S. Stastny

The Impact of a Student-Driven Social Marketing Campaign on College Student Alcohol-Related Beliefs and Behaviors

Researchers examined a student-driven campaign intended to reduce high-risk drinking at a Midwestern, public research university in the United States. The campaign was implemented as part of a comprehensive social marketing effort to address high-risk drinking. Efforts employed on campus addressed various aspects of the marketing mix, including product, price, place, and promotion through late-night alcohol-free activities, increased enforcement, a substance abuse mentoring program, and the student-driven promotional campaign. Outcome measures of the campaign evaluation included assessing the effectiveness of promotional materials in prompting student visits to the campaign website and assessing the impact on students’ reported drinking-related beliefs and behaviors. Following extensive formative research, student developers designed campaign promotional materials that incorporated socially relevant images and messages to enhance students’ confidence related to making simple, low-risk decisions about drinking. Evaluation included an anonymous survey sent to a stratified random sample of undergraduate students. Responses were gathered regarding student demographics, appeal of promotional materials, self-reported drinking patterns, and whether the campaign impacted students’ reflections on drinking or beliefs and behaviors concerning their own alcohol consumption. Study results indicate online and interactive promotional materials (i.e., Facebook page and campaign video) increased the likelihood of student visits to the website, and students exposed to the website reported increased confidence and use of techniques to reduce alcohol-related harm. Use of socially relevant messages and online or interactive campaign components appear to be promising when implementing campaigns to address college student high-risk drinking.

Barriers and Strategies for Success for American Indian College Students: A Review

Abstract:American Indian and Alaska Native students have a significantly lower college graduation rate than that of other ethnic groups in the United States. These students often face a variety of barriers to the completion of their education. Overcoming barriers for the achievement of an advanced education takes commitment, hard work, and dedication on behalf of the educational institution as well as the student. Identified and tested strategies that address barriers and assist American Indian and Alaska Native students with positive academic experiences can contribute to academic success.

Eating for Your Eyes.

Age-related eye diseases that lead to lowvision and blindness are a growing challenge for public health professionals. Current prevalence of either blindness or low vision is 1 in 28 Americans aged 40 and older, and this rate is expected to double by 2020 as the United States population ages. Although treatments exist to prevent or delay vision loss for several blinding conditions (diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, cataracts, and glaucoma), effective treatments do not exist for agerelated macular degeneration (AMD), especially the late stages. Therefore, prevention is important, because AMD is the leading cause of irreversible vision loss and severely reduces quality of life. Optometrists have no medical treatment that canhalt AMD, andmany recommend therapeutic diets. Following smoking cessation, diet is the most modifiable risk factor that has been associated with the disease. Specifically, luteinand zeaxanthin-rich food such as spinach and other dark green, leafy vegetables andeggyolk,or supplements have been beneficial for prevention or slowed progression of AMD. An educational program targeting the public was developed to increase knowledge regarding nutrition and eye health.

Effect of Nutrition Facts Panel and Ingredient Declaration on Customer Satisfaction and Nutrition Perceptions in a Table-Service Restaurant at Midday Meal

The growing awareness for benefits of a healthy diet led recent legislation in some parts of the United States to require nutrition labeling at point of purchase. Whether or not mandated availability of nutrition information is effective, and how it affects customer satisfaction, are yet to be determined. In this study, availability of nutritional information in a small restaurant was found to be associated with decreased customer satisfaction compared to the control group. Although some qualities of customer satisfaction were related to customer perceptions of nutritional value of the meals, availability of nutrition information did not affect that relationship.

Barriers and Strategies for Healthy Food Choices among American Indian Tribal College Students: A Qualitative Analysis

BACKGROUND American Indian and Alaskan Native individuals experience disproportionate levels of chronic health conditions such as type 2 diabetes and overweight and obesity that are influenced by dietary patterns and food choices. Understanding factors that influence healthy food choices among tribal college students can enrich education and programs that target dietary intake. OBJECTIVE To build an understanding of factors that influence healthy food choices among tribal college students at increased risk for college attrition. DESIGN A nonexperimental cohort design was used for qualitative descriptive analysis. PARTICIPANTS/SETTING Participants (N=20) were purposively sampled, newly enrolled, academically underprepared tribal college students enrolled in a culturally relevant life skills course at an upper Midwest tribal college between September 2013 and May 2015. Participant demographic characteristics included various tribal affiliations, ages, and number of dependents. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Participant responses to qualitative research questions about dietary intake, food choices, self-efficacy for healthy food choices, psychosocial determinants, and barriers to healthy food choices during telephone interviews were used as measures. ANALYSIS Qualitative analysis included prestudy identification of researcher bias/assumptions, audiorecording and transcription, initial analysis (coding), secondary analysis (sorting and identifying meaning), and verification (comparative pattern analysis). RESULTS Qualitative analysis revealed a variety of themes and subthemes about healthy food choices. Main themes related to barriers included taste, food gathering and preparation, and difficulty clarifying healthy food choices. Main themes related to strategies included taste, cultural traditions and practices, and personal motivation factors. CONCLUSIONS Qualitative analysis identified barrier and strategy themes that may assist nutrition and dietetics practitioners working with tribal/indigenous communities, tribal college educators and health specialists, and tribal community health workers who target health and dietary intake of American Indian and Alaskan Native students.

