Including Nutrition Education Research Articles

PENINGKATAN KADAR HEMOGLOBIN REMAJA PUTRI ANEMIA MELALUI SUPLEMENTASI BUBUR KACANG HIJAU DAN MERAH

Mung beans and red beans contain vitamin A, calcium, and potassium, which can increase hemoglobin levels in the body. The prevalence of anemia in Indonesia is 23.7%, with the incidence of anemia in females being much higher than in males, at 27.2% in females and 20.3% in males in 2018, showing an increase from 2013 to 2018. Therefore, this community service aims to increase hemoglobin levels in anemic adolescent girls through supplementation with mung bean and red bean porridge. The methods used include nutrition education, training on making bean porridge, and regular health monitoring, with evaluations using questionnaires, structured interviews, and participatory observation. The evaluation results showed a significant increase in hemoglobin levels in all 10 adolescent girls (100%) involved in the program after supplementation, as well as high satisfaction with the materials and the benefits of the information provided. In conclusion, this program is effective in increasing hemoglobin levels and providing beneficial nutrition education for anemic adolescent girls.

Eating Habits and Academic Performance of College Students in a Private School

This research investigated the eating habits of college students at St. Paul University Surigao and their potential impact on academic performance. This study employs a descriptive-quantitative research design to explore the tangible effects of eating habits on the academic performance of St. Paul University College students. It encompasses approximately 70% of undergraduate students from various academic departments at the institution. To gather data, a researcher-designed questionnaire was administered, and subsequent analysis utilized methods such as Frequency Count and Percentage, Mean and Standard Deviation, Analysis of Variance, and Pearson r. The most significant finding is the negative correlation between various eating habits and academic performance, indicating that students engaging in fuel, fun, fog, and storm eating habits tend to have lower academic performance. This highlights the potential impact of dietary choices on educational outcomes. The most relevant recommendation is to promote healthier eating habits among college students through comprehensive approaches that include nutrition education, increased availability of nutritious food options, and resources for stress management, as it directly addresses the negative correlation between eating habits and academic performance, impacting both students’ well-being and their educational outcomes. This study underscores the significance of nourishment in enhancing the overall well-being and academic achievements of St. Paul University Surigao students.

Nutrition-Related Knowledge, Attitudes, Practices, and Anemia Status of Lactating Mothers in Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo-A Cross-Sectional Analysis.

Maternal nutrition is impacted by personal and environmental factors including dietary intake, knowledge, food availability, and affordability. This cross-sectional analysis aimed to evaluate nutrition-related knowledge, attitudes, practices, and associations with hemoglobin concentration among lactating mothers in the Bukavu region, Democratic Republic of the Congo. In 444 lactating mothers, nutrition-related knowledge and practice were assessed by questionnaires and translated into knowledge and practice scores ranging from 0 to 1, attitudes and drivers of food choice were assessed, the Dietary Diversity Score (DDS) was assessed with 24 h dietary recalls in a potential range from 0 to 10, and hemoglobin (Hb) was measured in mothers and their infants. Anemia prevalence was 28.2% among mothers and 74.3% among infants aged 3-8 months. Nutritional knowledge and practice were limited (the median total knowledge score was 0.39, median DDS was 3.0). While there were slight positive correlations between knowledge and maternal Hb, DDS did not significantly correlate with either knowledge or Hb. Although half of the mothers stated a perception about their own susceptibility to anemia or vitamin A deficiency (56.4%, 47.4%), less than half of those could justify their estimation (40.9%, 44.2%). Taste (68.1%), appearance (42.5%), availability (29.0%), and health effects (25.6%) were important drivers of food choice. In conclusion, interventions on the different influencing factors including nutrition education strategies are needed.

Assessing the Impact of Multilevel Comprehensive Programming on SNAP-Ed Participant Behaviors.

