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Valid and reliable measures of nutrition knowledge are needed for program evaluation to develop predictive models of learning, food intake, and health behavior. The food label is an essential component of diabetes education. This study describes how an instrument designed to assess knowledge of food labels was pretested for reliability and validity. Five people assessed the test for face validity and rated the test at least 4 on a 5-point scale. The index of content validity was 0.76 based on a review of the test by five dietitians. The test was used to evaluate a nutrition intervention for women with diabetes using a pretest/post-test control-group design (n = 43). The coefficient of stability was 0.86 using the test-retest method among participants in the control group. The reliability estimate for internal consistency was 0.81 based on Kuder-Richardson formula 20. Item analysis found individual questions to be within acceptable limits. Participants in the experimental group showed significant gains in knowledge at post-test (p < .01), supporting the instructional sensitivity of the test. The approach used to assess the reliability and validity of an instrument was feasible and effective and is recommended prior to implementing a test for outcome evaluation.

Computers have been promoted as a tool to facilitate learning. Subsequently, health education software programs have been developed, but few of these programs have been evaluated. Little is known about how students use or learn from computer-assisted instruction (CAI). Qualitative research methods are needed to reveal the critical issues related to CAI in nutrition education and establish the direction for future research. The purpose of this paper is to describe a process evaluation model that was used to test a nutrition education CAI program for middle school students. The specific outcome that was measured was learning. Learning was assessed by changes in students' cognitive structures of basic nutrition concepts included in the program. Concept maps were used to represent students' cognitive structure and were constructed from data collected by semistructured interviews with children before and after they completed the program. Context was defined by students' interaction with the computer and with other students. These data were collected by observation and analyzed by grounded theory methods. The value of the model is in the integration of measurements of change and context. Together, change and context provide a dynamic, continuous, and inductive evaluation of the learning process and the effectiveness of a nutrition education program.

Newsletters are an increasingly popular way of providing nutrition information. However, there has been little evaluation of their effectiveness as a communication vehicle. This study was conducted to evaluate older adults' opinions about a nutrition newsletter designed specifically for them and to determine relationships between characteristics of older adults and their opinions. A nationwide sample of men and women aged 55 years and older was asked to answer an initial telephone survey with demographic, health, and nutrition-related questions. They were then asked to receive an issue of a nutrition newsletter written specifically for older adults. If they agreed, they were sent the newsletter, followed by a telephone call that included questions about their opinion of the newsletter relative to its appearance and content, as well as their interest in future nutrition newsletters. One hundred and seventy-two subjects completed all phases of the study. All three newsletter evaluation variables - appearance, interest in content, and interest in future issues - were rated positively by participants. The appearance of the newsletter received the most positive response. The best-fit models accounted for a relatively small percentage of the variation in appearance and content scores. A larger percentage of the variation in interest in future newsletters could be explained by the multivariate model, which found that women and those who were more interested in nutrition and reading were more likely to be interested in future newsletters. The results of this study suggest that a newsletter designed specifically for older adults is an effective way to gain the attention of its intended audience.

The purpose of this article is to give concrete direction to first-time instructors of electronic mail (e-mail) courses. The information is primarily based on personal experience with two courses, but existing literature on the subject is integrated as well. The use of and problems commonly associated with listservs, bulletin boards, computer configurations, varying computer platforms, software, class management, enrollment caps, text materials, and instructor time are described. Recommendations are made throughout. The paper ends with a frank discussion of the pros and cons of an e-mail approach and outlines potential research directions. The major conclusion is that e-mail is suitable for some people in some situations, but not others. Users (both teachers and students) should be well prepared for the amount and kind of effort required to ensure success.

The purpose of this study was to examine the literature in nutrition education research in order to identify changes in the frequency of theory- or model-driven research in the past ten years, as well as to identify the specific theories and models that authors have used. All papers in the Journal of Nutrition Education and abstracts in Dissertation Abstracts that reported any data collection during the years 1980-1990 (n = 346) were read and coded into categories of theory/model use or no use. Studies that utilized theory and/or models were further divided into five subcategories using Gowin's educative commonplaces. These subcategories included teacher, learner, curriculum, governance, and other. Results indicate that three-fourths of the studies do not explicitly use a theory or model to select variables or methods or to interpret the results. This proportion has stayed constant over the decade, even with an increase in the number of studies reported. Most of the theories used are drawn from the psychological literature. Alternative theories are presented. The need for a set of theories is emphasized to better address the issues pertinent to nutrition education research.

According to the theory of meaningful learning, a person tends to act towards things according to the meaning things have for that individual. Therefore, athletes should apply nutrition knowledge to their eating habits to the extent that this knowledge is meaningful to them. The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine the meanings given to training and the role of eating/nutrition as a part of training in a sample of high school distance runners. Using instruments that were pilot tested previously, data were collected for this study from twenty-seven high school distance runners from one high school. Each participant completed both a qualitative interview designed to probe the athlete's concepts of training and eating and a traditional fifty-question multiple choice knowledge test. The previously validated knowledge test was included to cross-check the interview data and to provide some basis for comparing the sample to others reported in the literature. A questionnaire for demographic and training data was also administered. Results showed that the more complex the athletes' concept of training, the more complex was their concept of eating in the context of training. 'Running' and 'practice' were the most meaningful training concepts. 'Coach' was the concept most often linked to eating in the context of training. However, concepts that are common in sports nutrition materials (e.g., 'goal-setting' and 'races/meets') were less meaningful to this group. Nutrition knowledge was poor. These results imply that educators may need to re-examine their approach in order to make their message more applicable to adolescent athletes.

The multimedia curriculum package 'From Land to Landfill,' touches on different topics from varied subjects taken by middle school students. It uses the food system as its integrating theme. The educational materials trace the varied stages in food production, distribution and consumption. It highlights the scientific principles underlying the processing of food. It likewise highlights environmental ramifications of food packaging. Economic topics are integrated in the distribution and purchasing aspects of the food system. The historical aspects of famines are also discussed.

Provides guidance for the preparation of an abstract for submission to the Abstract Committee of the Annual SNE meeting. Adherence to direction; Neatness; Brevity; Clarity; Interest-laden.