Kristal, Alan R. (author), Patterson, Ruth (author), and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1124 Columbia MP 702, Seattle, WA 98104; Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1124 Columbia MP 702, Seattle, WA 98104
Format:
Conference paper
Publication Date:
1994
Published:
USA
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 97 Document Number: C07879
Notes:
James F. Evans Collection, Ham, Mimeographed, 1994. 1 p. Presented at the Society for Nutrition Education, Portland, OR, July 16-20, 1994., This study examined diet-related psychosocial constructs and healthful diet. We analyzed data from a 1989-90 random digit dial survey of cancer-related risk behavior administered to 1,972 Washington State residents. Psychosocial constructs were belief in an association of diet and cancer, knowledge of NCI recommendations and food composition, and perceived pressure (norms) to eat a health diet. Diet measures were self-reported healthful diet changes over the previous 5 years, %energy from fat, and dietary fiber. Age and education were significantly (p<0.001) related to the constructs, with adults aged 35-59 having the strongest beliefs and the most knowledge. Among older adults, 50% of females and 57% of males did not believe diet was related to cancer, 32% and 44% could not recall a single NCI dietary recommendation, 21% had low knowledge of food consumption, and 37% of females and 41% of males felt no pressure to eat a healthful diet. Diet-cancer beliefs and knowledge were significantly (p<0.001) associated with healthful diet changes, lower fat intake, and higher fiber consumption. Individuals with high food composition knowledge consumed 2.3% less energy from fat and 1.1 grams more fiber compared to those with knowledge. Participants who reported they felt strong pressure to eat a healthy diet made 1.8 more healthful diet changes vs. those who felt no pressure, however, there was little association of norms with fat or fiber intake. Population-based studies are important because much of the research on improving diets has been performed in clinical settings, with small, select samples using individual counseling strategies; therefore neither the techniques nor results can be directly applied to community-based nutrition intervention programs. Our research suggests that intervention strategies which target beliefs and knowledge may help people adopt more healthful diets. Research should be done to explore whether interventions need to be specifically focused and tailored to have a positive impact on the diet of older Americans, since this subgroup had lowest levels of belief, knowledge, an norms.
Haines, Pamela S. (author), Metz, Jill (author), Patterson, Ruth E. (author), and School of Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC
Format:
Conference paper
Publication Date:
1994
Published:
USA
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 97 Document Number: C07877
Notes:
James F. Evans Collection, Ham, Mimeographed, 1994. 1 p. Presented at the Society for Nutrition Education, Portland, OR, July 16-20, 1994., The objective of this study was to examine the extent to which diet and health-related knowledge and attitudes explain differences in diet quality as measured by the Diet Quality Index (DQI). To date, empirical evidence linking attitude, knowledge and overall diet quality has been unavailable in a representative sample of the US population. The study sample included 880 men and women identified as primary meal planner - preparers who completed three days of dietary intake data as part of the 1989 Continuing Survey of Food Intake by Individuals and who completed the 1989 Diet and Health Knowledge Survey. The DQI is a multidimensional index of diet quality which scales and sums eight Diet and Health recommendations. Knowledge and attitude scales reflect elements of the Health Belief Model--susceptibility, personal importance of following dietary guidelines, diet and health awareness ,and nutrition knowledge. The proportion of the population achieving any one of the eight DQI guidelines ranged from 70% consuming less than 300 mg cholesterol per day to 15% consuming 5 daily servings of fruit and vegetables. 13.3% of diets were classified as good; 44.7% of diets were classified as fair or poor. Heightened diet and disease awareness (p=0.01) and level of nutrition knowledge (p=0.07) were positively and independently associated with better diet quality in mulitvariate analyses controlling for age, gender, income, race, education and selected household and lifestyle characteristics. In contrast, lower importance given to following the Dietary Guidelines (p=0.008) and greater susceptibility [more frequent responses that own diet ought to be lower in calories, fat, saturated fat, dietary cholesterol, and salt] (p=0.01) were associated with poorer overall dietary quality. Other factors associated with dietary quality included higher education, age over 40, being on a special diet, and reporting that nutrition was an important priority while grocery shopping. Factors independently and negatively associated with dietary quality included being under 40 and single, ever smoking at least 100 cigarettes, and being overweight. Gender, race, and income level did not explain additional variation in diet quality when knowledge and attitude variables were included in multivariate models. Results suggest nutrition knowledge and attitudes are independent predictors of the overall quality of diet.
Finlay, Karen (author), O'Brien, Carolyn (author), Woolcott, Donna (author), and Division of Applied Human Nutrition, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
Format:
Conference paper
Publication Date:
1994
Published:
USA
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 97 Document Number: C07902
Notes:
James F. Evans Collection, Ham, Mimeographed, 1994. 1 p. Presented at the Society for Nutrition Education, Portland, OR, July 16-20, 1994., Stages of change theory framed this study of grocery shoppers (n=65 adults, 18-44 yr) which categorized them according to intentions to use nutrition labels in food purchase decisions. A scale and scoring algorithm were developed using Prochaska and Diclemente's framework. Respondents were categorized into four stages of behavior change. Results indicated that the majority of respondents (55%) were in maintenance stage, 25% were in action stage, 6& in contemplation stage and 14% in precontemplation stage. Respondents were also asked to rate the Canadian government Guide to Nutrition Labelling. Differences in the rating of perceived value of the Guide were observed between the action and maintenance stage respondents for the overall usefulness of the Guide in assisting them "to make wise food choices". The action stage respondents rate the Guide 2.80 (on a 9 point scale) on this attribute and the maintenance groups rated it higher (p<.01) at a mean of 6.5. The action group's mean rating of 4.80 for "how easy it was to understand the information" in the Guide differed (p<.05) from the rating of the maintenance group (7.2). Similarly, in response to the question: "how well do you understand the definitions of nutrition terms in this Guide?", the action group rated their understanding fo the definitions (5.0) lower (p<.05) than the maintenance group (7.55) and lower than the precontemplation group (7.2). Although small sample sizes limit interpretation, it appears that different interventions may be needed for people at different stages of change.
