From the editor.

With this last issue for the year, new papers and topics of interest continue to flow to the journal, and the December issue is no exception. In fact this is a good follow on from the previous issue, with continued emphasis on dealing with challenges in communicating nutrition science. While the content of papers varies, one theme the main articles have in common is a challenge to readers to think a little differently about the issues described. The leading article by Helen Truby from the University of Surrey, UK is of particular interest. Truby's article relates to some of the issues I raise myself in the Editorial on information available to dietitians, but she refers to how we communicate with the public. The referent article by Timperio and colleagues describes both focus group and survey research on consumers' perceptions of 'fattening foods'. While scientists might argue about the definitions of 'fattening' among themselves, the research reported here plausibly assumes 'fattening' to be a commonly used term and explores its meaning among consumers. It is interesting to see that salt is caught up with sugar and fat in this context, and that 30% of respondents thought they could eat what they like if they choose low fat foods. The challenge presented by the authors is that there appears to be a lack of congruence between public understanding and dietary recommendations.

The challenge posited by Booth and colleagues has more to do with methodology. This is a particularly interesting paper set in Sabah, Malaysia, where scientific methods have to come to terms with a study context on the move during a training exercise. The evaluation of combat ration packs is a good example of how to conduct research in context, producing results that have meaning for future formulations using nutritional principles. At the end of the exercise, soldiers were found to have good immune and hydration status, with unchanged physical and mental performance, albeit with about a 5% reduction in weight and reduced status of some storage nutrients.

In another setting, Miller et al. argue for a potential component to nutritional assessment not likely considered in the past. They found that measures of grip strength were related to falls in an elderly population. While no direct link to nutrition was ascertained, this measurement is easy to undertake and may provide a useful adjunct to the information collected by clinicians in conducting their assessments.

On a more general level, Evans and Vivanti in their articles look to the challenges facing dietitians in taking leadership roles, and in conducting research in practice respectively. Reflecting her keynote address at the 2003 DAA conference, Evans looks at women in leadership and discusses the position of dietitians in terms of professional expectations, advocacy roles and cultural concepts that govern behaviour. She leaves us to think about addressing the ambivalence between self and institutional interest in being able to take on leadership roles. In the Insight article, Vivanti and Ash take a practical stand and outline some of the key issues for dietitians in developing research and practice.

The December issue of the journal also includes the index of publications, which gives a broad overview of the topics covered, the range of authors contributing and also provides a sense of where research and practice in nutrition and dietetics is heading and of emerging issues. You may well enjoy browsing through this section with this in mind.

I am particularly pleased to see we have three letters to the Editor this issue, and I trust this pattern will continue. It is an excellent way to keep the ideas and issues alive and debated in the dynamic environment the journal provides. Combining this with all the usual components of continuing education quiz, conference reports (on diabetes, activity and food science in this issue), book reviews and journal contents, I am sure the December issue will provide valuable reading for all across the end of year season. I am pleased to welcome Tim Green from the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand to the Editorial Board. My thanks again go to all who have contributed this year, to the Editorial Board and reviewers, and the team at the DAA National Office who manage the publication of the journal so professionally. We can all look forward to an even better year in 2004.