To examine differences in dietary, physical activity, and food selection behaviors of Utah SNAP-Ed participants who had varied breadth of engagement with various components of multilevel programming. SNAP-Ed participants received a survey approximately 1 year after participating in nutrition classes. The survey measured diet, physical activity, and food selection behaviors and breadth of engagement with components of SNAP-Ed programming. Components of programming included nutrition education for adults and youth, nudge programs in food pantries and corner stores, farmers' market booths, social marketing campaign materials, and social media platforms. Kruskal-Wallis tests assessed differences in behaviors between varying breadths of program engagement. Among the 124 respondents, certain dietary behaviors improved with increased breadth of program engagement including intake of vegetables, low-fat dairy, and lean protein. Food selection behaviors including using MyPlate and preparing healthy foods on a budget, also improved with increased engagement. Physical activity was not impacted by additional breadth of exposure. Findings suggest that multilevel comprehensive programming may enhance the impact of SNAP-Ed education for certain behaviors. Additional research is warranted on the impact of SNAP-Ed multilevel programming on targeted behaviors and health outcomes.

Australian Stakeholder Perspectives on Healthier Retail Food Environments for Toddlers—The Era of “Band Aids and Small Inroads”

BackgroundA healthy diet in young children is crucial for optimal growth and development. However, many toddlers (1-3 y) consume suboptimal diets, and as a result, are at a high risk of experiencing negative health outcomes. Moreover, minimal progress has been made to improve the healthiness of retail food environments for toddlers to date despite the potential and advocacy for the issue. ObjectivesTo gain insight into stakeholder perceptions and opinions on the healthiness of Australian retail food environments for toddlers, as well as perspectives on the options and barriers to improve their healthiness. MethodsQualitative, online study utilizing semi-structured individual interviews with 27 key stakeholders from food industry, academia, nongovernment organizations, public health, and government in Australia. ResultsMost stakeholders agreed that retail food environments for toddlers were not health promoting. Stakeholders identified that a multifaceted approach including nutrition education and strong government mandated regulation were essential to improve the healthiness of retail food environments for toddlers. Interviews also highlighted the main perceived barriers to progress, and reasons for policy inaction in this area are the food industry and government support. Many stakeholders were concerned that child health is being undermined due to the government favoring business needs over public health. ConclusionsStakeholders in this study overwhelmingly agreed that there is more that can and should be done to create health promoting retail food environments for toddlers in Australia. Stakeholders identified a range of strategies that can be used to improve the healthiness of toddler food environments, but advocacy efforts are being undermined due to government inaction. Stakeholders believed that strong governance is required to create equitable, sustainable healthy retail food environments for young children. Improving the healthiness of retail food environments for young children will not only reduce diet related disease across the lifespan but will help to address financial and societal costs of a poor diet.

Effect of Nutrition Education on Health Science University Students to Improve Cardiometabolic Profile and Inflammatory Status.

The inadequate lifestyle associated with university life may have a negative impact on various cardiometabolic factors. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a one-year nutrition education course on cardiometabolic parameters in undergraduate health science students. During the 2021-22 academic year, 1.30 h nutrition sessions were conducted twice a week. Capillary blood samples were collected and centrifuged to measure cardiometabolic and inflammatory biomarkers in serum. The sample studied consisted of 49 students: 20.4% male and 79.6% female. The nutritional intervention resulted in changes in dietary patterns, with increased consumption of vegetables, nuts and legumes. After the course, females showed an increase in HDL-cholesterol levels (p = 0.007) and no change in LDL-cholesterol levels (p = 0.189). On the other hand, males showed significant changes in HDL-cholesterol (p = 0.001) and LDL-cholesterol (p = 0.043) levels. The atherogenic index was also significantly reduced (p < 0.001) in both males (p = 0.009) and females (p = 0.002). Differences were also observed in the increase in vitamin D levels in both males and females, although the magnitude of the increase was greater in the men (Δ = 7.94, p = 0.016 in men vs. Δ = 4.96, p = 0.001 in women). The monocyte-to-HDL ratio (MHR) showed a significant reduction, although these differences were only significant in males. Students with low vitamin D levels had higher LDL-cholesterol values (p = 0.01) and atherogenic index (p = 0.029). Adjusted linear regression analysis showed a significant association between post-course vitamin D MHR (β = -0.42, IC: -0.29, -0.06, p < 0.01). These findings suggest the importance of including nutrition education programs during the university stage for the prevention of long-term health problems.

