Effective Nutrition Education Research Articles

Construction and Content Validation of Mobile Devices' Application Messages about Food and Nutrition for DM2 Older Adults.

Older adults face a decline in the quality of their diet, which affects their health. The prevalence of DM2 is increasing, as are the associated complications. Effective nutrition education and mobile health (mHealth) interventions offer a viable solution in the scenario of the widespread use of mobile devices. This study aimed to develop and validate messages for a mobile application aimed at older adult Brazilians with DM2 who receive care at the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS). The educational messages on healthy eating for older adults with DM2 were created from 189 excerpts selected from Brazilian official documents. A total of 37 messages were created, categorized into 20 educational, 12 motivational, and 5 congratulatory, all up to 120 characters. Twenty-one experts validated the messages for clarity and relevance, and 11 messages had to be revised to meet the criteria. Subsequently, the 36 messages approved by the experts were tested on a sample of 57 older adults, guaranteeing clarity rates of over 80%. This study developed and validated 36 messages for a mobile health app aimed at older adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus in Brazil. Expert evaluation ensured clarity and relevance, confirmed by older adult participants who evaluated clarity. This research highlights the potential of mHealth to overcome barriers to accessing healthcare in the SUS, emphasizing personalized interventions for the effective management of older adults' health.

Nutritional epigenetics education improves diet and attitude of parents of children with autism or attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

Unhealthy maternal diet leads to heavy metal exposures from the consumption of ultra-processed foods that may impact gene behavior across generations, creating conditions for the neurodevelopmental disorders known as autism and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Children with these disorders have difficulty metabolizing and excreting heavy metals from their bloodstream, and the severity of their symptoms correlates with the heavy metal levels measured in their blood. Psychiatrists may play a key role in helping parents reduce their ultra-processed food and dietary heavy metal intake by providing access to effective nutritional epigenetics education. To test the efficacy of nutritional epigenetics instruction in reducing parental ultra-processed food intake. The study utilized a semi-randomized test and control group pretest-posttest pilot study design with participants recruited from parents having a learning-disabled child with autism or ADHD. Twenty-two parents who met the inclusion criteria were randomly selected to serve in the test (n = 11) or control (n = 11) group. The test group participated in the six-week online nutritional epigenetics tutorial, while the control group did not. The efficacy of the nutritional epigenetics instruction was determined by measuring changes in parent diet and attitude using data derived from an online diet survey administered to the participants during the pre and post intervention periods. Diet intake scores were derived for both ultra-processed and whole/organic foods. Paired sample t-tests were conducted to determine any differences in mean diet scores within each group. There was a significant difference in the diet scores of the test group between the pre- and post-intervention periods. The parents in the test group significantly reduced their intake of ultra-processed foods with a pre-intervention diet score of 70 (mean = 5.385, SD = 2.534) and a post-intervention diet score of 113 (mean = 8.692, SD = 1.750) and the paired t-test analysis showing a significance of P < 0.001. The test group also significantly increased their consumption of whole and/or organic foods with a pre-intervention diet score of 100 (mean = 5.882, SD = 2.472) and post-intervention diet score of 121 (mean = 7.118, SD = 2.390) and the paired t-test analysis showing a significance of P < 0.05. Here we show nutritional epigenetics education can be used to reduce ultra-processed food intake and improve attitude among parents having learning-disabled children with autism or ADHD.

Association Between Caregiver’s Nutrition Knowledge and Nutrition Status of Children 6 to 23 Months: A Case Study of Narok County Referral Hospital