Anderson, Jennifer (author), Ryan, Linda DeBell (author), Sherman, Bonnie (author), and Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Colorado State University, Ft. Collins, CO
Format:
Conference paper
Publication Date:
1994
Published:
USA
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 97 Document Number: C07887
Notes:
James F. Evans Collection, Ham, Mimeographed, 1994. 1 p. Presented at the Society for Nutrition Education, Portland, OR, July 16-20, 1994., A concern for the high cancer death rate in two rural towns in northeast Colorado was expressed by the citizens. Representatives from the communities were aware that nutrition and eating practices could lower cancer risk so they contacted their CSU Cooperative Extension Agent. A team was formed to improve nutrition, diet and health using the 5-A-Day message. An initiative Grant from Cooperative Extension was awarded and a nutrition education study was implemented. A program was developed to improve nutrition and reduce cancer risk with 5-A-Day in the communities. The nutrition study began in the schools targeting the children ages 5-11. The program included: materials, demonstrations, activities, skill sheets, experiments, puppet shows and behavior simulation on good nutrition. The study also included residents of the communities. Nutrition information was provided through local newspapers, grocery stores and county fairs. The children participants completes a 24 hour diet recall and a pre and post questionnaire identifying fruit and vegetable consumption. Head of household from the communities participated in a pre and post telephone survey on fruits and vegetables. The results of this study indicate the nutrition education program was well received in these communities and there was a request for more nutrition intervention. Therefore, we expanded our nutrition and cancer intervention program. Phase two of this research study will target food service personnel and implement a 5-A-Day message in the school cafeteria.
van Assema, Patricia (author / University of Limburg, Maastricht, The Netherlands)
Format:
Conference paper
Publication Date:
1994
Published:
USA
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 97 Document Number: C07883
Notes:
James F. Evans Collection, Ham, Mimeographed, 1994. 1 p. Presented at the Society for Nutrition Education, Portland, OR, July 16-20, 1994., Due to the increasing number of local health projects aimed at fat consumption reduction, there is a need for effective nutrition education interventions that can be applied in a community setting. Two interventions will be presented that were developed, pretested, implemented and evaluated in the framework of the local Dutch 'Healthy Bergeyk' Project. The first intervention was based on the 'Tupperware' concept: Inhabitants of the municipality of Bereyk could apply for a nutrition education session by a dietician in their own home and invite other people. The intervention was developed based on the Theory of Planned Behavior and Social Learning Theory. The second intervention was a calendar-like program that gave step-wise suggestions for reducing fat intake. Program development was based on the concepts of skills improvement and feedback. Written questionnaires and telephone interviews were also completed by the dieticians (n=4) to collect process data on the nutrition education sessions. The results showed that especially women with a low level of education participated in the interventions, program use was satisfactory, participant satisfaction was high and that more than 70% of the respondents indicated to have changed to a diet with less fat. It was concluded that the results are encouraging, but that the interventions should be implemented and evaluated in other community projects, because the results of this study were primarily based on post-intervention self-reports.
Baghurst, Katrine I. (author / CSIRO Division of Human Nutrition, PO Box 10041, Gouger Street, Adelaide SA 5000, Australia)
Format:
Conference paper
Publication Date:
1994
Published:
Australia
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 97 Document Number: C07880
Notes:
James F. Evans Collection, Ham, Mimeographed, 1994. 1 p. Presented at the Society for Nutrition Education, Portland, OR, July 16-20, 1994., A national random survey of some 2000 adults throughout Australia was undertaken to establish the significance of a number of psychosocial factors that have previously been incorporated in a number of health behavior models, but this time in relation to food choice and nutrient profile. The factors assessed included cognitive control, morale, social support, rigidity, self esteem, self efficacy, locus of control, motivation to comply, normative beliefs, cues to action, concerns for health, barriers to change and perceived susceptibility, benefits and severity of outcome. Dietary intake was assessed using an extensive food frequency questionnaire with over 200 foods, including portion sizes and food preparation information. Demographic details were also collected on the respondents. The survey was undertaken using a postal format and had a response rate of 71%. The psycho-social factors were more significant determinants of intake in men than in women. For men, the major factors affecting nutrient profile (intake of fat, fiber, sodium, cholesterol, and refined sugar) were a strong belief in the benefits accruing from dietary change, perceived severity, concerns for health and, to a lesser degree, barriers to change, cues to action and rigidity in relation to food practice. Locus of control, self esteem, social support and morale were not significantly linked to any of the nutrient measures. In men, susceptibility related only to fat intake; normative beliefs, cognitive control and motivation to comply related only to fiber intake and self efficacy related only to sodium intake. For women, perceived benefits and barriers to change were the salient factors with rigidity relating significantly to refined sugar intake only. In women, no other psychosocial factor was significantly linked in univariate analysis. Multivariate and path analysis are currently being undertaken to determine the potential interactions between the variables in the model.