A wellness intervention to address weight gain in people living with HIV

Abstract Background Dolutegravir-based antiretrovirals are the cornerstone of HIV treatment in LMICs but has shown to be associated with excessive (≥10%) weight gain. Increased body mass index combined with fat redistribution poses increased risk for diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. The South African Diabetes Prevention Program (SA-DPP) is a lifestyle intervention program, including nutrition education, physical activity, and other risky behaviors and has been adapted to poorly resourced communities in Cape Town. We aimed to adapt the SA-DPP intervention for people living with HIV (PLWH) and assess its acceptability and feasibility. Methods PLWH and health staff were drawn from three primary health clinics in Cape Town (n = 35). Purposive sampling was used. Five focus groups (FG) with PLWH; two individual interviews (II) with PLWH; five interviews with health staff, including two II with medical doctors; two with a pair of nurses each and a group of three lay counsellors and three II with experts on diet and exercise lifestyle (n = 6). The FG and interviews explored two parts 1) PLWH experience of HIV treatment, their lifestyle issues, the education and support received from clinics and 2) review, evaluation and perspectives on the current SA-DPP intervention and tools. FG and interviews were transcribed and thematically analyzed. Results The SA-DPP curriculum was positively reviewed by PLWH and health staff. This included acceptability of the content and structure of the material. The content was deemed thorough and detailed in relation to nutrition and exercise. “The physical active part here, is something that I need in my life, this is something that I need in my health, the improve your sleep and the stress”. Practical in its approach, gave options within reach, in terms of availability and cost. Conclusions The intervention content was deemed accessible and covered all important areas. Experts thought it a resource PLWH could use over time and across illnesses. Key messages • This study provides insight into the challenges faced by PLWH in trying to live a healthier lifestyle. • The result of this study will translate into a healthy lifestyle intervention that can easily be adopted in the current primary health care set up for PLWH.

Pemenuhan Gizi Ibu Hamil KEK melalui Program Pendampingan Ibu Hamil di Kelurahan Graha Indah Balikpapan

Nutritional problem due to prolonged lack of food intake is a Chronic Energy Deficiency (CED). There is a risk of impairing fetal growth and development which results in stunting, prematurity, birth defects, LBW, and fetal/baby death. Efforts to improve the nutritional status of pregnant women with CED include nutrition education through assistance by cadres/ health workers. The purpose of this community service is to assist in fulfilling the nutrition of pregnant women with SEZ through home visits. Assistance methods include nutrition education, PMT, giving blood supplement tablets and multivitamins, and ANC checks. Assistance was carried out 2 times: first pretest nutrition education, PMT, blood tablets, and multivitamins, second 2 weeks from the first visit to monitor pregnancy conditions, and post-test. The number of participants was 20 people. The results of the activity increased knowledge from the average pre-test score of 7 to 11, on the attitude of the average score of 12 to 16, and behavior from the average score of 9 to 13. The results of statistical tests using the Wilcoxon Test obtained a value of p = 0.000. This explains that there is a significant increase in knowledge, attitude, and behavior before and after the assistance of pregnant women. It is hoped that assistance in fulfilling the nutrition of pregnant women with CED can improve the fulfillment of nutrition for pregnant women with CED, reduce the risks that occur to mothers and babies, and can be used as one of the programs in preventing stunting.

Malnutrition and its associated factors among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV) in resource limited settings: A single-centred study

