Date of Award:

5-1979

Document Type:

Thesis

Degree Name:

Master of Science (MS)

Department:

Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Sciences

Department name when degree awarded

Nutrition and Food Sciences

Committee Chair(s)

Bonita W. Wyse

Committee

Bonita W. Wyse

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate nutrition educational lessons and instructional materials based on the Index of Nutritional Quality (INQ). INQ is a graphic, nutrient density concept. The lessons and instructional materials were used in the nutrition education of pregnant women in the WIC Program. Six nutrition lessons were written utilizing the INQ concept. Lesson one emphasized the importance of the WIC supplemental foods and the recommended number of servings from the basic four food groups during pregnancy. Lessons two through six concerned the importance of the following nutrients during pregnancy: calcium, protein, iron, vitamin A and vitamin C. Six pamphlets were also designed to be used with each corresponding lesson. The pamphlets were composed of pictures and INQ bar charts simply written to convey ideas taught in each lesson.

Nutrition counseling sessions were conducted for two groups of pregnant WIC recipients. The women in group one attended two individual nutritional counseling sessions while those in group two attended two group nutrition sessions. A questionnaire (including a twenty-four hour recall) and nutrition quiz were given to each client at sessions one and two. The twenty-four hour recalls measured quality of the participants diets prior to and following a nutrition counseling session based on the INQ concept. Nutrition quizzes tested nutrition knowledge of concepts illustrated by INQ graphs before and following two nutrition counseling sessions.

Data obtained were analyzed to test for statistical significance. Paired t-tests indicated that mean totals for percent of standard (RDA's for pregnant women) for five nutrients analyzed in the recalls were significantly greater at recall two. Mean INQ total scores for the five nutrients were considered adequate at recall one. These scores did not improve from recall one to recall two. There was no difference between groups one and two for any of these results as determined by analysis of variance. There was also a significant increase in the percent of standard (RDA) and INQ value in recall two for the individual nutrient taught at session one. Paired t-tests revealed that there were significant improvements in total quiz scores from pre-test to post-test. Again, there was no difference between groups one and two as determined by analysis of variance.

In conclusion, a nutrition education program based on the INQ concept was effective in improving the percentages of the RDA met in a dietary recall for five nutrients as well as nutrition knowledge of two groups of pregnant WIC recipients. The designed education program provides a graphic, easy-to-understand, and individualized approach. This is one solution to the need for new and effective WIC nutrition education methods.

Checksum

de8b6da8fd851fd520ce5bba3cdfc2a1

Download

Included in

Nutrition Commons

Share

COinS

Copyright for this work is retained by the student. If you have any questions regarding the inclusion of this work in the Digital Commons, please email us at .