GTN322 Topic 2: Determinants of Food Choice and Dietary Change Implications for Nutrition Education PDF

Determinant of food choice and dietary change: Implications for Nutrition Education GTN322 Dr. Soo KL, Nutrition Program, PPSK, USM Specific outcomes 1. Describe factors/determinants that influence human food choice and dietary behaviours 2. State the competencies needed to be an effective nut...

Determinant of food choice and dietary change: Implications for Nutrition Education GTN322 Dr. Soo KL, Nutrition Program, PPSK, USM Specific outcomes 1. Describe factors/determinants that influence human food choice and dietary behaviours 2. State the competencies needed to be an effective nutrition educators 3. Describe elements that contribute to an effective nutrition education program Why we eat in a particular way? Specific outcome 1  People’s food choices are influenced by many factors Biological a. Biological determinant b. Experience with food Social- Food environmen Experience c. Person-related factors tal choices d. Social-environmental factors Person- related a. Biologically determined behavioural predispositions Include taste/pleasure, hunger/fullness, sweet, sour, salt, bitter, umami (deliciousness), sensory-specific satiety Humans are born with biological predispositions toward liking the sweet and salty tastes, and rejecting sour and bitter tastes These biologically determined behavioural predispositions contribute to some degree to preference, to food choices or food selections and behaviour, particularly in children Biological factors b. Experience with food Humans have the capacity to learn to like foods through both physiological and social conditioning These two sets of influences are sensory-affective in nature and contribute greatly to people’s food preferences Individuals’ preferences for specific foods and food acceptance patterns are largely learned from familiarity with these foods Young children overcome their fear of new foods (neophobia) through repeated experience with new foods, offered by the family and often reflecting cultural preferences, leading to familiarity People’s liking for foods can be modified by repeated exposure to them. Biology and Personal Experience with food Biologically determined behavioural predisposition, physiological mechanisms, and conditioning through experience with food all influence people’s sensory experience of food and food preferences c. Person-Related Factors /determinants Intrapersonal factors such as beliefs, attitudes, knowledge and skills, and social norms, are all powerful determinants of food choice and dietary behaviour Interpersonal factors such as family and social networks also influence food choices. d. Social and Environmental Factors Social and environmental factors are powerful influences on food choices and nutrition-related behaviours and must be considered by nutrition educators in planning programs. The physical/ built environment influences the foods that are available and accessible, walkable street and attractive venues that serve healthy foods. Cultural practices as well as social structure and policy make it easier or harder to be healthy. The economic determinant of behaviour include price of food, time, and resources The information environment including the media, is very powerful in influencing people’s food choices Knowledge alone is NOT enough! Influences of Food Choice To be successful, nutrition education MUST address ALL influences/ determinants of eating behaviour 1. Food-related determinants (Biology and experiences with food) by providing food tasting and cooking experiences for healthy foods 2. Person-related determinants by providing audiences with educational experiences on why-to take action on healthy food choices and diet-related behaviours (through addressing people’s perceptions, attitudes, norms and self-efficacy) and how-to take action (through addressing knowledge and skills) 3. Social and environmental determinants by providing environmental and policy supports through facilitating opportunities for when and where to take action on healthy choices. Nutrition education addresses the many determinants of behaviour  Assessing our Audiences : A Checklist 1. Food-related determinants: biology and experience a) What are their favorite foods? Most disliked foods? Why? b) What are some comfort foods that they grew up with or are part of their culture? How important are these to them? c) How do they judge when they have had enough to eat? d) How willing are they to try new foods?  Assessing our Audiences : A Checklist 2. Person-related determinants 1. What does the term [healthy eating/ eating vegetables/ breastfeeding/ buying sustainably produced foods] mean to them? 2. How important is the term to them? 3. What are some diet-related behaviours expected of them because of their role or status, e.g. mothers, managers? 4. How motivated are they & what skills do they have to make changes in diets (or PA patterns) toward recommendations? 5. What family or social networks do they have to support their behaviour changes they wish to make?  