ObjectivesThe objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and factors associated with malnutrition among PLHIV accessing ART at Muhammad Shuwa Memorial Hospital (MSMH). MethodsA facility-based cross-sectional study recruited 384 PLHIV accessing ART at MSMH using convenience sampling. Heights and weights were measured in metre (m) and kilogram (kg) respectively to determine body mass index (BMI). BMI <18.5 kg/m2 indicated undernourishment, and BMI >25.5 kg/m2 indicated overweight/obesity. ResultsThe prevalence of undernutrition and overnutrition among participants was 13% and 30.2%, respectively. Factors such as being female (AOR = 17.72; 95% CI: 4.214–74.548), aged 30 years and above (AOR = 9.87; 95% CI: 2.984–32.631), being unmarried (AOR = 0.34; 95% CI: 0.122–0.936), having a monthly income of N30,000 or higher (AOR = 0.34; 95% CI: 0.122–0.936), having a WHO clinical stage 2 and above (AOR = 35.9; 95% CI: 6.061–212.596), having a viral load of 1000cp/ml or higher (AOR = 4.95; 95% CI: 1.136–21.576), being on ART for 5 years and above (AOR = 0.01; 95% CI: 0.002–0.06), and having inadequate dietary diversity (AOR = 0.03; 95% CI: 0.003–0.18) were associated with undernutrition. On the other hand, factors such as being aged 30 years and above (AOR = 6.68; 95% CI: 2.261–22.845), being unemployed (AOR = 2.833; 95% CI: 1.419–5.984), being on DTG-based regimen (AOR = 0.025; 95% CI: 0.003–0.101), not experiencing eating difficulties (AOR = 11.53; 95% CI: 1.706–254.494), and having inadequate dietary diversity (AOR = 0.200; 95% CI: 0.105–0.371) were associated with overnutrition. ConclusionPrevalence of both undernutrition and overweight or obesity is observed among PLHIV at MSMH. Consequently, it is essential to include nutrition education as an integral component of the comprehensive care provided to PLHIV.

Nutrition screening, assessment, and intervention practices for children with cancer in Aotearoa, New Zealand

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to investigate dietetic resources and current nutrition screening, assessment, and intervention practices in pediatric oncology centers in Aotearoa, New Zealand. MethodsA national survey of the two specialist treatment centers and 14 shared care centers that provide care to childhood cancer patients in Aotearoa, New Zealand, was conducted. ResultsThe two specialist treatment centers in Aotearoa, New Zealand, were the only centers with a dedicated dietetic oncology full-time equivalent resource; this full-time equivalent resource was devoted to inpatient care. Only 5 shared care centers (44%) had access to general pediatric dietetic support. Dietetic cover for outpatients or day-stay patients and use of standardized nutrition screening and assessment tools were limited. Weight and height were commonly measured, but there was inconsistency in the frequency and recording of measurements. Nutrition interventions, including nutrition education, oral nutrition support, enteral nutrition, and intravenous nutrition, were available within all centers but criteria for initiating support varied. Common barriers to providing nutrition interventions included staff resourcing and ad hoc referral pathways. Awareness of the relevance and clinical benefit of nutrition in pediatric oncology was low. Suggestions to improve nutrition screening, assessment, and intervention within Aotearoa, New Zealand, included the creation of standardized screening and referral criteria. ConclusionsResource limitations and lack of nutritional screening and assessment prevent adequate nutritional intervention for children with cancer in Aotearoa, New Zealand. Akin to other high-income countries, there is a need to harmonize the management of nutritional challenges in children with cancer. This study provides a first step in establishing an evidence base to help support efforts to address this need in Aotearoa, New Zealand.

The role of parents in behavioral treatment for adolescent obesity: design and rationale for the TEENS+ randomized clinical trial

BackgroundThere is an urgent need for innovative approaches to adolescent obesity treatment, particularly among individuals from racially and ethnically marginalized backgrounds, who face increased risk of obesity and its associated morbidity and mortality. There is a particular dearth of research on the long-term efficacy of adolescent obesity treatments. Further, research and clinical practice guidelines consistently recommend parents’ inclusion in their adolescents’ obesity treatment, yet the most effective strategy to engage parents in adolescent obesity treatment remains unclear. Towards that end, this investigation will conduct a fully-powered, randomized clinical trial to examine the efficacy of two distinct approaches to involving parents in their adolescents’ obesity treatment.MethodsParticipants will be 210 12-16 year old adolescents (body mass index [BMI]≥85th percentile) and parents (BMI≥25 kg/m2) with overweight or obesity. Dyads will be randomized to one of two 4-month treatments: 1) TEENS+Parents as Coaches (PAC), engaging parents as helpers in their child’s weight management via parent skills training based on authoritative parenting, or 2) TEENS+Parent Weight Loss (PWL), engaging parents in their own behavioral weight management. All adolescents will participate in the TEENS+ protocol, which includes nutrition education with dietary goals, supervised physical activity, and behavioral support, and integrates motivational interviewing to enhance treatment engagement. Assessments of anthropometrics, dietary intake, physical activity, parenting and home environment variables will be completed at 0, 2, 4, 8, and 12 months with the primary endpoint at 12-month follow-up.DiscussionResults of this investigation have the potential to significantly advance science in this area and ultimately inform clinical practice guidelines related to the role of parents in adolescent obesity treatment.Trial registrationClinicaltrials.gov NCT03851796. Registered: February 22, 2019.

