Journal of nutrition education最新文献

Food safety education is most effective when messages are targeted toward changing behaviors most likely to result in foodborne illness. The five major control factors for pathogens are personal hygiene, adequate cooking, avoiding cross-contamination, keeping food at safe temperatures, and avoiding foods from unsafe sources. Pathogens associated with poor personal hygiene have the highest incidence and costs. Inadequate cooking and cross-contamination have lower incidence. Keeping food at safe temperatures and unsafe food sources have the lowest incidence, although costs per case are sometimes very high. We recommend that consumer food safety educators primarily focus on hand washing, adequate cooking, and avoiding cross-contamination. Secondary messages should focus on keeping food at safe temperatures and avoiding food from an unsafe source. Evaluation tools are needed to evaluate self-reported behavior changes. The evaluation questions must focus on salient behaviors that are most likely to result in foodborne illnesses and must withstand rigorous standards of reliability and validity.

The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that a nutrition course that stresses fundamental principles of human physiology, energy metabolism, and genetics helps prevent weight gain during the first 16 months of college life. A randomized control trial was conducted from January 1997 to May 1998 using volunteers. Forty female college freshmen participated in the intervention (college course, n = 21) and control (no course, n = 19) groups. The intervention was a one-semester nutrition science college course. Body weight, nutrient intakes, and knowledge were measured at baseline, the end of the intervention (4 months from baseline), and 1 year later (16 months from baseline). Statistical analysis was conducted using a repeated-measure analysis of variance. Higher Body Mass Index (BMI) students (BMI > 24) in the intervention group (n = 11) reported lower fat (p = .04), protein (p =.03), and carbohydrate (p = .008) intakes compared with the higher BMI students in the control group (n = 6). Dietary changes reported by the higher BMI intervention students were associated with the maintenance of baseline body weight for 1 year in contrast with the higher BMI control students who gained 9.2 ± 6.8 kg (p = .012). The findings suggest that nutrition education emphasizing human physiology and energy metabolism is an effective strategy to prevent weight gain in at-risk college students.

The objective of this study was to investigate adolescents' perspectives about the environmental impacts of food production practices and whether these perspectives are related to their food choice. Food choice was operationalized as consumption and purchase of organic foods and locally grown foods. A survey questionnaire was administered to a convenience sample of adolescents and analyzed for descriptive information and relationships among variables. Subjects were 651 ethnically diverse, urban and suburban high school senior students in a major metropolitan area. Variables of an Expanded Theory of Planned Behavior were measured including beliefs, attitudes, perceived social influences, motivation to comply, perceived behavioral control, self-identity, perceived responsibility, behavioral intention, and behavior. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation coefficients, and stepwise multiple regression analyses were used. Surveyed adolescents did not have strong or consistent beliefs or attitudes about the environmental impact of food production practices. Cognitive-motivational processes were at work, however, since their perspectives were significantly correlated with behavioral intentions and food choice behaviors. Behavioral intention was best accounted for by attitudes and perceived social influences (and perceived responsibility for organic food), and behavior was best accounted for by behavioral intentions, beliefs, and perceived social influences (and self-identity for local food). There is a need to make salient to adolescents the environmental impact of food production practices through both cognitive and experiential approaches.

Books, curricula, audiovisuals, and other re-sources that nutrition professionals may use for reference, continuing education, or in a formal or informal education setting are designated “pro-fessional.” Books, handouts, diet plans, and other resources specified by authors as being written for general audiences are categorized as “consumer.” Inclusion of any material in this section does not imply endorsement by the Society for Nutrition Education. Evaluative comments contained in the reviews reflect the views of the authors. Prices quoted are those provided by the publishers at the time materials were submitted. They may no longer be current when the review is published.

The objective of this research was to document the extent to which elements of fantasy, curiosity, and challenge are used in existing nutrition education materials. A content analysis of 30 nutrition education curricula designed for elementary and middle-school grades was conducted. Print curricula, computer software, videotapes, and puppet shows were included in the sample. The use of challenge, curiosity, and fantasy, as defined in the Theory of Intrinsically Motivating Instruction (TIMI), was assessed in each curriculum. Approximately half of the curricula included elements of challenge, curiosity, or fantasy. All of the nonprint curricula and 30% of the print curricula incorporated these characteristics. Curiosity was most frequently used in these curricula, followed by fantasy and then challenge. The TIMI provided a useful theory to examine the instructional approaches frequently used in school-based nutrition education programs. Nutritionists may apply concepts from the TIMI to the design of future curricula so that these programs are interesting and entertaining for their target audience.