Recommendations for Integrating Evidence-Based, Sustainable Diet Information into Nutrition Education

The adoption of more sustainable diets (SD) has the capacity to meet the needs of individuals without compromising future generations’ abilities to do the same. Nutrition educators are ideal candidates for delivering SD education to consumers, yet evidence-based recommendations for the profession have not been crafted. The results of a thorough, narrative review of the literature performed in 2021 suggest there are five well-supported recommendations nutrition educators should consider incorporating in their work. They are (1) shift towards a plant-based diet, (2) mitigate food waste, (3) limit consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPF), (4) engage in local food systems, and (5) choose sustainable seafood. Each recommendation is discussed below in detail, to provide nutrition educators with a nuanced scope of the issue, after which suggestions for the inclusion of these recommendations, using an example of the authors’ experiences from the US Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP), are provided.

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Using pre- and post-survey instruments in interventions: determining the random response benchmark and its implications for measuring effectiveness

Public Health Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s1368980017003639 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 21 (6) ◽

pp. 1043-1047 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

George C Davis ◽

Ranju Baral ◽

Thomas Strayer ◽

Elena L Serrano

Keyword(s):

Nutrition Education ◽

Survey Instrument ◽

Present Communication ◽

Nutrition Interventions ◽

Expected Number ◽

Food And Nutrition ◽

The Us ◽

Post Test ◽

Survey Instruments ◽

Nutrition Education Program

AbstractObjectiveThe present communication demonstrates that even if individuals are answering a pre/post survey at random, the percentage of individuals showing improvement from the pre- to the post-survey can be surprisingly high. Some simple formulas and tables are presented that will allow analysts to quickly determine the expected percentage of individuals showing improvement if participants just answered the survey at random. This benchmark percentage, in turn, defines the appropriate null hypothesis for testing if the actual percentage observed is greater than the expected random answering percentage.DesignThe analysis is demonstrated by testing if actual improvement in a component of the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program is significantly different from random answering improvement.SettingUSA.SubjectsFrom 2011 to 2014, 364320 adults completed a standardized pre- and post-survey administered by the USDA.ResultsFor each year, the statement that the actual number of improvements is less than the expected number if the questions were just answered at random cannot be rejected. This does not mean that the pre-/post-test survey instrument is flawed, only that the data are being inappropriately evaluated.ConclusionsKnowing the percentage of individuals showing improvement on a pre/post survey instrument when questions are randomly answered is an important benchmark number to determine in order to draw valid inferences about nutrition interventions. The results presented here should help analysts in determining this benchmark number for some common survey structures and avoid drawing faulty inferences about the effectiveness of an intervention.

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Paraprofessionals’ perceptions on delivering infant feeding lessons to disadvantaged mothers via a self-directed computer-supported method

Health Education Journal ◽

10.1177/0017896911425535 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 71 (6) ◽

pp. 754-762 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Lisa R Singleterry ◽

Mildred A Horodynski

Keyword(s):

Nutrition Education ◽

Infant Feeding ◽

Extension Programs ◽

Focus Group Study ◽

Nutrition Programs ◽

Food And Nutrition ◽

Personal Connections ◽

Nutrition Education Program ◽

Nutrition Educators ◽

Disadvantaged Families

Objective: To ascertain paraprofessionals’ perceptions regarding a self-directed computer-supported nutrition educational intervention to disadvantaged mothers of infants. Design: Qualitative focus group study. Setting: Three county extension programs in a Midwestern state, which serve disadvantaged families. Method: Sixteen paraprofessional nutrition educators, affiliated with Extended Food and Nutrition Programs (EFNEP), took part in three focus groups led by a facilitator following a semi-structured questioning route. Results: Three themes emerged: (1) paraprofessionals’ perceptions of personal connections with learners; (2) paraprofessionals’ perceptions of lesson plans; and (3) paraprofessionals’ perceptions of self-directed lessons. Conclusions: Data provided exemplars of paraprofessional teaching strategies used with the disadvantaged populations they service, a recommendation to develop a blended curriculum, and insight regarding technology. A preventive nutrition education program, focusing on the reduction of childhood obesity though informed infant feeding practices, can be delivered using a combination of direct contact paraprofessional education and self-directed computer-supported lessons.

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