Long-term Effect of an Excess-Weight-Reduction Intervention among Iranian School Children: A 13-month Follow-up of a Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: Childhood obesity and overweight have become major public health problems worldwide. To combat this problem, effective, sustainable, and consistent strategies are needed. In this study, the long-term effect of a school-based intervention for weight reduction was evaluated in primary school students in Tehran, Iran.&#x0D; Methods: This was a cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT) conducted in 12 primary schools in a low- to middle-class district in Tehran, Iran. The participants were 334 overweight or obese primary school students (girls =164) based on World Health Organization standards, equally distributed in the intervention (n=167) and comparison (n=167) groups. It was a multi-component intervention and included nutrition education and increased physical activity (PA), a lifestyle modification program for parents, and changing the food items sold in canteens of the schools. Body mass index Z-score [BMI-Z] was determined as the primary outcome and measured at baseline, three months after baseline, at post-test (after 18 weeks), and follow-up (13-month). In total, 205 students (59.5%) completed the follow-up. Analyses were carried out based on the intention-to-treat principle using linear mixed models.&#x0D; Results: After 13 months, the BMI Z-score decreased in both intervention and comparison groups. However, the change was more significantly observed in the intervention group (adjusted change: 0.098, 95% CI: (0.03-0.16) compared with comparison group (P=0.003(. The intervention had a more significant effect on BMI Z-score among girls (adjusted change: 0.36, 95% CI: (0.27-0.45) compared with the comparison group (P&lt;0.001)( than among boys (adjusted change: -0.14, 95% CI: (-0.23- -0.05) compared with the comparison group (P=0.002).&#x0D; Conclusion: The intervention was an effective way to reduce BMI in the girls and the effect lasted for a relatively long time.

Fruit and vegetable consumption among young school children in Pokhara, Kaski: A cross-sectional study

Introduction: Low intake of fruit and vegetable (F&amp;V) increased the risk of non-communicable diseases, followed by disability and death. The fact that many diseases in adulthood have their origins in habits formed during childhood is undeniable. Therefore, the study assessed the prevalence of fruit and vegetable consumption among young schoolchildren aged 5 to 9 years. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out among 352 children from March 8 to September 4, 2020. The multistage sampling method was used to select samples. A face-to-face interview was done with one of the parents at their home. Univariate and bivariate analyses were computed at a 5% level of significance. Ethical approval was obtained from the Nepal Health Research Council. Results: Out of 352 children, none of the children met the WHO recommendation of F&amp;V of ≥5 servings per day. Around two percentage (2.30%) of children consumed neither fruits nor vegetables, while only 46(13%) had taken F&amp;V at least three servings per day. Children’s higher F&amp;V intake was found to be associated with family monthly income, parents’ higher education, the presence of a fruit and vegetable shop nearby, and giving money to children. Conclusions: Intake of F&amp;V as compared to the recommendation was very low in the study area. This requires an immediate response including nutrition education for parents, teachers, and decision-makers and increasing easy access to F&amp;V.