Assessing our Audiences : A Checklist 3. Social and environmental determinants 1. How easily can they get the foods they need from the stores near them? What kinds of stores are these (supermarkets, small stores, etc)? 2. How satisfied are they with the quality of these foods? 3. What kinds of practices from their culture are supportive of the changes they would like to make? Which practices could be improved? 4. To what extent is their working environment supportive of healthful eating? Are policies at work supportive of breastfeeding? 5. Do they feel they have enough healthful food to feed their families throughout the month? 6. If low income, are they eligible for food assistance programs? Which ones? How helpful are these for making behaviour changes they would like to make? 7. What media do they watch or use? How much time they spend on these? 8. What are their major sources of information for food, nutrition or physical activity? Competencies needed to be an effective nutrition educators Specific outcome 2 Consequences for the Skill of Nutrition Education Nutrition educators need a set of skill in addition to their knowledge of food and nutrition. Nutrition educators need to develop the skills to understand people, their behaviour, and the context of their behaviour Competencies needed 1. Food and nutrition content  Understanding the fundamentals of nutrition sciences, food science, clinical nutrition; ability to accurately assess nutritional status; applying appropriate dietary guidelines 2. Eating behaviour  Understanding the complexities of food supply system and their effect on food selection, understanding determinant of eating behaviours 3. behavioural and educational theory  Ability to apply learning theory and behaviour change theories in nutrition education. Competencies needed 4. Research methods and program evaluation  Ability to analyze scientific literatures, and to use appropriate designs and methods to conduct research and program evaluation in nutrition education 5. Design and delivery of nutrition education  Designing nutrition education programs, curricula, materials; delivering nutrition education programs; including the ability to communicate with individuals /groups/ organization and mass audiences; implementing and administering nutrition programs Elements that contribute to an effective nutrition education (NE) program Specific outcome 3 Effective NE program 1. Focus on specific behaviours/ practices  NE focuses on specific individual actions and behaviours, and community practices 2. Determinants of behaviours  NE clearly identifies the factors influencing the dietary behaviour of the intended audiences and makes modifying these influencing factors/determinants of the direct target of NE interventions 3. Use theory and research  NE uses theory and research as a guide to design educational strategies directed at these potential mediators Effective NE program 4. Addressing multiple levels of influences/determinants and sufficient duration  NE attends to multiple levels of determinants of food choice and eating (and physical activity) behaviours and uses multiple channels to convey messages over a sufficient period of time 5. Strategies  NE develops strategies to address the identified determinants of behaviours or potential mediators of change and their environmental contexts at various levels of influences  Element 3: Using theory and research to increase nutrition education effectiveness Nutrition education is more likely Most nutrition educators are to be effective when it focuses on familiar with the KAB/ KAP behaviour/ action (rather than model, which states that changes knowledge only) and in knowledge (K) lead to systematically links relevant changes in attitudes (A) which in theory, research and practice turn lead to changes in i. Theory organizes the mediating behaviour/practices (B/P). variables (which are called theory constructs) into a mental map ii. Research determines influences on why people eat, what they eat and which potential mediating variables lead to behaviour change iii. Practice uses these mental maps or theories to develop interventions that are more likely to be effective in changing behaviour and provides feedback to improve theory Element 4: Nutrition Education should address multiple levels of determinants of food choice & eating behaviours Addressing multiple levels of influences : A Social-Ecological Approach Nutrition Education should develop program at several levels of intervention: – Individual or intrapersonal level – Interpersonal level – Institutional levels – Community levels – Social structure, policy and system levels What strategies make nutrition education effective? Practice and motivation are as valuable as information and understanding. Some repeatedly mentioned success strategies are: 1. Hands-on experience 2. Various kinds of modelling, including fictional stories, examples and cases 3. Learning by experience, trial and error 4. Maintaining activities over a long period 5. Participation, dialogue and discussion 6. Multiple channels and multiple activities 7. Multi-sectoral collaboration Reference: http://samples.jblea rning.com/97812841 68921/9781284169010 _CH02_Contento_Se cured.pdf Thank you!