Valerie M. Chamberlain

Behaviors, Attitudes, and Knowledge of Low-Income Consumers Regarding Nutrition Labels

This exploratory study interviewed 130 participants in federal food assistance programs and 51 low-income nonparticipants to assess their behaviors and attitudes toward and awareness of the nutrition label. Regarding label use, 35.4 percent of participants and 45.1 percent of nonparticipants seldom/never read labels while grocery shopping, 31.5 percent of participants and 19.6 percent of nonparticipants sometimes read them, and 33.1 percent of participants and 35.3 percent of nonparticipants always/frequently read labels in the grocery store. In addition, 38.5 percent of participants and 41.2 percent of nonparticipants seldom/never read labels at home, 33.1 percent of participants and 27.5 percent of nonparticipants sometimes read them, and 28.5 percent of participants and 31.4 percent of nonparticipants always/frequently read labels at home. There were no significant differences between mean scores of participants and nonparticipants on how to use the nutrition label. Findings challenge nutritionists working with low-income individuals to develop more learning opportunities that teach how to use nutrition labels.

Innovation in elder and child care: an intergenerational experience

Education about aging should be a high priority for all people who work with children, because youth today will live longer than previous generations and their attitudes about growing older and elders are associated positively with intergen‐erational experiences. An observation instrument, interview schedule, and picture test for children were validated and found to be reliable for measuring the attitudes of elders and children toward shared intergenerational activities and experiences as well as the feelings of each age group about the other. Providing for the similar needs of residential elders and day‐care children in the same facility is a new concept that can help meet familial, emotional, social, financial, and societal needs. The Glenwood, a Level III facility in rural Vermont, provides residential care for six elders, day care for preschoolers, and after‐school care for school age children. It is economically profitable at an 80% occupancy rate. A similar facility with additional day care for elde...

Evaluation of a Computer-Assisted Instructional Component in a College-Level Nutrition Course

Abstract The effectiveness of computer-assisted instruction (CAI) in nutrition education was evaluated by determining if a CAI program designed to reinforce class lectures and available on disks and the university network was associated with higher cognitive achievement test scores. Students’ opinions concerning the helpfulness, advantages, and disadvantages of such a program were also assessed. Our CAI program was available to 243 students in four sections of an introductory nutrition course. Students could use the CAI program for any amount of time. There were 160 users and 83 nonusers. A valid and reliable cognitive pretest–post-test, an attitude assessment, and a demographic and opinion questionnaire were used. Differences in pretest–post-test scores were analyzed by two-way analysis of variance. Internal consistency of the attitude assessment instrument was determined using Cronbachs alpha test. Users of the CAI program had higher pretest–post-test gain scores than nonusers. Eighty-seven percent of the students thought that the program was useful or very useful; 78% thought that it improved their grades. Students’ attitudes were positive toward use of computers and, generally, improved with use of the program. We concluded that class material in a computerized format available on disks and a network is useful for improving performance of students in a college-level, introductory nutrition course.

Adolescent Energy Conservation: Dimensions of Attitude‐Behavior Consistency

The purpose of this study was to analyze the nature of the relationship between energy conservation attitudes and behaviors of adolescents in the use of energy for personal and family-related activities. Specifically, the study was designed to determine a level of attitude-behavior consistency for each respondent and cor responding levels of selected attitudinal qualities. The association of selected demographic characteristics and attitude-behavior consistency was also deter mined. Data were collected from 227 eleventh and twelfth grade students en rolled in both urban and rural public schools. The dependent variable was the attitude-behavior consistency score. Independent variables included demo graphic characteristics as well as levels of attitudinal quality defined as affective, cognitive, and direct experience. The relationship existing between attitude and behavior was tested using correlational statistical analysis. Multiple regression, factorial analysis of variance, and t-tests were used to determine significant sources of variance upon the consistency score. Energy conservation attitudes and behaviors of adolescents were found to be significantly correlated. Differ ences in the consistency of attitude and behavior were found to be significantly associated with sex and employment of adolescents. No significant differences in consistency were found to be associated with other demographic variables tested or with levels of attitudinal qualities measured.

Effectiveness of a College Course Focused on Evaluation of Health Claims

This study measured the effectiveness of a college course designed to instruct students to make critical evaluations of therapeutic claims for foods, nutrient supplements, weight-reduction products and diets, and alternative healthcare systems. Experimental and comparison groups were pretested and posttested to determine changes in source reliance and cognitive learning. The experimental group received instruction in five cognitive areas: (1) health and nutrition quackery, (2) consumer protection, (3) basic concepts in health and nutrition, (4) nutritional supplements and health foods, and (5) conventional and unconventional treatment of chronic diseases. The experimental group scored significantly higher in all five conceptual areas on the posttest, and in each case scored significantly higher than the comparison group did. Both groups rated medical/scientific sources of health and nutrition information as highly accurate during the two survey periods. The experimental group showed a change in source reliance, moving from dependence on the popular print media and individuals without formal education in a health field to medical/scientific sources, whereas the comparison group continued to use the popular press and electronic media. Findings suggest that a source targeted to the needs and interests of a specific group can bring about significant increases in knowledge gain and desirable changes in source reliance.