Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-tf8b9 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-26T17:10:01.889Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Nutrition education of young women

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 November 2009

Gill A. Fine
Affiliation:
British Nutrition Foundation, High Holborn House, 52–54 High Holborn, LondonWCI V 6RQ
D. M. Conning
Affiliation:
British Nutrition Foundation, High Holborn House, 52–54 High Holborn, LondonWCI V 6RQ
Cella Firmin
Affiliation:
The General Infirmary at Leeds, Belmont Grove, Leeds LS2 9NF
Anne E. De Looy
Affiliation:
Leeds Polytechnic, Calverley Street, Leeds LSI 3HE
M. S. Losowsky
Affiliation:
Department of Medicine, University of Leeds, St James' University Hospital, Leeds LS9 7TF
I. D. G. Richards
Affiliation:
Division of Generaf Practice and Public Health Medicine, University of Leeds, 32 Hyde Terrace, Leeds LSI 3HE
John Webster
Affiliation:
School of Mathematics and Computing, Leeds Polytechnic, The Grange, Beckett Park, Leeds LS6 3QX
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

White women aged 25–34 years (n 264) from the lower socio-economic classes (C2, D and E) were classified according to their motivation in respect of health and their educational attainment and arithmetical ability. They were randomly allocated to three groups. One group (test) was given a course in basic nutrition consisting of a video and booklet, each embellished with motivational material. Those classed as of low ability also received the training material in simplified format. A second group (control) received a video and booklet with no motivational or simplified materials. The third group (baseline) received no tuition and represented a control of publicly available information during the period of the experiment. The participants answered a series of questions by administered questionnaire to measure their nutritional knowledge before and one week after they viewed the video programme. All participants achieved significantly higher scores at the second questionnaire. The test and control groups achieved significantly higher scores than the baseline group but there was no significant difference between the test and control groups. The presentation of motivational or simplified materials had no significant effect on learning ability though those classified as more highly motivated and of higher ability achieved higher scores at each questionnaire. The results indicate that young adult females can be taught basic nutrition irrespective of their motivation or ability.

Type
Studies of the Nutritional Education of Young Women
Copyright
Copyright © The Nutrition Society 1994

References

Ajzen, I. & Fishbein, M. (1980). Understanding Attitudes and Predicting Social Behaviour. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall.Google Scholar
Axelson, M. L., Federline, T. L. & Brinberg, D. (1985). A nieta-analysis of food and nutrition-related research. Journal of Nutrition Education 17, 5154.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Committee on Medical Aspects of Food Policy (1984). Report of the Panel on Diet in Relation to Cardiovascular Disease. London: H.M. Stationery Office.Google Scholar
Edwards, P. K., Acock, A. C. & Johnston, R. L. (1985). Nutrition behaviour change: outcomes of an educational approach. Evaluation Review 9, 441459.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ernst, N. D., Wu, M., Fiommer, P., Katz, E., Matthews, O., Moskowitz, J., Pinsky, J. L. & Schreiber, G. B. (1986). Nutrition education at the point of purchase. Preventive Medicine 15, 6073.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gregory, J., Foster, K., Tyler, H. & Wiseman, M. (1990). The Dietary and Nutritional Survey of British Adults. Ofice of Population Censuses and Surveys. London: H.M. Stationery Office.Google Scholar
Kushi, L. H., Folsom, A. R., Jacobs, D. R., Leupker, R. V., Elmer, P. J. & Blackburn, H. (1988). Educational attainment and nutrient consumption patterns. Journal of the American Dietetic Association 88, 12031236.Google Scholar
Nash, P. (1990). The influence of nutritional awareness on consumer food choice. British Nutrition Foundation Nutrition Bulletin 15, Suppl. 1, 60–77.Google Scholar
National Advisory Committee on Nutrition Education (1983). Proposals for Nutritional Guidelines for Health Education in Britain. London: Health Education Council.Google Scholar
National Food Survey (1988). Household Food Consumption and Expenditure. London: H.M. Stationery Office.Google Scholar
Office of Population Censuses and Surveys (1980). Classification of Occupation. London: H.M. Stationery Office.Google Scholar
Rose, G. & Mannot, M. G. (1981). Social class and coronary heart disease. British Heart Journal 45, 1319.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Shepherd, R. & Stockley, L. (1987). Nutritional knowledge, attitudes and fat consumption. Journal of the American Dietetic Association 87, 615619.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Shepherd, R. (1990). Overview of factors influencing food choice. British Nutrition Foundation. Nutrition Bulletin. US Senate Select Committee on Nutrition and Human needs (1977). Dietary Goals for the US. Washington DC: Government Printing Office. 15, Suppl. 1, 1230.Google Scholar
Walbeck, N. H. (1973). Precepts, paragars and practice: The effects of various methods of nutrition instruction on attitudes, knowledge and behaviour. Journal of Social Psychology 91, 197205.CrossRefGoogle Scholar