 https://www.sneb.org/?p=2208

It is unequivocal that human influence has warmed the atmosphere, ocean and land. Widespread and rapid changes in the atmosphere, ocean, cryosphereand biosphere have occurred.
This is the leading conclusion in the first United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) working group report as part of the Sixth Assessment released on August 9. As science professionals, we understand the level of evidence necessary for the use of “unequivocal,” and this assessment presents the latest advances in climate change science with a deeper understanding of the relationship of specific levels of carbon dioxide, methane, and other greenhouse gases with physical changes on our planet, including extreme climate events—heat waves, heavy rainfall, and droughts—that are more frequent and severe.  The disruption affects not only humans but all other life on the planet, including plants and animals.
The necessary action was emphatically repeated throughout the IPCC press conference; there must be “rapid, strong and sustained reductions in emissions.” Fossil fuel burning, the main source of our rising carbon dioxide levels must rapidly decline in the next two decades. Reductions of all greenhouse gases including carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide must reach net zero emissions by 2050, if we are to limit global warming to 1.5°C. For the first time, the IPCC report details regional changes under different levels of GHG changes and the subsequent rise in temperature to provide the basis for immediate, appropriate actions necessary for resilience and mitigation.
To stop fossil fuel burning and reach net-zero GHG emissions by 2050 requires a methodical approach that involves all people across the planet. However, immediate, consistent individual change is necessary because every fraction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emission released each day will compromise our future. Meerow and Woodruff  suggest 7 principles for strong climate change planning, which we can consider as we plan: set ambitious, yet attainable goals; provide a strong fact base with the best available data; outline diverse strategies to achieve goals; engage the public and foster justice in all planning processes; coordinate efforts to address climate change across actors, sectors, and plans; include a clear process for implementation and monitoring; and address climate change uncertainty.
The global food system, including food loss and waste emits 21% to 37% of the total global GHG emissions. High-input, resource-intensive farming systems have high levels of GHG emissions and cannot deliver sustainable food and agricultural production.  While GHG emissions are produced at every step of the food system from farm to table, dominant food systems differ by nation and region resulting in different contributions to the climate change crisis. A lifecycle assessment of GHG emissions from U.S. household food choices found that 899 billion kilograms of CO2 emissions were generated from food spending in 2013.  Of this, 67.9% was from production and manufacturing, 25.4% from restaurant and retail sectors, and 4.7% from truck transportation. Weekly CO2 emissions per household were highest for red meat, fresh vegetables and melons, cheese, other milk products, and poultry. Identifying areas of greatest GHG emissions for different food systems will be necessary to develop the diverse strategies needed to reach our goal.
Increasingly, household food systems are dependent on national and global food systems, as we experienced with the COVID-19 pandemic-related food system disruptions; therefore, a global food system approach will avoid climate mitigation in one area of the food system that would be offset by increased emissions or loss of carbon sinks in another area, while supporting our biodiversity and natural resource base. Rosenzweig and colleagues advocate for a global food system approach and list responses in different stages of the food system that synergistically support mitigation and adaptation while providing benefits to livelihoods, health, water, biodiversity, and reduced pollution. These responses include changes both in the supply side of improved plant and animal production and management, as well as demand-side responses such as dietary change, reduction of food loss, and reduction of food waste.
These changes align with a recent analysis by Clark and colleagues  that modeled 5 strategies to reduce global food system emissions to achieve the Paris Agreement climate change targets of limiting 1.5°C and 2°C above preindustrial levels. The five strategies include the following: globally adopt a plant-rich diet; adjust global per capita caloric consumption to healthy levels; achieve high yields by closing yield gaps and improve crop genetics and agronomic practices; reduce food loss and waste by 50%; and reduce the GHG intensity of foods by increasing efficiency of production. All 5 strategies would need to be implemented 100% to achieve the 2050 target; no single strategy would be successful.
This climate crisis demands immediate attention and significant sustained action. Our participation in developing a long-term strategy for food system change is necessary, and action can begin with knowing our regional food system. Which regional farmers incorporate or are transitioning to more sustainable production models, such as agroecology, silvapasture, and agroforestry? Does your region have policies to maintain access to affordable land, especially for small- and medium-holder farms? Can supply chains to retail, restaurants, and institutions be reduced? Do local laws support urban green spaces for gardens and foraging? Are there incubator spaces with certified kitchens available for entrepreneurs to develop added-value food products that help reduce food loss and waste? Do restaurants, schools, and community events celebrate with plant-based menus utilizing regionally sourced foods? Is food waste monitored in your community? We need daily effort to reach carbon-neutral behavior change by 2025. Let’s be the change and foster change.
]]> School Water Policies https://sneb.org/school-water-policies/ Thu, 07 Oct 2021 14:37:37 +0000 https://www.sneb.org/?p=2206

