Vitamin D for Diabetes Prevention in Obese Adults

Summary:

Vitamin D (D2 and D3) is a fat-soluble vitamin and is naturally available in the form of fatty fish such as cod liver oil, swordfish, salmon, and sardines but is now also available in common breakfast food such as milk, orange juice, cereal, bread, yogurt, butter, and cheese. Vitamin D has become a significant cause for concern for individuals struggling with overweight and obesity. The purpose of this systematic review was to determine what effect Vitamin D has on insulin sensitivity and insulin resistance in obese individuals at risk for diabetes.

Research Question: What effect does vitamin D (non-specific dose, type, and duration) have on insulin sensitivity/ insulin resistance, and therefore the risk related to developing Type 2 Diabetes compared to a placebo?

APN 760 Reflection:

For my capstone piece for this course, I decided to choose the presentation of my systematic review on Vitamin D and Diabetes Prevention in Obese Adults. This piece best reflects the work that I have done due to several factors. It shows the finalized version of my PICO statement and how it was answered through research and development. It includes my selection process of the articles I chose for the systematic review. The method that was used to critique each piece for quality as well as take away important academic nutrition information used in the analysis. Each article was illustrated throughout the assessment through descriptions within the presentation. This piece also shows how I was able to demonstrate evidence from each article that provided answers towards the developed PICO statement.

Throughout this process, I have improved skills and well as developed new skills that will help me in the profession of nutrition.  I realized that the process of topic development is a difficult one that requires a significant amount of thought and study before a topic is even created. I have also learned how limited some areas of research are in the field of nutrition.  A thorough research selection process in the subject with numerous research studies is the most helpful in cases where a systematic review is being created.

When it comes to things I would change in my presentation, I would definitely increase the number of research articles I included in my systematic review and submission. After an analysis of my project, I would improve the grammar and spelling errors. I would also include graphics such as tables, charts, and pictures to break up a large amount of information on the slides. I would also decrease the amount of information on each slide.

This piece was the first time I was able to complete a systematic review of research to answer a specific research question or statement. I now have the knowledge and ability to effectively develop a research topic and explain it using evidence-based information from academic research. Being able to do this in my professional career will be beneficial in situations where I am required to develop testing parameters or determine if specific methods of intervention will actually be advantageous to the theoretical situation at hand.