From the Editor.

Welcome to the June issue of Nutrition & Dietetics: The Journal of the Dietitians Association of Australia. We are honoured that Professor Fatimah Arshad, from Malaysia, the co-chairperson of the organising committee for the 3rd Asian Congress of Dietetics has contributed an editorial on the theme of 'Harmonisation of Asian Dietetics'. Our other important editorial is by Dr Warren Lee from The Chinese University of Hong Kong and addresses the effects of cultural, industrial and economic changes in China and the implications for nutrition and health. Both Dr Arshad and Dr Lee together with Dr Mabel Deurenberg-Yap from the Health Promotion Board of Singapore, have joined our editorial board.

The Journal has two leading articles in this issue. The first by Crawford, asks us to consider the definition of socioeconomic status and the implications of this when examining differences in nutrient intake by socioeconomic group. Bauman comments on health promotion in the workplace and the impact on population health. There are valuable lessons to be learnt about nutrition intervention and public health.

Giskes and colleagues have undertaken secondary analyses of the 1995 National Nutrition Survey in Australia and examined relationships between socioeconomic position and nutrient intakes in adolescents. The results are not necessarily what one expects to find. Also concerning data from the Nutrition Survey is the paper by Peter Williams that examines what Australians are eating for breakfast: the types of food, the amounts of food and where people are obtaining this meal.

Peach and Barnett have studied the relationship between serum ferritin and risk factors for cardiovascular disease and found many can be explained by confounding factors in the diet. Pritchard and colleagues report on a successful year-long weight loss program, run in the workplace, and cardiovascular risk factors. Low-fat dietary modification and/or exercise resulted in significant health benefits. Coveney has reviewed the literature concerning the implications of research into families and food habits for the practice of dietetics. Changes in family dynamics such as marriage and arrival of children signal changes in food habits for family members

Batterham and colleagues have compared methods for assessing percentage body fat that can be used in field studies, or perhaps at the bedside, with dual energy x-ray absorptiometry. Bioelectrial impedance but not near infrared interactance performed favourably.

Tapsell and colleagues report on the performance of a research diet history for use in clinical studies of women with and without gestational diabetes. The following article by Gillen and colleagues involved use of this diet history, to examine if the type and frequency of consumption of foods rich in carbohydrate, plays a role in the clinical expression of insulin resistance during pregnancy. The results indicate the need for further research in this area.

This issue contains a report on the 2nd Sanitarium International Symposium 'Nutrition for life's stages: the evidence base' recently held in Melbourne. Merran Laver, the granddaughter of Audrey Cahn, has written our retrospective article outlining her grandmother's pioneering work in Australia and including insightful thoughts of Cahn's concerning the profession.

In Letters to the Editor considerable interest in our March editorial, leading article and the articles by Daniels and Winter et al. is evident. The Journal always welcomes further discussion of articles.

The quiz on fat-soluble vitamins by Samman and Lyons Wall should prove challenging. Of interest from the journals includes short summaries of selected articles. There are also a number of good books reviewed that would be valuable additions to personal or library collections.

The Insight article by Roem presents a case study of severe hyperemesis gravidarum and consequent thiamin deficiency. As readers are aware, there is an annual prize awarded for the best Insight article. The Journal congratulates Bronwyn Ashton and Angela Hehir who received this year's award for their article 'Working with private partner organisations to address public health nutrition issues--a case study' at the DAA National Symposium 2002 in Sydney.

Last issue I informed you of the resignation of Kerry Moir. This issue has been published by our new Managing Editor, Margaret Ruhfus with adept production by Julie Bernsons.

Margaret Allman-Farinelli

Editor