PA Student Develops Instrument to Estimate Calcium Intake
Morgan Henry, a PA student at the Keck School of Medicine USC Primary Care Physician Assistant Program in California, along with Hawley Almstedt, PhD, has developed a validated research questionnaire to accurately estimate calcium intake.
Their research article, "Validity of a Dietary Calcium Questionnaire Modified to Include Supplement Use in Athletes," was recently published in the Journal of Sports Science and Medicine.
Henry and Almstedt identified limitations in the traditional Rapid Assessment Method (RAM) questionnaire and found a need to expand its scope to include an additional section on dietary supplement intake. Henry’s work demonstrated that the newly developed 42-item LMU RAM questionnaire provides not only a valid estimate of calcium intake, but has a higher degree of clinical accuracy.
Henry’s research was originally presented at the Southwest Chapter American College of Sports Medicine Conference in 2007 where Henry won the 2007 Student Research Award. The Human Performance Laboratory at LMU plans to continue using this questionnaire and it is Henry and Almstedt’s expectation that the LMU RAM will soon be used by nutritionists, dieticians, and medical providers to accurately, reliably, and quickly assess dietary intake of calcium and nutrients important for bone health.
Link to Journal of Sports Science and Medicine article