In Narok County, Kenya, where the challenge of achieving optimal child nutrition persists, particularly in the context of its arid and semi-arid climate, the prevalence of stunting among children is alarmingly high compared to other regions. Addressing this critical issue necessitates an enhancement of caregivers’ nutrition knowledge. However, scant information is available on the nutritional knowledge of caregivers responsible for children aged 6 to 23 months, a gap that extends beyond Narok County to encompass broader regions in Africa, including Kenya. Consequently, this study was designed to examine the nutritional knowledge of caregivers within Narok County for children in this age group. All approvals including ethical clearance from the Kabarak University Research and Ethics Committee (KUREC), a research permit from NACOSTI, and a permit from Narok County Referral Hospital were sought before the commencement of the study. This research adopted a descriptive cross-sectional design, and Fisher’s formula was used to calculate a sample size of 108 caregivers to children aged 6 to 23 months who were purposively recruited. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25 and ENA SMART software. The results indicate a variation in caregivers’ nutrition knowledge levels, with 37.0% demonstrating a high level of knowledge, while 27.8% exhibited low knowledge. Moderate knowledge levels were observed in 14.8% of caregivers, while 9.3% had very low knowledge. Furthermore, there was a low positive correlation observed between nutrition knowledge and Height-for-Age Z-score (HAZ), with a correlation coefficient of r=0.235 and a p-value of 0.014. Significantly, HAZ exhibited a higher percentage of normal scores when compared to stunted children (p-value: 0.05*). In conclusion, the study found significant variation in caregivers’ nutrition knowledge across the region, which in turn had an impact on the nutritional outcomes of the children. Therefore, we recommend targeted and continuous nutrition education to caregivers of children in Narok County. Caregivers with better nutrition knowledge tend to provide better nutrition to their children. There is a need to train and capacity-build community health workers to have the necessary knowledge and skills for effective nutrition education.

The nutritional knowledge of nurses working at the medical college hospital in the northern district of Bangladesh: A cross-sectional study

Background: Nutrition significantly impacts disease prevention and patient recovery. As healthcare providers across various health sectors, nurses often have the opportunity to offer dietary guidance to patients. However, there is a dearth of studies in the literature that assess nurses’ nutritional knowledge in Bangladesh. Objective: This study aimed to determine the nutritional knowledge of nurses employed at a tertiary-level medical college hospital in the Dinajpur district of Bangladesh. Methods: An observational descriptive cross-sectional study design was employed, with 109 staff nurses completing a self-administered questionnaire. This questionnaire covered demographic characteristics, work-related information, and 20 multiple-choice questions (MCQs) aimed at assessing nurses’ nutrition knowledge. Data were collected between April and May 2022. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, chi-square (χ2) tests, and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results: The average score of nutrition knowledge was 63.4% (SD = 13.94) for all nurses, falling within the low to moderate range. Nurses with a Bachelor’s degree in nursing (22.2%) and 11 - 15 years of work experience (14.7%) demonstrated a very good level of nutrition knowledge. Education level (χ2 = 18.659; p &lt;0.05) and work experience (χ2 = 22.356; p &lt;0.01) significantly influenced knowledge levels. Most nurses sought nutritional advice from less than 25% of patients, with doctors/physicians being the most common source of nutrition information provided by nurses. Conclusion: The average nutritional knowledge score of Bangladeshi nurses was low to moderate. Education level and length of work experience significantly impacted knowledge levels. Therefore, it is recommended that effective ongoing nutrition education programs, nursing curriculum reforms, and in-service training are crucial to enhancing nurses’ nutritional knowledge.

Effect of UNAGI (Nutrition Snakes and Ladders Game) on Knowledge of Balanced Diet and Nutritional Intake in Adolescents in Bekasi

Indonesia still faces the Triple Burden of Malnutrition, which can impact the dietary choices of adolescents to balance their nutritional intake and, simultaneously, emphasize the need for effective nutrition education. This study aimed to determine the effect of nutrition education delivered through the UNAGI game and videos on knowledge and nutritional intake of high school students. This quasi-experimental study was conducted with students from Public Senior High School 12 in Bekasi City, where the participants were divided into intervention and control groups. The intervention was provided once a week for two consecutive weeks. Knowledge was measured using a questionnaire, and food intake was assessed through 24-hour food recall. Data were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney test for the difference between groups and paired t-test/Wilcoxon for pre-post comparisons, with α significant level of 5%. Before the intervention, there was no significant difference in knowledge and dietary intake between the two groups. Post-intervention, a significant improvement in nutrition knowledge (p-value of 0.000) was noted in the intervention group exposed to the snake and ladder nutrition game. However, there were no significant changes in energy intake (p-value of 0.162), fat intake (p-value of 0.144), sugar consumption (p-value of 0.066), and salt consumption (p-value of 0.944). The findings support the recommendation of utilizing UNAGI games for nutrition education in the digital era as a valuable alternative to visual media, effectively contributing to enhanced nutritional understanding among adolescents.

