The effect of a nutrition education module specifically for the elderly: An experimental study

Date

12/30/1984

Authors

Thomas, Elaine

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Abstract

A nutrition education program for the elderly was developed and conducted to determine effectiveness on nutrition knowledge, and planning and preparation of nutritious meals. There were 60 voluntary participants that were 60 years of age or older, both males and females and represented three ethnic groups (Black, White, Mexican-American). They were divided equally into an experimental and control group. The experimental group received extensive organized nutrition education whereby the control group was isolated from nutrition education. Both the pre-post test and post-test-only designs were utilized. Data were collected in February, 1983 at Happy Haven Nutrition Center in Dallas, Texas by use of: Ross-Thomas Nutrition Knowledge Test, Meal Planning Skills Questionnaire and a Meal Planning-Preparation Experience. The raw data were treated statistically by means of the dependent and independent samples t-tests, the Pearson Product-Moment Correlation and the Fisher's Z-transformation. During the post-test phase, the experimental group had significantly higher scores on the instruments than the control group. These outcomes can probably be attributed to the organized nutrition education received by the experimental group. Such findings suggest a direct relationship between nutrition education and nutrition knowledge, meal planning and meal preparation.

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Health and environmental sciences, Social sciences

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