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Creating opportunities for international education, both at home and abroad as well as through virtual means, is an important challenge in higher education today. This article presents some strategies for expanding students' options for learning abroad. A new model for learning abroad that aids in promoting a global perspective is discussed. (BF)

Data from 1,548 Women, Infants, Children clients showed that 93% found nutrition education valuable. A process-oriented evaluation of 494 clients using a skills inventory, and 513 using self-efficacy measures, identified topics they knew most and least about. Clients in facilitated discussion groups scored highest in self-efficacy compared with those attending lectures or reading brochures. (SK)

Food selection is a key factor in the nutritional management of diabetes. Criteria that influence point-of-purchase decision making in women with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus were identified. Four types of shoppers were distinguished from interviews; cluster analysis was used to confirm the analysis. Usefulness in patient education is discussed. (EMK)

Examines label use behavior among high school-aged adolescents (N=90) to uncover gender differences related to these behaviors. Results show that students were five times more likely to rely on front label/nutrition claims than nutrient labels. Females were more likely than males to use front label/nutrition claims. (RJM)

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jada.2005.10.038 Byline: Sheila Fleischhacker, Katherine L. Cason, Cheryl Achterberg Abstract: This study explored the types of food served at a Head Start child-care center compared with that center's monthly menus. The study design was direct observation of the food provided by a Head Start center throughout the school day (Monday through Friday; 8:45 am to 2:30 pm) from January 4 to June 20, 2002, and analysis of this center's monthly menus. The numbers of meals directly observed for each type of meal service were: breakfast (n=96), lunch (n=95), and afternoon snack (n=78). These meals were compared with six monthly menus. Of the 269 meals and snacks compared, only three breakfast meals and an "ethnic day" matched the meals described on the provided menu. These findings illustrate that this center's menu was not consistently followed and therefore could not be used as an estimate of the preschoolers' intake or used as an educational or informational tool for parents/caregivers. Future research should verify how common these findings are among other Child and Adult Care Food Program child-care centers. Results may provide direction for development of the US Department of Agriculture's Child and Adult Care Food Program training for foodservice workers and educational materials focusing on menu development, appropriate substitutions, and the importance of using menus as a nutrition education tool.

Objective To evaluate an educational intervention about the food label designed specifically for women with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Design A pretest-posttest control group design. Participants received random group assignment. Subjects/setting Forty-three women aged 40 to 60 years with type 2 diabetes living in a rural community in Pennsylvania participated. Forty participants (93%) completed the program. Intervention Nine weekly group sessions were developed on the basis of findings from previous research among this sample. Principles from Ausubel's learning theory were also incorporated into program design and evaluation. Main outcome measures The effectiveness of the food label education program on participants' knowledge was determined using a multiple-choice test designed to measure declarative and procedural knowledge. A skills inventory assessed participants' perceived confidence in using the food label. The validity and reliability of the instruments had been established previously. Statistical analyses Analysis of variance was performed to compare groups. Paired t tests compared pretest and posttest results. Results The experimental group showed a greater gain than the control group in total knowledge (P, Nutrition therapy is an essential component of successful diabetes management. Food selection affects the nutrient and energy content of the diet and the metabolic control of levels of glycated hemoglobin, [...]

Facilitated group discussions provide an alternative method to lecture and one-on-one approaches for conducting educational interventions at clinic sites. They are an interactive form of education wherein learners generate the specific topics to be addressed and share their knowledge and experience with other group members through discussion. In brief, the educator becomes a facilitator who, rather than lecturing, encourages clients to discuss freely among themselves their own approach to the nutrition problems posed during the session. As a facilitator, the nutritionist strives to create a comfortable atmosphere for discussion, encourages participation, and interjects only to correct misinformation and manage group dynamics. Facilitated group discussions allow nutrition practitioners to deliver meaningful nutrition education in a manner that helps empower their clients to improve their dietary habits; at the same time such discussions meet the increased public administrative demands for efficiency. Possible benefits to clients include more confidence, better communication skills, improved thinking skills, and increased motivation and commitment to improving nutrition behavior. We recommend that nutrition educators try facilitated group discussions in their clinics., Facilitated group discussions are an innovative educational technique developed through grassroots input of personnel in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) in the State of [...]

This article reviews several cognitive predictors of health- and diet-related behaviors commonly used in theories and models of nutrition and health behavior change. Constructs such as self-efficacy, self-esteem, outcome expectancies, health value, and locus of control are examined. Self-efficacy has repeatedly been a good predictor of health behavior, sometimes explaining more than 50% of variability. Research on locus of control and other predictive factors has been less conclusive. The take-home message is threefold: (a) task specificity of self-efficacy and domain specificity of locus of control are crucial for unraveling their effects on behavior; (b) careful segmentation of different population groups under study may explain the inconsistencies in previous research; and (c) especially when studying dietary behavior, these predictors of behavior change should not be used alone or in place of one another but should be used simultaneously to explain complex food and diet-related behaviors. We recommend that nutritionists systematically integrate available theories and models and explore new areas for studying human behavior, such as sociology and anthropology, to form a more powerful, comprehensive model for behavior change., In the never-ending search for explanations of health-related behavior, many predictive factors have been identified. Three widespread models, or theories - Social Cognitive Theory, Theory of Reasoned Action, and the [...]