Effect of nutrition education intervention to improve dietary diversity practice and nutritional status of the older people: Acluster randomized controlled trial.

The growing aging population raises nutrition and health concerns, with malnutrition in the elderly linked to negative health outcomes. Our objective was to implement theory-based nutritional education interventions to improve the nutritional status of the elderly through diversified dietary practices. A cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted from December 1, 2021, to May 30, 2021, among 782 older persons randomly selected from two urban and 12 semi-urban areas in southwest Ethiopia. We used Social cognitive theory (SCT) in guiding the nutritional education intervention. Data were collected using an interviewer-administered questionnaire. The Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) tool was used to assess nutritional status, and a qualitative 24-h eating recall was used to evaluate dietary diversity. Difference-in-difference and generalized estimating equation models were used to assess the intervention effect. In total, 720 participants (361 in the intervention group and 359 in the control group) were included for analysis. The mean dietary diversity score differed significantly between the intervention group and the control group (p < .001). According to the multivariable generalized estimating equations model, the intervention group was 7.7 times (AOR = 7.746, 95% CI: 5.012, 11.973) more likely to consume a diverse diet than the control group. The nutrition status of the elderly in the intervention group improved significantly at the end of the intervention (p < .001). SCT-based nutritional education interventions can effectively improve healthy eating and nutritional status. For older adults, with its convenient approach and low cost, SCT should be considered an effective and efficient nutritional education approach for behavior change.

Expanding MATCH-Type Wellness Program to Improve Adolescent Health Outcomes

MATCH (Motivating Adolescents with Technology to CHOOSE Health) is an online, interdisciplinary wellness program targeted at improving adolescent nutrition that teachers can easily incorporate into existing curricula. The shift from childhood to adolescence is characterized by rapid increases in autonomy of nutritional intake. Given that dietary habits established in adolescence often persist into adulthood, effective nutrition education programs during this period are of particular relevance. Although there are a vast number of existing nutrition education programs aimed at adolescents, we explain why MATCH and similar programs should be expanded across the United States to improve adolescent health outcomes including obesity prevention.

Nutrition policy critical to optimize response to climate, public health crises.

The effects of unanticipated crises on health care and first-responder systems are reflected in climate-fueled environmental emergencies, to which human resilience is diminished by our chronic disease epidemic. For example, people who depend on specialized medications, like refrigerated insulin for diabetes, will likely face additional challenges in receiving treatment and care during extreme heat, floods, disasters, and other adverse events. These circumstances may be compounded by staff and equipment shortages, lack of access to fresh food, and inadequate healthcare infrastructure in the wake of a disaster. Simply put, our health care and first-response systems struggle to meet the demands of chronic disease without such crises and may be fundamentally unable to adequately function with such crises present. However, nutrition's primacy in preventing and controlling chronic disease directly enhances individual and public resilience in the face of existential threats. Highlighting the shared diet-related etiology clearly demonstrates the need for a national policy response to reduce the disease burden and potentiate mitigation of the sequelae of climate risks and capacity limits in our food and health care systems. Accordingly, this article proposes four criteria for nutrition policy in the Anthropocene: objective government nutrition recommendations, healthy dietary patterns, adequate nutrition security, and effective nutrition education. Application of such criteria shows strong potential to improve our resiliency despite the climate and public health crises.

