Nutrition education interventions reduce morbidity and mortality, costs of care and play an important role in maintaining health and quality of life. The survey was conducted to assess Italian nutrition professionals’ involvement in nutrition education programs. Evidences show that nutrition interventions reduce morbidity and mortality, costs of medical care and play an important role in maintaining health and quality of life [1]. A healthful diet promotes optimal health, growth and cognitive development in children and adolescents, contributes to the prevention of chronic diseases in adults and prevents or delays the spiral towards illness and disability in elderly [2,3]. Therefore primary prevention of chronic diseases can be accomplished by addressing a handful of modifiable behaviours, promoting health throughout the life cycle [4].Keywords: Nutrition education; Nutrition prevention; Nutrition professionalsA questionnaire was developed and mailed to 1504 members of the two main Nutrition Italian Societies and subjects registered in our University Nutrition Courses archives. Data from 1053 respondents were analysed. Three quarters of the respondents are females; 50% of the whole sample lives and works in Northern Italy, while 26% and 24% are employed in Central and Southern Italy respectively; 43% are Medical Doctors with a post graduate degree in Human Nutrition and Dietetics, 33% are Nutritionists with a Biology degree and 24% are Dietitians.At present 56% of the whole sample is self-employed in private ambulatory care centres, 32% and 12% serve on nutrition support teams either in hospitals or in public nutrition services. Ninety per cent spends time on nutrition education programs mainly addressed to the children and adolescents (38%), to the adults (33%), to the elderly (16%) and to the pregnant women (11%) and 2% to all the groups over reported. The whole sample equally served in public sanitary services (34%), scholastic institutions (28%) or private structures (38%). Most of the professionals are involved in nutrition education programs, nevertheless analysing our results we may assume that most professionals are not really involved in nutrition education programs but only in nutritional counselling.

Are Nutrition Professionals Involved in Nutrition Education? A Cross Sectional Study in Italy

CENA, HELLAS;BAZZANO, ROSELLA;ROGGI, CARLA;TURCONI, GIOVANNA MARIA CLELIA
2015-01-01

Abstract

Nutrition education interventions reduce morbidity and mortality, costs of care and play an important role in maintaining health and quality of life. The survey was conducted to assess Italian nutrition professionals’ involvement in nutrition education programs. Evidences show that nutrition interventions reduce morbidity and mortality, costs of medical care and play an important role in maintaining health and quality of life [1]. A healthful diet promotes optimal health, growth and cognitive development in children and adolescents, contributes to the prevention of chronic diseases in adults and prevents or delays the spiral towards illness and disability in elderly [2,3]. Therefore primary prevention of chronic diseases can be accomplished by addressing a handful of modifiable behaviours, promoting health throughout the life cycle [4].Keywords: Nutrition education; Nutrition prevention; Nutrition professionalsA questionnaire was developed and mailed to 1504 members of the two main Nutrition Italian Societies and subjects registered in our University Nutrition Courses archives. Data from 1053 respondents were analysed. Three quarters of the respondents are females; 50% of the whole sample lives and works in Northern Italy, while 26% and 24% are employed in Central and Southern Italy respectively; 43% are Medical Doctors with a post graduate degree in Human Nutrition and Dietetics, 33% are Nutritionists with a Biology degree and 24% are Dietitians.At present 56% of the whole sample is self-employed in private ambulatory care centres, 32% and 12% serve on nutrition support teams either in hospitals or in public nutrition services. Ninety per cent spends time on nutrition education programs mainly addressed to the children and adolescents (38%), to the adults (33%), to the elderly (16%) and to the pregnant women (11%) and 2% to all the groups over reported. The whole sample equally served in public sanitary services (34%), scholastic institutions (28%) or private structures (38%). Most of the professionals are involved in nutrition education programs, nevertheless analysing our results we may assume that most professionals are not really involved in nutrition education programs but only in nutritional counselling.
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11571/1101868
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