Ninety adolescents (41 males and 49 females) stratified by shopping experience (44 shoppers and 46 nonshoppers) were given a list of 20 foods to select in a supermarket. An interview was conducted to determine reason(s) given for each food selection, use of nutrition information, and other variables. Reasons most often reported for selecting foods were personal preference/taste, custom/habit, and price/cost. Participants were five times more likely to use front label/nutrition claims than nutrient labels. Fat free/low fat, lite/light, and cholesterol free/low cholesterol were the most commonly used claims whereas total fat and calories were the most commonly used nutrient label constituents. Females were more likely than males to use front label/nutrition claims (F (1,82) = 4.78, p < .01). There were no significant differences between males' and females' use of nutrient labels. Education that emphasizes food-shopping and label-reading skills is needed by adolescents., INTRODUCTION Congress passed the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act (NLEA) in 1990, a law requiring that virtually all foods regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) carry a food [...]

Objective The purposes of this study were to identify specific food choice behaviors used to decrease dietary fat intake in a community-dwelling population; assess how people categorize changes to diet; determine whether logical grouping of food intake changes revealed one or more common patterns or strategies used by these participants to decrease fat; and determine which strategies were responsible for the greatest decrease in dietary fat intake in the study population. Design Survey analysis and in-depth interviews were used to quantitatively and qualitatively define dietary change patterns retrospectively in a population who, according to self-report, had decreased their fat intake. Specific food changes made to decrease fat intake, interview statements, and participants' reduction of percentage energy from fat were examined. Setting Interviews were conducted from June 1993 through April 1994. Subjects Included in the study were 145 persons aged 30 to 55 years who reported that they had been decreasing their dietary fat intake for 5 years or more, maintained a healthful diet for at least 5 months, and resided in the United States while changing their diets. Statistical analyses performed Confirmatory factor analysis, reliability analysis, and linear regression analysis were performed. Results Nine fat-reduction strategies were identified. Decrease fat flavorings, decrease 'recreational foods,' decrease cooking fat, replace meat, change breakfast, and use fat-modified foods accounted for significant reduction in fat intake. Conclusions People use a variety of dietary changes to reduce their fat intake. These changes can be categorized into strategies according to the way people change their diets. Knowledge of these strategies and their importance in dietary fat reduction can improve and help nutritionists prioritize the messages they convey. JAm Diet Assoc. 1996; 96:1245-1250,1253., The adoption of a low-fat diet has been associated with decreased risk for chronic disease and excess body weight (especially for women) and associated physiological and psychological issues (1-3). As [...]

The Food Guide Pyramid, which was released in 1992, is the official food guide for the United States and the only one recognized by federal agencies or departments. Nutrition and [...]

Because health beliefs and concepts develop early in life, Natapoff (1) and several expert groups (2-5) have recommended that health education begin in early childhood. At present, however, few data [...]

Two recent articles have reported the use of focus groups in nutrition education research [1,2]. The purpose of this article is to describe the methods used more fully so that [...]

Dietitians, physicians, the government, and the press have repeatedly told the public that intake of dietary fat and cholesterol is associated with heart disease and should therefore be reduced. The [...]

A dietary education program for hypercholesterolemic children and their parents The National Cholesterol Education Program [1] is directed to adults. Several expert groups [2-5], however, recommend that children, particularly those [...]

Recent reports have described a continuum of eating patterns ranging from women with normal eating behaviors and little concern about weight to women with eating disorders such as bulimia or [...]

ABSTRACT Objective To investigate the fat-reduction strategies used by a group of older adults who successfully made and maintained positive dietary changes for 5 years or longer. Design Participants completed [...]

ABSTRACT Objective To evaluate the effect of a theory-based newsletter on knowledge, attitude, and behavior change in older adults. Design Pretest-posttest, random assignment, and treatment-control design with 2 treatment groups: [...]

M is for motivator. E is for educator. N is for networker. T is for teacher. O is for organizer. R is for responder. Mentoring is a popular topic these [...]

The study examined family interaction patterns related to food and nutrition and parents' attitudes toward the importance of nutrition and compared interaction patterns and attitudes of parents participating in a nutrition education program (self-selected) to a cross-sectional sample of parents. It also assessed differences according to educational level, income, and mother's employment status. Income and education levels were higher for the self-selected sample. Parents from the self-selected sample had higher attitude scores and interaction behavior scores than those in the cross-sectional sample. Ninety-five percent of mothers and 83% of fathers with young children in the cross-sectional sample ate the evening meal together. Parents who participated in a nutrition education program reported discussing topics related to food and nutrition with their families more frequently than did parents in the cross-sectional sample. For both fathers and mothers, attitude and interaction scores differed with education level. Mothers who were employed part-time showed the most positive attitudes toward nutrition and the highest family interaction scores. Possible explanations for and implications of these findings are discussed. J Am Diet Assoc 89:509-512, 1989., Nutrition educators have recognized the role that parents play as nutrition educators (1-6) and have examined the need to include parents in children's nutrition education programs (3,7-11). The purpose of [...]

