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.
Anuradha, V. (author), Kousalya, T.K. (author), and Depart of Food Science and Nutrition, Avinashilingam Institute for Home Science and Higher Education for Women, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India; Depart of Food Science and Nutrition, Avinashilingam Institute for Home Science and Higher Education for Women, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India
Format:
Conference paper
Publication Date:
1994
Published:
USA
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 97 Document Number: C07888
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 was taken up with the objective of developing primers that could be used to impart nutrition education after literating the adults. Twenty five illiterate women of Muthumariamanpuram of North Coimbatore belonging to low income group were selected for imparting education. The family composition and prevalence of illiteracy of the selected subjects were elicited using a proforma. The investigator taught the subjects to read and write Tamil. Initial nutritional knowledge of the subjects were tested. Two nutrition education primers were prepared and the subjects were taught the primer lessons for three months. Nutrition education was imparted by visual and audio-visual aids. Supplementary readers on health education were used to educate them. It was found that poor economic status was the cause for illiteracy. Nutrition education improved learning skills and awareness of the nutritional facts and improvement of dietary patterns and practices.
Wightman, Norma (author / University of California Cooperative Extension, San Luis Obispo, CA)
Format:
Conference paper
Publication Date:
1994
Published:
USA
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 97 Document Number: C07900
Notes:
James F. Evans Collection, Ham, Mimeographed, 1994. 1 p. Presented at the Society for Nutrition Education, Portland, OR, July 16-20, 1994., A 10-hour training program was designed to teach volunteers to deliver short programs that demonstrate using the new nutrition label to select lower fat and/or low sodium foods. Volunteers contracted to "pay back" 10 hours of community service. In cooperation with the local Area Agency on Aging Nutrition Program, volunteers delivered 20-minute interactive programs at nutrition sites to nearly 400 seniors. Post-tests showed a majority of seniors could recognize the new nutrition facts label compared with the old nutrition label after the brief presentations. Information on sodium content was most frequently sought on nutrition labels by this audience. A survey of the volunteer extenders showed high job satisfaction and a feeling of contributing valuable information to the community. It was recommended that in addition to teaching experience, volunteers be required to have at least one college-level course in nutrition. Refinements in the training curriculum were also recommended and are being piloted on a second group of volunteers.
