Differences in Health Education Competencies Among Obesity Prevention and Nutrition Education Professionals

The study purpose was to examine perceived health education competencies among those responsible for planning, implementing, and evaluating health education programs. A total of 172 obesity prevention and nutrition education professionals in the United States completed a survey measuring their perceived competency to plan, implement, and evaluate nutrition education/obesity prevention education programs based on the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing health education competencies and their endorsement of various health education approaches. Using a series of multiple hierarchical regression models, we found that those trained in health education had greater perceived competency in assessing needs (B = 1.19, t = 2.11, p = .03), planning health education programs (B = 1.63, t = 2.96, p = .004), implementing health education programs (B = 1.00, t = 2.22, p = .03), evaluating health education programs (B = 4.85, t = 3.54, p = .001), and managing health education programs (B = 1.70, t = 2.21, p = .03) than those trained in nutrition or dietetics. Additionally, those trained in health education were more likely to endorse the use of a skill-based approach to obesity prevention (B = 0.25, t = 2.53, p = .01) and less likely to endorse teaching facts and information (B = 0.24, t = 1.99, p = .05) than those trained in nutrition or dietetics. These results have implications for improving the effectiveness of health education and promotion programs and the professional preparation of health educators and dietitians alike.