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A decade of doctoral research in nutrition.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Keller, HH; Ostbye, T; Edwards, HG; Johnston, C
Published in: J Am Diet Assoc
September 1999

OBJECTIVE: To describe North American dissertation research in human nutrition from 1986 through 1995. DESIGN: A census collection. SUBJECTS/SETTING: The unit of observation was the dissertation abstract submitted to Dissertation Abstracts International for the years 1986 through 1995. Only dissertations written in English with a human nutrition subject code (0570) that lead to a PhD, DrPH, EdD, or ScD at a North American university were included (N = 2,044). Abstracts were reviewed by 2 raters who extracted pertinent data on variables describing the dissertation research (e.g., topic of dissertation, type of sample). ANALYSES: Analyses were descriptive. RESULTS: The majority (n = 1,147) of doctoral dissertations were completed by female students. Male students were more likely to study in vitro samples than female students (11% vs 4%) and female students were more likely to study human subjects (64%). Male students tended to have male advisers, although overall male advisers appeared to predominate (34% men, 24% women, 42% unknown or missing). Topic areas for dissertation work reflected gender differences. Popular topics for dissertation research have changed over time; biochemical-, micronutrient-, and obesity-related research decreased and research in development of theoretical constructs and examination of dietary habits of selected groups increased. CONCLUSIONS: From 1986 through 1995 there was an increase in the proportion of female doctoral students. Female and male students varied in the type of sample studied, gender of advisers, age group of human subjects, and topics of their dissertations. Universities emphasized different topic areas and methodologies. There appears to have been an increase in areas of applied research (e.g., dietary habits) and a decrease in basic science topic areas (e.g., micronutrients) over the 10-year period examined.

Duke Scholars

Published In

J Am Diet Assoc

DOI

ISSN

0002-8223

Publication Date

September 1999

Volume

99

Issue

9

Start / End Page

1065 / 1071

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Universities
  • United States
  • Sex Factors
  • Research
  • Nutritional Physiological Phenomena
  • Nutrition & Dietetics
  • Middle Aged
  • Male
  • Infant
  • Humans
 

Citation

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ICMJE
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Keller, H. H., Ostbye, T., Edwards, H. G., & Johnston, C. (1999). A decade of doctoral research in nutrition. J Am Diet Assoc, 99(9), 1065–1071. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0002-8223(99)00254-0
Keller, H. H., T. Ostbye, H. G. Edwards, and C. Johnston. “A decade of doctoral research in nutrition.J Am Diet Assoc 99, no. 9 (September 1999): 1065–71. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0002-8223(99)00254-0.
Keller HH, Ostbye T, Edwards HG, Johnston C. A decade of doctoral research in nutrition. J Am Diet Assoc. 1999 Sep;99(9):1065–71.
Keller, H. H., et al. “A decade of doctoral research in nutrition.J Am Diet Assoc, vol. 99, no. 9, Sept. 1999, pp. 1065–71. Pubmed, doi:10.1016/s0002-8223(99)00254-0.
Keller HH, Ostbye T, Edwards HG, Johnston C. A decade of doctoral research in nutrition. J Am Diet Assoc. 1999 Sep;99(9):1065–1071.
Journal cover image

Published In

J Am Diet Assoc

DOI

ISSN

0002-8223

Publication Date

September 1999

Volume

99

Issue

9

Start / End Page

1065 / 1071

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Universities
  • United States
  • Sex Factors
  • Research
  • Nutritional Physiological Phenomena
  • Nutrition & Dietetics
  • Middle Aged
  • Male
  • Infant
  • Humans