Dietary change: prescription vs. goal setting

Area of Science:

• Nutrition Science
• Health Education
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Dietary guidelines are crucial for public health.
• Effective teaching strategies are needed to promote dietary compliance.
• Understanding the impact of different interventions on dietary habits is essential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the effectiveness of two teaching strategies: Diet-Directed (D-D) and Self-Directed (S-D).
• To assess compliance with U.S. Dietary Goals and Guidelines among college women.
• To evaluate the long-term impact of these strategies on dietary intake.

Main Methods:

• A 10-week study involving college women aged 18-30.
• Three groups: Diet-Directed (prescribed diet), Self-Directed (goal setting), and Control (no treatment).
• Assessment of caloric, total fat, and polyunsaturated fat (PUFA) intake.

Main Results:

• Both D-D and S-D groups showed significant reductions in caloric, total fat, and PUFA intake.
• The D-D group maintained reduced intake from week 5 onwards.
• The S-D group's reductions were observed between weeks 5-8 but not sustained.
• The Control group showed no significant changes.

Conclusions:

• Both teaching strategies facilitated dietary changes towards U.S. Dietary Goals and Guidelines.
• Diet-Directed approach demonstrated more sustained dietary modifications compared to Self-Directed.
• Further research is needed to determine optimal strategies for long-term dietary compliance.