Nutrition education for alcoholic recovery homes

Abstract

Most of the research involving the nutri­ tional needs, food intakes, and nutritional status of alcoholics has focused on active drinkers, especially those who suffer from diseases that are the sequelae of alcoholism (1-3). In contrast, there has been little study of the diet or dietary beliefs of alcoholics undergoing rehabilitation who, for the first few months after detoxification, reside in live-in, extended care facilities known as alcoholic recovery homes. In most recovery homes in this country, residents are re­ quired to abstain from alcohol, and the staff regularly monitors residents for signs of alcohol ingestion. Many residents are unemployed and eat all their meals at the home. Those who work take prepacked lunches from the recovery home to their jobs and consume all other meals at the home. Such facilities provide group support and psychological counseling to assist the residents' rehabilitation, but generally little professional guidance is available to assist either staff or residents in meal planning and nutrition education. Because many residents of recovery homes are at nutritional risk , it is important that these facilities provide a nutritious, palatable diet and that inefficacious dietary practices be eschewed. For those reasons and to gain a better idea of the nutrition education needs of such a population, we surveyed a group of alcoholic recovery home residents in the Boston area. First, we wished to determine whether diets served and eaten in the homes met the Recom­ mended Dietary Allowances (RDA) (4) . Second, we wanted to find out whether commonly held beliefs about the efficacy of megadose vitamin-mineral supplements, sweets, and caffeine for maintaining sobrie­ ty were widespread and were reflected in residents' consumption patterns. Needs assessment. The study popUlation consisted of male residents from five of the seven recovery homes that agreed to partici