Health education to prevent anemia among adolescents in Samarinda, Indonesia

Iron deficiency anemia disrupts the concentration of adolescent girls; reduce their academic achievement, productivity, and physical strength and increases the risk of infection. The nutrition education program about anemia is needed to increase nutritional awareness among students. This community service aim was to evaluate the effectiveness of nutrition education among female students of High School in Samarinda, East Kalimantan, Indonesia. There were two interventions: health education using video among 128 students in in high school and health education using leaflet among 11 students in the boarding school. A pretest/posttest was conducted to evaluate the knowledge about anemia. Independent sample t-test was used to compare difference between the before and after interventions. Health educations of using video or leaflet increased students’ anemia knowledge. A school health program could improve student’ anemia knowledge. It is very important for school to have collaboration with primary health center, university and other instituions for the health education program. Including nutrition education program to the curriculum of high school is important to prevent malnutrition among female adolescents.

Assessing Programme Strategies in Managing Child Stunting at the Health Facility Level in Matelile Community Council

Stunting is an important indicator for child growth and health facilities have played a pivotal role in contributing to the overall reduction in stunting rates. This qualitative study aimed at understanding interventions employed by health facilities to reduce under 5s stunting. Health facilities have reported an increase in stunting in Matelile Community Council. Although the study revealed available health strategies including nutrition education, health promotion and breastfeeding programs to curb the disproportionate rates of stunting, the challenges facing the implementation of such programmes included lack of funding and failure for caretakers to cooperate. The study recommended therefore that, increasing funding into nutrition related programs and training appropriate health personnel on stuntedness could go a long way to reduce stunting in under 5s.

Effect of nutrition education on dietary diversity among HIV Patients in Southeast, Nigeria.

Integrating nutrition interventions which include nutrition education in HIV/AIDS care program may help people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) make better decisions regarding their nutrition to improve their immune system. To determine the effect of nutrition education on dietary diversity among HIV/AIDS patients in Southeast, Nigeria. A quasi-experimental study was conducted among 370 HIV patients divided into two groups of 185 each for the study and control groups. The nutrition education program was delivered to the study group. In both groups, their practice of dietary diversity was ascertained pre- and post-intervention. The Chi-square test and McNemar were used in the analysis. Practice of dietary diversity was low among 79(42.7) and 69(37.3) respondents in the study and control groups respectively (x2 =1.126, p=0.289). Three months after the intervention, the proportion of respondents with low dietary diversity significantly decreased from 42.7% to 22.7% in the study group while the control group had no appreciable reduction (x2=7.532, p=0.006). Nutrition education plays a positive role in the dietary diversity of PLWHA. This suggests that nutrition education should be a key component in the care of PLWHA for a better nutritional outcome.

Participant perspectives on the impact of receiving medically tailored meals on post-hospitalization.

The objective of this program evaluation was to measure the impact of a medically tailored meals (MTM) intervention on participants' self-reported recovery and satisfaction while recovering from a recent hospitalization. A qualitative design was employed using a brief survey among all participants at the end of the intervention and phone interviews with a subset of participants. Participants in this study were recently discharged from the hospital and were members of (redacted for review) who had received 2-4 weeks of MTM. The survey assessed overall satisfaction with the meals and perceived impact on their recovery after hospitalization (81% response rate). Interview questions asked how they felt the meals may have helped while recovering (e.g., helped them financially or with their ability to remain independent). Among survey participants, 65% were extremely or very satisfied with their meals. Reasons that MTM were helpful while they were recovering included having sufficient food to eat, having healthy food to eat, the convenience of the meals, and ease of preparing the meals. Participants receiving MTM were generally very satisfied with the program. Including nutrition education and more flexibility in quantity and frequency of food may improve satisfaction and consumption of food.

NEW Soul in the neighborhood-reach and effectiveness of a dissemination and implementation feasibility study.

