Basic Concepts

Contents
• Define and explain terms and concepts in nutrition
education.
• Understand the goals and components of nutrition
education.
• Identify the goals, objectives, and strategies in nutrition
education.
• Discuss the importance of nutrition education in human
health and development.
• Recognize the competencies of a nutrition educator.
• Relate the important roles, duties, and responsibilities of a
nutrition educator.
 Nutrition Education as a Process

Awareness Interest Persuasion Trial Adoption

• acquires • to acquire • Needs- • Application • Lives with
new knowledge Assessment, the
knowledge, or problem benefits application
concepts or is relatable of
ideas about knowledge
a nutrition-
related
problem.
 The Relationship of Environment and
Behavior to Nutrition Education and Health
Ecological Perspective Levels of Influence
 Causes of
Malnutrition
(UNICEF)
Goals and Objectives of Nutrition Education
 Motivational

• Why to…

Components to Action
Nutrition Education
• How to…

Environmental

• Where to
The Role of Nutrition Education in
Human Development
Relationship of Food, Nutrition & Health
Influences of Food Choices
Relationship of Food
to Health, Highlighting
the Five Major
Components of a
National Nutrition
Monitoring and
Related Research
Program
Nutrition is an
input to and
foundation for
health and
development.
 Growth and body needs are obtained
✓Good health, vitality, and energy
✓To mature at the proper time
✓To overcome the stresses of the
environment
✓To fulfill this biological life
✓To enjoy extended time of life
✓To withstand the many hazards of
aging
Relationship of
Education and
Nutrition
“to establish good food
habits, people must be
able to learn, and
nutrition educators
must be able to teach.”
–Babcock, 1961
Problems in Health that
Need Educational Approach
• Cycle of economic and human development
• Food beliefs with harmful effects
• Undernutrition and deficiencies
• Infections resulting to PEM
• Obesity, DM, CVD, HPN
• Food marketing leading to wrong food choices
• Low wage earners and poor performance due to malnutrition
• Economic devt & globalization altering food habits
 Demand-side incentives Supply-side incentives Demand-side behavior change
Long Routes
• Primary health services (e.g. family planning) • Economic development (incomes of the • Improving women’s status
and infectious disease control poor) • Reducing women’s workload,
• Safe water and sanitation • Participatory programs and policy especially in pregnancy
• Policies on marketing breast milk substitutes development • Increasing women’s education
• Food and agricultural policies to increase • Employment creation
supply of safe and healthy food, or of healthier • Fiscal and food price policies to increase
foods poor peoples’ purchasing power for the
• Food industry development and market right kind of foods
incentives (disincentives) for developing • Marketing regulation of unhealthy
healthy (unhealthy) food foods
• Fruit and vegetable production
• Parks, bike paths, recreation centers.
Short Routes
• Community-based nutrition and health • Conditional cash transfers • Maternal nutrition, knowledge, and
services (community growth promotion • Microcredit community nutrition care-seeking during pregnancy and
programs, Community Integrated Management education lactation
of Childhood Illness [C-IMCI]) • Food supplementation • Infant and young child feeding
• Facility-based nutrition and health services • Micronutrient supplements • Weight control education
(health and nutrition services, and antenatal • Food stamps • Hygiene education
care) • Targeted food aid • Promoting healthy lifestyles (increase
• Micronutrient supplements physical activity; consume more fruits
• Micronutrient fortification and vegetables and less salt, sugar, and
• Targeted food aid fat and so on)
• Biofortifcation
 Health Care Settings

Communities
Practice Settings for
Nutrition Education
Schools

Workplaces
Responsibilities of Nutrition Educators
1. Assume responsibility for one's own health through changes in
eating habits and lifestyle patterns.
2. Select, prepare, and consume an adequate diet.
3. Promote good eating habits for all age groups.
4. Use appropriate guidelines when teaching clients regarding food
selection.
5. Facilitate healthy lifestyle by encouraging clients to expand their
knowledge of nutrition.
6. Use approved food guides when assessing, planning, and evaluating
appliance intake.
7. Become an informed consumer. Use the BFAD and DOH regulations
to promote better health for self and family.
8. Become an informed educator. Teach others to make healthy choices
for a healthier lifestyle.
9. Be aware of dietary variations of groups and the diets most likely to
be adhered to in order to give the best statement. Do not assume
that clients share the same background and value systems.
Challenges for Nutrition Education
1. The public is confused.
2. Access to new nutrition information has become
quicker and easier.
3. Ignorance Is not the only cause of faulty food and
nutrition practices.
4. The problem of malnutrition in the Philippines is a
double burden.
5. There are nine major dialects and about 83 minor
dialects in the Philippines.
6. Challenges to nutrition educators by individuals and
groups.
Roles of the Nutrition Educator
1. The Nutrition Educator as a Counselor
2. The Nutrition Educator as a Group Facilitator
3. The nutrition educator as an advocate
4. The nutrition educator as
translator for research findings
 Knowledge
• Food and Nutrition Principles
• Teaching Methods and Principles of Education
Skills
Basic Competencies • Communication
Required in Nutrition • Interpersonal Relations
Education • Respect
• Creativity and Flexibility

Attitudes
• Positive attitude
• Share or understand cultural and religious beliefs
• Emotional Intelligence