Celiac Disease and the Gluten-free Diet: Registered Dietitian Nutritionists’ Self-reported Knowledge Varies

Background: Adherence to the gluten-free diet is the only treatment for celiac disease (CD) and some patients report lack of expertise among registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs). Objective: To measure RDN self-reported celiac disease (CD) knowledge and preferences for resources for self-education and patient education. Methods: A cross-sectional research design was used to recruit RDNs from participating state affiliates Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Montana, Nebraska, and North Dakota in 2013. A 35 item internet-based survey was distributed via Survey Monkey and included Likert scale questions based on a previous RDN allergy survey. Demographic and gluten-free diet and CD multiple-choice questions were also included. Results: Four-hundred and five registered dietitians (RDNs) who volunteered from the seven participating affiliates responded to the survey. Chi-squares were used to determine frequencies and differences in responses per variable. Pearson correlation analyses were performed to determine the correlation of age, education level, years of practice, or number of CD patients seen per week and CD self-reported knowledge. RDNs reported either moderate or high levels of knowledge for all seven self-reported knowledge topics. Over 85% of RDNs selected correct answers for five CD knowledge questions. Professional and academic publications were the most commonly used resources by RDNs for self-education whereas handouts were the most commonly used resource by RDNs for patient education. Conclusion: RDNs may need more reinforcement on identification and treatment of nutritional deficiencies of CD management.

Relationships among Diet Quality, BMI, Cooking Skills and Frequency of Food Preparation: A Pilot Study

Background: Many college students do not have the knowledge to make traditional dishes from simple ingredients, or cook a meal from scratch. Purpose: To evaluate the association between participants’ perceived cooking skills, food preparation frequency, selected indicators of diet quality and BMI. Methods: Non-experimental cross sectional survey design using questionnaire evaluating confidence in cooking skills (PCSS), food preparation frequencies (FPFS), diet quality (frequency of consumption of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and low-fat dairy), and anthropometrics among 968 students at one Midwestern university. Correlations and chi square were performed to determine the relationships of PCSS/FPFS, indicators of healthy eating and BMI, and differences in response per variable, respectively. Results: Over half reported feeling very confident in their cooking skills; 15% report preparing meals daily. Higher PCSS was correlated to higher vegetable intake (P<0.001) and meeting the recommendations for vegetables (P<0.001). PCSS was not associated with meeting recommendations for fruits, whole grains, or low-fat dairy. Higher PCSS was correlated with higher BMI (P=0.001). PCSS was positively associated with FPFS (P<0.001). Although higher PCSS was not associated with fruit, whole grain, and low-fat dairy intake, students with higher PCSS may be more likely to prepare and consume vegetables.

Assessing preferred method of learning for university students using a whole grains lesson in the classroom.

Students majoring in hospitality, family consumer science, and dietetics in undergraduate institutions could influence how often whole grains are used by both consumers and individually. Presently, some individuals are unfamiliar with a variety of whole grains and most do not consume the recommended number of servings per day. Students, working in groups, may learn more if allowed to self-direct their learning. The whole grains lesson offered during fall semester 2007 in one section of a university food principles and preparation class featured 10 different whole grains, prepared and rated by 46 students. Students rated some of the unfamiliar whole grains and the self-directed learning style favorably.Students majoring in hospitality, family consumer science, and dietetics in undergraduate institutions could influence how often whole grains are used by both consumers and individually. Presently, some individuals are unfamiliar with a variety of whole grains and most do not consume the recommended number of servings per day. Students, working in groups, may learn more if allowed to self-direct their learning. The whole grains lesson offered during fall semester 2007 in one section of a university food principles and preparation class featured 10 different whole grains, prepared and rated by 46 students. Students rated some of the unfamiliar whole grains and the self-directed learning style favorably.