Question 3:
Based on the results of this study, what impact, if any, would this have on the way you would provide nutrition counseling to this population (of adolescents or their mothers) when it came to dietary recommendations?
posted by Myra Davis @ 1:03 PM
26 comments
26 Comments:
I see a lot of potential nutrition interventions in this type of population. A community dietitian could really benefit this group of people by providing cooking demonstrations, presenting topics in a fun way, and holding other community-based food and nutrition programs. I think it would really be about showing them what they could do with the amount they have to spend at the grocery store and giving them tips and recipes that are budget-friendly. Any type of community nutrition program that would bring the whole family together would be a great thing for this type of population.
I think that it is important to provide nutrition information to mothers, so they can provide their child with the best, nutritionally. I have been able to work at WIC and see many mothers who have absolutely no idea what to feed their infants/toddlers. Some mothers will do things that are outrageous to us, but they do not think anything of it. For example, I have seen many mothers putting sugar water in a baby’s bottle. I think it is important to counsel mothers on how to feed their children, especially first time mothers. WIC is a very beneficial program available to mothers. Providing handouts and having classes is key to help the mothers/children learn.
I would focus my attention on eating more meals in the home and making healthier food choices when eating out. I would stress the importance of the parents acting as role models for their children to follow. Eating meals in the home could save them money and be a healthier choice. Making your own meals puts them in control of their own health. It would be great to do a grocery store tour to physically show them what foods are healthy and what foods to use sparingly.
Brittney,
Cooking demonstrations are a great idea. Often times it isn’t always a lack of knowledge in what foods are healthy but it is a lack of knowledge in how to incorporate the healthy foods into their diet. Giving recipes and demonstrating how to prepare them is a great idea.
Colin-
I liked your point that it isn't always the lack of knowledge of healthy foods that acts as a barrier for unhealthy choices. Quite often, people DO know what they should be choosing. But, like you said, they either lack the desire or know-how to incorporate those foods into their diets. There are numerous factors that contribute to a person's food choices.
I believe that working with a mother (or father) and an adolescent together could result in a positive nutrition intervention. By working and learning together in a supportive atmosphere, a stronger link between parent and child could result. Providing simple, practical and appropriate education materials on nutrition habits and instructions would be essential for this population. Cooking guidance and low-cost health recipes would most likely help educate these individuals as well as steer them in the right direction towards better health. I think that working with parents and adolescents separately could also be beneficial. Parents need to be aware of the fact that their children are still growing and that it is a crucial time for their children to obtain enough nutrients so that their body reserves are built up for when they enter into adulthood.
It may be better to address nutrition in a class or in a program where the adolescents are with their friends. If you can find a way to make food fun and make healthy options more appealing than they may be more likely to choose them later, particularly if their friends are too. I would still want to find a way to provide some education to the parents, but this study shows that you can’t just rely on the parents to teach children the healthy way to eat.
Rachel-
Interesting point that adolescents might benefit more from nutrition programs designed for their specific age group. It is a bit of a tough situation due to the fact that it might be just as important to involve families as a whole. A great program should probably involve both ideas. Good point!
I'm not sure that this single publication would be enough to sway my methods of providing nutrition information because I believe that parental habits usually do have a profound effect on children's habits, and I would need more research to be published with similar results to be convinced. If it was proven that parents habits truly do NOT significantly effect their offsprings' habits, then I would encourage those parents to play a bigger role in enforcing healthy eating habits by setting positve examples of nutritious choices.
I would teach them about ways to stretch their dollar. For example, try to buy fresh fruits and vegetables, but remember to buy foods in season so they will be cheaper. Frozen foods are a good alternative since they have a longer shelf life, can be inexpensive, and do not contain the added salt common in canned foods. It is important to remember, when speaking to teenagers, they may be resistant to what you have to say. Give them essential information to guide them towards more nutritious foods. I would also stress to them that they do not have to completely change their lifestyle to be healthier, simply add a fruit and/or vegetable into their daily food choices and they would be making a change for the better.
I would encourage mothers to be a good dietary role model for their child, encourage family meals, and physical activity. If budget is a concern, I would offer healthy options that are affordable. Education for the parents is key so that they know how to be good role models.
There are 3 recommendations I'd make right away: first, I'd suggest that these families have meals together as frequently as possible and that these meals be prepared together. Second, I'd make suggestions of not only what to shop for but where to shop (that's realistic for the family in question) - often, low-income communities do not have access to the larger supermarkets that sell a variety of produce, etc. Third, I'd try to engage a teen to tell me what's available at school and then work with the teen to ID some decent food choices from what is available. I think the idea of getting groups of teens together for a class or demo is good as the peer influence factor is so huge with this group.
