Nutritional knowledge of health food users in Oahu, Hawaii

A survey to learn the nutritional knowledge and dietary practices of health food users on Oahu was conducted at fourteen health food stores. Most of the participants were under thirty years of age, followed no specific dietary regimen, used health foods in combination with supermarket foods, would seek help from physicians if they became sick, and have obtained nutritional information through popular publications. Reliance on such publications has produced a population which is fairly well informed regarding some nutritional facts but which has acquired a host of incorrect nutritional information. Since this population is dedicated to obtaining proper nutrition and would be guided by their knowledge of nutrition, problems of dietary practices have arisen. Education in schools does not provide young people with tools and knowledge to choose food properly. In general, teaching of nutritional facts and activities, on which health and well-being depend, appears to be low in priority as far as school authorities are concerned. Elementary school teachers do not have the background to teach nutrition. Nutrition teaching should begin during the preschool years and should continue through elementary grades, since they are important growth periods when food habits are formed.