The influence of gender, media, and internet usage on adolescents' fast food perception and fluid intake

BackgroundUnderstanding the factors that influence adolescent’s perception of fast food and their fluid consumption is crucial for designing effective nutrition education programs tailored to this population. This study aimed to evaluate the associations of sex and the use of media and the internet with adolescents' perception of fast foods and the amount of fluid consumption.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted on school adolescents between the ages of 15 and 18 years in Kuwait, using a multistage stratified random sampling method (N = 706 adolescents; 343 boys and 363 girls). A pre-tested and specifically designed self-report questionnaire covering several measures such as: (a) types of foods that are considered fast foods; and (b) participant’s fluid consumption. Body weight and height were measured using calibrated medical scales. Body mass index (BMI) was computed. The adolescents were stratified by sex into two groups: boys and girls, for the purpose of analysis.ResultsSeven out of 14 food choices showed significant sex differences (p values ranged from 0.016 to < 0.001) in the adolescents’ responses to whether they perceived such food choice as fast food or not. Although differences were found between sexes, the majority of the listed fast foods were correctly recognized as fast foods by the adolescents. In addition, there were significant differences between males and females in the amount of daily drinks (ml/week) consumed from full fat milk (males = l197.1 ± 27,652.1 and females = 1662.8 ± 2221, p = 0.013), sugar-sweetened beverage (males = 2350.8 ± 3324.3 and females = 3088.9 ± 3701.1, p = 0.004), and energy drinks (males = 429.5 ± 1117.2 and females = 267.6 ± 733.8, p = 0.037). Compared to adolescents who seldom or do not watch TV or use the internet, those who engage in these sedentary activities are less likely to classify pizza (aOR (95% CI) = 0.660 (0.440–0.990), p = 0.045), grilled meat (aOR (95% CI) = 0.674 (0.477–0.954), p = 0.026), fried egg sandwiches (aOR (95% CI) = 0.617 (0.425–0.894–0.189), p = 0.011), and rice (aOR (95% CI) = 0.598(0.409–0.875), p = 0.008) as fast foods.ConclusionThe influence of TV and internet use on adolescent’s ability to accurately identify fast foods has been observed. Findings indicate the need for increased fast food nutrition education programs that are tailored towards adolescents. The study recommends further research to enhance consumer awareness of foods and drinks among adolescents in the State of Kuwait.

From evidence to practice: implementing effective nutrition and high-quality early childhood education in low resource settings, the successful case of the Guatemala city municipal nurseries

From evidence to practice: implementing effective nutrition and high-quality early childhood education in low resource settings, the successful case of the Guatemala city municipal nurseries

Is good dietary diversity a predictor of academic success?

Interest in identifying factors influencing educational success is growing. Many studies have examined factors that may affect academic performance. It is often observed that a group of students sharing the same external variables (school environment) yet have different results, which states that individual variables have more impact on the determination of academic performance. Therefore, the present study aims to substantiate this controversy by investigating the association between dietary habits and academic performance in a population of adolescents attending school in Eastern Morocco Methods: Cross-sectional study based on a self-administered questionnaire. Items included sociodemographic variables, eating and sleeping habits, physical activity practice and the last semester grade point average of mathematics (GPAm) and first foreign language (GPAf) subjects Results: Dietary diversity score (DDS) is a significant predictor of academic performance. Weight status and sleep duration was found to be strongly associated with academic achievement. Absenteeism and smoking are negatively associated with school achievement Conclusions: Findings indicate associations between dietary diversity and academic performance of students in eastern Morocco which support creation of effective nutrition education policies to eradicate the double burden of malnutrition on the one side leanness and on the other side fighting against obesity by promoting good diet in terms of quality and quantity and encouraging physical exercise. It is also essential to review the lifestyle of adolescents by raising awareness against the scourge of smoking near schools. The results of these actions are likely to be healthier schools and improved behavioral development and academic performance of children. (www.actabiomedica.it).

The Effects of Nutrition Education on the Handgrip Strength and Nutrition Status of Elderly Patients on Hemodialysis

Nutrition education provided to patients on hemodialysis (HD) is important for improving nutritional status. This study investigated the effects of nutrition education on handgrip strength (HGS) of patients on HD. The study was a prospective self-controlled analysis of 29 patients on HD. The patients' measurements, HGS, and the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) scores were examined. The HGS values and MNA scores measured in the first and third months after nutrition education were higher than those measured before nutrition education. The study showed that effective nutrition education may play an important role in improving HGS values of elderly patients on HD.