We know that water is important for health. A new resource review for Water: The Foundation of a Healthy Body is a good example of educational material we can use to spread the word. But it was the article in this issue by Sharma et al on the Strength and Comprehensiveness of Drinking Water Language in California School District Wellness Policies that prompted me to wonder about water fountains in schools during this resurgence in COVID transmissions and with many children back to face-to-face instruction. Part of the drinking water policy evaluation looked at water access, promotion, and water quality checks. The article also pointed out that water during the school day is important to children’s health. School Wellness Policies can contribute to healthy water intake while at school.
But what about now? I still am wondering about those water fountains. I did a little searching, not exhaustive, but I found little information about water fountains in schools during the pandemic. Anecdotally, I know many were turned off and covered to prevent access. Before the pandemic, concerns about lead in the water, functioning water fountains, and cleanliness of fountains have been published. An excellent review of drinking water in the United States provides background, context, and suggestions for improving water intake. And we know that hard surfaces have been found to have little conveyance of the COVID virus.  Interestingly, the CDC has guidelines for reopening water systems after prolonged shutdown as well as for cleaning and disinfection,  but little on school water fountains in particular.
Are refillable water bottles the answer? One study in Austria reported that providing refillable water bottles increased water intake in third-grade students but the control school students also increased water intake. The authors concluded that the measurement in drinking habits may have provided the attention needed to motivate increased water intake. While this more simplistic approach may work, I found the Aquatic Program very interesting not only for its sustainability perspective in decreasing disposable water bottles but also for the intervention based on the Multiple Phase Optimization Strategy (MOST) and the theoretical model of Comprehensive Action Determination Model (CADM). I haven’t seen this intervention strategy or theoretical model used much in the manuscripts we receive at JNEB, but I plan to do some additional reading. I encourage you to as well.
I will keep looking into the school water issues during the pandemic. If any of you have more information, please send me a line.
]]> Updates for Authors and Reviewers https://sneb.org/updates-for-authors-and-reviewers/ Wed, 08 Sep 2021 14:53:57 +0000 https://www.sneb.org/?p=2137

If you’re writing a manuscript, planning a project, or agreeing to review for JNEB, do you read the Guidelines for Authors and Reviewers? They can be quite long. We mostly know what they say, right? An editor will correct things or a reviewer will suggest changes. Perhaps. However, we’ve been making some changes at JNEB that I wanted to share.
The most obvious change is we no longer prohibit the use of first-person pronouns. Hopefully, this will eliminate awkward phrasing and passive voice so that the paper is easier to write and read. No more “the researchers conducted…” and onto “we conducted…”!
Times change and so does the publishing world. Have you heard of a preprint or published a preprint? Preprints are manuscripts that are shared by authors to invite comments from the research community and to establish that innovations have been made by the researchers. Authors may post their work on preprint servers and websites; however, these papers have not been through the peer-review process. But they are “published,” and so submitting them to JNEB for publication again can be problematic. There are many types of servers that “publish” manuscripts, and each has its own licensing or copyright agreement. Read the fine print before publishing a preprint. If there is no copyright transfer from the authors and no license agreement, JNEB may consider the manuscript. However, if the manuscript is accepted, the authors are responsible for linking the preprint to the published paper. If that is not possible, JNEB must decline consideration of the manuscript. We plan to have a webinar to discuss preprints and the publishing world soon.
Statistical analyses keep all of us on our toes. A couple of changes at JNEB related to statistics is our screening of cluster randomized control trials. Upon submission, these manuscripts will be screened to be sure that:
  • The number within a group, the number of groups, and the strength of group-level dependency(intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC]) are to be considered.
  • A power analysis using the outcome variable of interest and in consideration of the cluster is addressed.
  • The model type is included: fixed effects, random effects, or mixed effects with consideration of the cluster and a reference or explanation as to why this model was chosen.
Finally, for intervention studies, a power analysis should be included with the effect size, alpha, power, outcome variable used, the analysis considered (ANCOVA, t tests, etc), software used for the calculation, and the number of participants the power analysis indicated. For pilot intervention studies, if the pilot study focuses on the adaptability and/or feasibility of an innovative intervention, a power statement is optional. However, it should be obvious from the title, abstract, objective, and narrative that this is a pilot. In the abstracts of intervention studies, pilot or not, nonsignificant results in interventions should be reported only for those variables that were powered to see an effect.
All of us at JNEB work very hard to stay current with all aspects of nutrition education and behavior research, ethics, and guidelines. One area that is always in our discussions is diversity, equality, and inclusiveness. At a very basic level, JNEB is more attuned to data of sex and gender and how these data are collected. From our Guidelines for Authors:
JNEB supports gender neutrality by using plural nouns (clinicians, educators, participants) as default wherever possible and avoid using “he, she,” or “he/she” but rather “they.” According to the AMA, “sex refers to the biological characteristics of males and females. Gender includes more than sex and serves as a cultural indicator of a person’s personal and social identity.” Recognition of the diversity within gender self-identity is important for researchers and practitioners in nutrition education and behavior. Methodology for collecting data related to gender and sex should be transparent within the Methods section, including but not limited to data that are: self-reported in an open-ended response option, or a choice format that allows for multiple selections, a single selection, or no response. A rationale for data analyses for sex or gender should be clear in the study design and objectives. If sex and gender data are collected only for the description of the sample and are not part of the design, this should also be clear in the results.
As we continue to think and talk about advances and changes in research and publishing, more guidelines will be updated. As always, if you have concerns or thoughts, please contact me at editor@jneb.org.
With kind regards,
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