Brittney,
I love your idea about going to the grocery stores. This would allow them to ask questions and get a good answer as the questions came up.
I would want to start by educating the mothers since kids learn from wathcing their mothers. One way to break the cycle would be to have the moms bring in a list of the foods that are in their home and have the RD help them come up with healthy reciepes for what the moms have to work with. Being able to help the moms work with what they have allows them to not feel bad about not buying the fresh produce and instead buying the canned or frozen.
Tori,
I agree, I think the more specific we can be with a client, the more we can customize a diet/nutrition plan , the better. Have them show you what they usually eat and suggest small, specific changes.
Em
This study shows a need for nutrition education within schools. If everyone is learning the same principles of healthy eating, an adolescent who is actively trying to eat more healthy, will atleast have understanding from peers. The influence of peers is highly underemphasized, and it is possible to put a positive spin on it, i.e. "everyone's eating healhy."
With mothers, I would still encourage them to be a good example to their children. Although adolescents' eating habits, of this study, are influenced more by outside factors, it is not known for sure what influences their eating down the road. They may end up looking once again to a parent as an influence in their food habits, after adolescence.
The study showed that the adolescents had a high fiber and high calcium diet. I would make sure that they continue to eat those foods that are higher in fiber and high in calcium. I would really stress to the mother to stop smoking if she is. This was the greatest predictor of whether or not the children had bad eating habits. I would give them healthy food options for eating on the run, dining out, and eating at school or packing a lunch.
Jennifer,
I like your point about not basing your whole decision on one research article. I also feel that parents play a major role in children's food choices because they are the ones buying the groceries and preparing the food. My mother cooked healthy growing up and that is who I give credit to for wanting to eat healthy.
Rachel and Carrie, I agree 100% with your comments about adolescence and peer influence on an individual’s eating habits. During this developmental stage, most children are only interested in what tastes good and have yet to grasp the notion of “eating healthy.” As someone mentioned previously, adolescence is a time where children seem to rebel against their parents. When it comes to teaching adolescents healthy eating habits, I think that the best thing a parent can do is set a good example and then, hopefully, their children will adopt healthier lifestyles later on in life.
Working at EFNEP you speak to a lot of low income families. I have learned you cater to the masses. You should teach everyone how to cook with common ingredients and build from there. Basic information can go a long way. Children are truly little sponges and it is amazing what they can retain.
Susan
For this population, I would make sure that there is basic nutrition information and understanding of the importance of eating a healthy well balanced diet. In addition to this I would show them how to use their money to buy lower fat, high fiber foods. My focus would be to focus on giving them options for healthy food choices and healthy recipes that are low cost and high health.
I would focus any nutrition intervention on the adolescents. Since it seems obvious that an adolescent's peer group is the biggest influence, I would want to be able to implement a classroom based program where adolescents and their peers could work together to learn about healthier options. If the program could be timed just before lunch it would be even better, because then the opportunity would be there to make a meal, with their friends and all could sit down together and eat. The students would hopefully take the knowledge home and help their own families make similar meals. I don't think anyone truly and blatantly tries to be unhealthy. Rather, I think there are several barriers to healthful eating...especially among this particular population.
Rachel-
Great idea with implementing nutrition education to a group of adolescents because as many of us have stated there is an enormous amount of peer influence when making food choices. As with any learning environment it helps if there is an element of fun.
This would impact the way I provide counseling in that I would focus my teachings on how look at food together as a family. It is important to incorporate the children into meal planning, so I would encourage them to go shopping together and make eating a food preparation a family thing. They can learn how to read food labels together and find the healthiest option for less money. Since the mother and child spend a lot of time apart, it is important for both to be educated on healthy food options, so they can make the right choices even when they are not eating together.
Meredith,
I like your comment about complementing the teens about the good choices they are making (high fiber and high calcium). That might be a good way to get "in the door" with them if you were doing an nutrition education program at the school. By first point out the good things they are doing, it may be easier for them to talk about what they are doing that isn't so great and how to improve it. Its a good way to open the line of communication and make them hopefully less resistant to listening and learning about nutrition.
Meridith- I think your point on making sure the mom quits smoking is really important. You are right that it was the biggest indicator of healthy diets in children, which means even with proper nutrition education, if a mom smokes they are still likely to live an unhealthy lifestyle, children included. Quitting smoking should be the number one focus of the nutrition intervention.
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