Effect of a Nutrition Education Intervention on Mothers’ Infant and Young Child Feeding Knowledge and Practices in the Peri-Urban Areas of Bobo-Dioulasso: Before and after Study

Background: This study assessed the effect of a nutrition education intervention aiming to improve the knowledge and practices of under 5 years children’s mothers on infant and young child feeding in peri urban areas of Bobo-Dioulasso in Burkina Faso. Methods: A total of 243 mothers of children under 5 years in the peri-urban of Bobo-Dioulasso were surveyed before and after the intervention using the FAO questionnaire for infant and young child feeding (IYCF) knowledge and practices assessment in January and October 2017. The intervention included two components consisting of a theoretical phase (counselling and discussion) and cooking demonstrations implemented for ten months. To account for the before-and-after design of the study, the McNemar’s test was used to assess the effect of the intervention on mothers’ infant and young child feeding knowledge and practices. Results: The mean age of mothers was 29 ± 6.2 years and 50.6% of the mothers were between 20 and 29 years old. All indicators used to assess the mothers’ knowledge of breastfeeding and complementary feeding significantly improved after the intervention (all p-values Conclusion: The intervention improved the mothers’ knowledge on breastfeeding and complementary feeding and some child feeding practices. This study provided some evidence of an effective nutrition education intervention to increase maternal knowledge and practices.

The role of information quality in designing effective nutrition education programs for pecans

The role of information quality in designing effective nutrition education programs for pecans

Lifestyle habits, macronutrient intake, and obesity prevalence among adolescents in rural-periurban community senior high schools in the Ho municipality of Ghana.

BackgroundAdolescence is a critical stage in the life cycle that presents a window of opportunity for the formation of lifetime habits or an aversion to childhood malnutrition effects. This study assessed the lifestyle habits, macronutrient intakes, and obesity prevalence among adolescents in some selected Senior High Schools in rural communities in Ho Municipality.Materials and methodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted among 272 adolescents aged 13–19 years and attending senior high schools in the Ho Municipality of Ghana. Data on sociodemographic, physical activity levels, dietary habits, and anthropometrics were obtained. A body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) were determined, while a repeated 24-h dietary recall was used to collect the dietary intakes of the participants.ResultsThe majority of the adolescents did not meet the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) for calories (94.5%), dietary protein (68.8%), and fibre (91.5%). Adolescent boys consumed more calories (1,969.7 ± 579.9 Kcal) on average than adolescent girls (1,658.0 ± 458.7 Kcal) (p = 0.001). Overweight and obesity prevalence were 15.8 and 8.5%, respectively. About 90.4% of the adolescents did not meet the WHO recommended 150 min per week of physical exercise. On sedentary, 97.6% of adolescents spent half an hour to 5 h per day watching television when at home. Breakfast was the most frequently skipped meal (47.9%), and 59.6% of adolescents consumed fast foods such as pizza, burgers, and ice cream one to three times per week. Adolescent girls also had higher odds of being overweight or obese compared with adolescent boys (AOR = 2.4, p = 0.094, 95% CI = 0.9–6.4). Adolescents who did not meet the RDA for calories had lower odds of being overweight or obese compared with those who did (UOR = 0.3, p = 0.045, 95% CI = 0.1–0.9).ConclusionPoor dietary habits and intake, sedentary lifestyle, and obesity prevalence were observed among the adolescents. Being an adolescent girl was associated with obesity risk, while not meeting caloric intake showed a protective effect. Efficient and effective nutrition and lifestyle education programme should be promoted in communities to improve the dietary intake and lifestyle habits of adolescents.

Changes in dietary patterns among Bangladeshi adult population during the COVID-19 pandemic: A web-based cross-sectional study