A unique sorting procedure for the 1989-91 Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals is described. Following sorting, the extent of adoption of skim milk, lean meats, and fat-modified products [...]

The purpose of a systematic evidence-based review is to integrate the best of the research literature in an objective manner. Although this approach has been used in a number of nutrition content reviews, reviewing food- and nutrition- related behaviors presents a different set of challenges. The 2010 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee followed the American Dietetic Association systematic method for an evidenced-based review as closely as possible. This article examines the steps that the committee used to generate the advisory recommendations for the dietary guidelines, identifies the difficulties in application, and suggests changes to the process for the next cycle of review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this qualitative study is to provide baseline information on fruits and vegetables in an inner-city Head Start childcare center to help facilitate complementary nutrition education efforts between the household and childcare setting. The study design involved interviews and used concept maps to assess the participants' (n = 22) concepts and knowledge of fruits and vegetables. The participants had a basic understanding of fruits and vegetables and desire to partner with the childcare setting in teaching their preschoolers about fruits and vegetables. Grocery shopping was a key venue for where this sample learned about fruits and vegetables and taught their preschoolers about fruits and vegetables; nonetheless, dissatisfaction with local grocery outlets and fruit and vegetable availability was noted by the majority of the sample. Future work should investigate how community fruit and vegetable availability influences primary care providers' concepts and knowledge of fruits and vegetables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discusses strategies for expanding students' options for learning abroad. Impact of changes in the workplace and economy on the political foundations and the distribution of power; Need for education to work to promote a global perspective; Benefits of studying abroad.

The article presents the results of the research study which evaluates the mixed-model approach for distance education of the combined satellite teleconferencing with local hands-on activity sessions. After the model was used to update nutrition practitioners about several nutrition topics, participant exhibited a significant increase in knowledge about all of the topics presented. The results indicated that community nutrition professionals who have positive approach to the model are convinced that they needed further training.

The article evaluates the nutrition education component of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children in New Mexico. In the phase I of the evaluation of the program, the satisfaction of the client and staff of the program were evaluated and described. The second phase examines the relationship between type of educational intervention, like brochures and facilitated group discussion, and the perceived nutritional skills and self efficacy of the clients. The evaluation determined that educational sessions were valuable to the clients and that facilitated group discussion created a positive atmosphere that proves to be a useful nutrition education tool to empower clients to improve their dietary habits.

Describes the development and delivery of a distance education course in nutrition with an electronic mail component. Reference to this course being modeled after a traditional classroom course offered at the university; Description of the course; Effects of the e-mail component; Details on the course.

Offers tips for instructors on how to teach a course using electronic mail (E-mail). Integration of literature on the subject; Description of use and problems commonly associated with bulletin boards, software, listservs, computer configurations and varying computer platforms; Suitability of e-mail on a case to case basis; Recommendations.

Examines nutrition education programs and curricula designed for children and adolescents. Effective elements of educational programs; Innovations in nutrition education interventions; Commitment of resources by the federal, state and local governments; Development of program guidelines by the federal and state governments.

Drawing from a number of qualitative studies, a set of basic principles is presented for development of sound, effective nutrition education' material. First, research is needed each and every time a new intervention or materials development project is initiated. This research should include formative, process, and outcome testing. Second, reality checks are needed. Programs and materials need to be tested in the settings and for the purpose for which they are intended. Third, messages need to be tailored to the audience. Certain concepts, such as the Dietary Guidelines, may be more or less universal, but the actual educational process and materials need to be tailored to specific target groups. Generic messages do not work. Sound scientific methodology is readily available as well as empirical principles to guide in the development and testing of nutrition education programs and materials, but each new intervention must be tested because there is always a creative element involved. Research will be ineffective, however, unless the right questions are asked and the right people (usually requiring a muitidisciplinary team) are used to find the answer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To be effective, dietary guidelines must be understandable by their audiences. Misconceptions interfere with acceptance of correct but conflicting information, contributing to unhealthy dietary behavior. This study was undertaken to identify, from a cognitive perspective, misconceptions about dietary fat and cholesterol and their roots. Eighty‐eight women and men participated in semistructured interviews that identified their knowledge structure and misconceptions. Women had slightly more numerous and serious (potential to lead to inappropriate food choices) misconceptions than men. Both groups had numerous misconceptions in common (saturated fats have more fat or calories than unsaturated fats). Most misconceptions could be attributed to missing or incomplete information, yet the Dietary Guidelines for Americans bulletin on fat and cholesterol was ineffective in changing them. These results have implications for public health education efforts: common misconceptions need to be identified and addressed, or they will reduce effectiveness of the efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]