Dissemination and implementation (D&I) studies of dietary interventions for African Americans are limited. Restaurants may be an innovative setting to deliver dietary interventions. Purpose: Assess weight loss, self-efficacy for healthy eating, diet quality, and quality of life in African Americans in two groups: virtual synchronous and virtual asynchronous. Guided by RE-AIM, the Nutritious Eating with Soul @ Rare Variety Café Feasibility study included nutrition education, accountability partners for support, and cooking demonstrations led by a community health worker and was delivered across two cohorts in a non-randomized design. The intervention was conducted over 12 consecutive weekly classes. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, intervention delivery was online. African Americans between 18-65 years old with overweight/obesity, not currently following a plant-based diet or taking medications to control diabetes, and living in a southeastern city were recruited. Participants completed in-person weight assessments and online surveys at baseline and post-intervention. Linear mixed models analyzed changes in outcomes and differences in 3-month outcomes between groups. All models controlled for age and sex. Regarding Reach, 199 participants expressed interest, and 60 enrolled. Among the full sample, participants decreased body weight -2.6 ± 0.5 kg (p < .0001) and increased self-efficacy 1.6 ± 0.7 points (p = .03). No differences in 3-month outcomes between groups were observed. This D&I feasibility study successfully recruited participants during the COVID-19 pandemic and produced significant results. The successful online intervention delivery compared to in-person suggests the potential for greater D&I in vegan soul food restaurants. As restrictions are loosened, future studies will test in-person delivery.

Awareness of Dash Diet among Hypertensive Patients in Ido-Osi Local Government Hospitals, Ekiti State Nigeria

The study investigated the level of awareness of the DASH diet among hypertensive patients in Ido-Osi local government hospitals, Ekiti State Nigeria. The study adopted a descriptive survey design with three specific purposes, three research questions, and one null hypothesis to guide the study. The population of the study is 282 hypertensive patients, which include both in and outpatients from the seven local government hospitals who were present at the moment of data collection. No sampling technique was used as the whole of the population was used. A 27- item structured and validated questionnaire was used in the data collection and the data analysis was done using Mean and Standard deviation by SPSS version 20.0 and ANOVA for the analysis of the one null hypothesis. Cronbach Alpha Reliability Method was used to determine the internal consistency and 0.81 was obtained. The major findings of the study are the poor level of awareness of the DASH diet as revealed in their poor consumption of fruits and vegetables, consumption of red meat, sugars, sweets, saturated fats, and cholesterols among others. It also reveals that factors like illiteracy and economic factor among others challenge their awareness about the DASH diet. Strategies developed to increase awareness of the DASH diet among others include nutrition education and the installation of registered dietitians in government hospitals.

Developing a culturally tailored brain healthy diet intervention for older midwestern African Americans: a qualitative and quantitative study

AbstractBackgroundEmerging evidence suggests that up to half of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) cases are a result of modifiable risk factors related to poor diet such as blood pressure, obesity, and diabetes, all of which disproportionately affect African Americans (Johansen, Langton‐Frost, &amp; Gottesman, 2020). Adherence to brain healthy diets has consistently been reported to be low among African Americans due to the lack of cultural considerations, such as soul food traditions (Epstein et al., 2012). Therefore, it is important to understand barriers and incorporate culture into a brain healthy diet design to improve adherence and reduce the risk of AD among African Americans.MethodWe conducted 6 semi‐structured focus groups (n = 40) to understand how older AA specific food preferences, preparation preferences, and community cooking class topics specific to the development and delivery of the intervention. Also, we conducted a needs assessment using surveys to further understand barriers and facilitators of dietary behaviors among older AA to further inform the development of a culturally tailored brain healthy dietary intervention.ResultA total of 40 African Americans participated in the study. The 6 focus groups generated 5 main themes including knowledge of dementia, practices shaping food choices and consumption, barriers impacting healthy dietary consumption, external instrumental support, and elements of culturally tailored brain healthy dietary intervention. The Mediterranean‐DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative delay (MIND) diet model was most favored and seen more feasible to follow due to alignment with current lifestyle practices within the African American community. However, adjustments in the MIND diet are need increase acceptability. Findings from the needs assessment indicated that taste (30.8%) and cost (20.5%) were perceived barriers to eating healthy. Facilitators to eating healthy eating included nutrition education focused on eating healthy on a budget, meal planning and prepping that is delivered using virtual formats.ConclusionFindings from this study inform the development of a culturally tailored MIND diet incorporating soul food traditions (MIND‐SOUL) for African Americans.