BackgroundThe home confinement induced by the COVID-19 pandemic affects individuals’ mental wellbeing and increases unhealthy behaviors, such as minimum to no physical activity, overeating, and substance use. ObjectiveThis study aimed to assess the changes in dietary patterns among the Bangladeshi adult population during the COVID-19 pandemic and identify their determinants. MethodsThis web-based cross-sectional survey was carried out from 10–17 December 2020 using an e-questionnaire based on Google Forms. A semi-structured e-questionnaire was forwarded to the participants – Bangladesh citizens aged above 18 years – through social media platforms and email in order to collect information about socio-demographic issues and multidimensional dietary patterns. From the initial 817 responses gathered through snowball sampling, 748 responses were retained. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were executed. ResultsThe findings suggest that 50% of the participants reported a reduction in weight and physical activities, while approximately 52% experienced increased sleep time. One in three participants (31.4%) experienced a decrease in food buying capacity. The findings further indicate that women were 1.65 times more likely to reduce food consumption than men. Meanwhile, employed people were about 34% less likely to increase food consumption than their unemployed counterparts. People who were getting more than 6 h of sleep per day were nearly 61% less likely to increase food consumption than people who slept for less than 6 h per day. People struggling to buy food items were 2.31 times more likely to reduce food intake than people with no such limitations. ConclusionsThe study shows that COVID-19 has substantially affected Bangladeshi people’s common food consumption patterns. Being confined within the household, primarily due to countrywide lockdowns and ‘general holidays’, has affected both the dietary patterns and the financial wellbeing of people. Therefore, the concerned authorities should promote effective nutrition education and healthy dietary behaviors; meanwhile, financial support or incentives for people in need are also strongly advocated.

Designing a Scalable Nutrition Education Package to Improve Diets of Adolescent Girls Through Primary Schools in Ethiopia

ObjectivesImproving adolescent girls’ nutrition is a high priority for the government of Ethiopia due to its immediate benefits for girls’ education and foundational role in protecting the productive and reproductive lives of women. Alive and Thrive (A&T) aimed to develop and implement an effective nutrition education package for scaling up by government education and health authorities. MethodsWe applied the socio-ecological model of social behavior change to systematically develop and test contextualized nutrition interventions in Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ (agrarian) and Somali (pastoralist) regions. Using multiple sources of data and information we identified gaps in dietary practices, barriers, motivations; influential persons; and channels of communication for reaching adolescent girls in primary schools and influential persons, at high coverage and with frequent contacts. Region specific interventions, protocols, tools, and materials were field tested and tailored to fit the contact points and capacity of schools. ResultsThree dietary practices were selected based on evidence of gaps and potential benefits, 1) dietary diversity through promotion of locally available foods and food groups missing from adolescent girls’ diets by region, 2) frequency of meals and 3) reducing the consumption of unhealthy foods. Teachers, parents and peers were found to have the greatest influence on adolescent girls’ dietary practices. Community leaders (including religious leaders in Somali) and health extension workers were influential among parents, and school principals and supervisors were important for motivating teachers. ConclusionsSystematically targeting priority behaviors, engaging key influential persons, achieving high coverage and frequency through existing multiple contact points, and utilizing communication channels available through in-classroom and other activities were critical for developing a feasible and scalable package of school-based nutrition education interventions. Using data to design interventions and streamline implementation strategies facilitated the scale up of an effective intervention package for schools. Funding SourcesBill & Melinda Gates Foundation, through A&T, managed by FHI Solutions.

Prevalence of iodine deficiency among Moroccan women of reproductive age

BackgroundIodine deficiency disorders (IDD) affects nearly 1.9 million people worldwide. Iodine deficiency (ID) remains a public health concern not only for pregnant women, but for women of reproductive age (WRA) as well. This study was planned to evaluate the iodine status and the prevalence of iodine deficiency in a nationally representative sample of Moroccan WRA according to their socio-economic data and living areas.MethodsThis study is a cross-sectional national survey conducted on 1652 WRA aged between 18 and 49 years. Iodine status was assessed by the evaluation of the urinary iodine concentration (UIC) on spot urinary samples, using the Sandell-Kolthoff reaction, and by the estimation of iodine-rich food consumption, using a food frequency questionnaire. The World Health Organization cutoff of a median UIC of < 100 μg/l was used to define ID in the population.ResultsThe median UIC [20th- 80th] was 71.3 μg/l [37.5–123.1] and 71% of participants had UIC < 100 μg/L, indicating insufficient iodine status and mild iodine deficiency. WRA from urban and rural areas showed an UIC median of 75.94 μg/l [41.16–129.97] and 63.40 μg/l [33.81–111.68], respectively. Furthermore, ID prevalence was significantly higher in rural areas (75.6%) as compared to urban areas (67.9%) (p < 0.05). Food frequency questionnaires analyses highlighted that dairy products are the most commonly consumed iodine-rich food, reported to be consumed daily by 43.1% of WRA. Of particular interest, 83.5% of WRA reported a weekly consumption of fish.ConclusionID is still a public health problem in Morocco highlighting the necessity to implement effective national program, including efficient salt iodization, effective nutritional education and awareness, to control iodine deficiency and prevent IDD development.

Rapid review of research on dietary attitudes, beliefs and practices in Ghana 1990-2020

Food-related beliefs and attitudes influence dietary behaviors and are important drivers of nutrition outcomes. Understanding beliefs and attitudes that drive dietary behaviors, as part of the process for developing Food-based Dietary Guidelines is critical for targeting messages to motivate healthy dietary diets. This rapid review was undertaken to summarize readily available local evidence on food-related beliefs, attitudes, and associated practices in Ghana. A rapid review of 39 peer-reviewed publications and graduate-level theses on the dietary behaviors of Ghanaians was conducted between November and December 2020. The study only included articles published between 1990 and 2020 involving apparently healthy populations living in Ghana. Documents were identified through a systematic literature search of Google Scholar and PubMed. Data on food-related knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, and practices were extracted into an excel template and analyzed using thematic content analysis. The sampled research included primarily cross-sectional studies of urban, rural, peri-urban and mixed localities throughout Ghana: one was a prospective research. A range of food-related taboos were identified and classified as taboos for the general population, pregnancy-related, or child-related. Although awareness of food-related taboos was common, they were not extensively practiced. Energy-giving and nutrient-dense foods are commonly promoted during pregnancy. Culturally prescribed pre-lacteal feeds and other infant and young child feeding (IYCF) behaviors reported in the studies were not aligned with IYCF recommendations. A 3-meals-a-day pattern was observed, commonly, across all age groups; most adult meals, particularly supper, was prepared at home. However, ready-to-eat meals were regularly purchased by adults and adolescents. Adolescents frequently reported snacking and skipping meals; breakfast was the most frequently skipped meal. Fruits and vegetables were the least consumed food groups across all age groups. Muslim faith was associated with consuming more diverse diets and greater fruit and vegetable consumption. The findings of this review provide an overview of food-related beliefs and practices of Ghanaians and can inform decisions on areas to emphasize in food-based dietary guidelines and associated nutrition education messages to promote healthy diets in the Ghanaian population. Effective nutrition education is needed to dispel harmful food beliefs and practices and promote healthy food choices across the life cycle. Dietary patterns in Ghana are linked with cultural and religious practices that are often unique to particular subgroups, although there are common strands of beliefs across ethnic groups. These beliefs can result in either adverse or beneficial outcomes, depending on what eating patterns it determines. Key words: food prohibitions, dietary practices, dietary pattern, Nutrition, Ghana

Effects of a Culinary Boot Camp intervention on food/nutrition aptitudes and dietary intake of college students

Objective: College is characterized by transition, students shifting from dependence to independence in numerous roles/responsibilities. Deficiencies in food/nutrition aptitudes and dietary intake exist, evidenced by declining physical well-being and poor eating patterns/practices within the population. Studies examining interventions to improve food/nutrition aptitudes and dietary intake among college students are limited. Participants/methods: A nutrition education program, Culinary Boot Camp (CBC), was developed and delivered to college students at a land-grant university. Online surveys assessed food/nutrition aptitudes and dietary intake pre-/post-/follow-up intervention. Results: Of 86 CBC participants, 71 pre-, 46 post-, and 20 follow-up surveys were completed. Several food/nutrition aptitudes improved (p ≤ 0.05), with greatest improvements in cooking skills/attitudes and healthy eating/grocery shopping self-efficacy (p < 0.01). Additionally, dietary intake of various micronutrients (vitamin C, magnesium, potassium) and fiber increased with statistical significance (p < 0.01). Conclusions: Results suggest CBC is an effective nutrition education program to improve food/nutrition aptitudes and dietary intake amomg college students.