University of Kentucky UKnowledge University of Kentucky Master's Theses Graduate School 2011 PRACTICE AND APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE BY NUTRITION STUDENTS Jennifer Kristin Boyee University of Kentucky, [email protected] Right click to open a feedback form in a new tab to let us know how this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Boyee, Jennifer Kristin, "PRACTICE AND APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE BY NUTRITION STUDENTS" (2011). University of Kentucky Master's Theses. 122. https://uknowledge.uky.edu/gradschool_theses/122 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at UKnowledge. It has been accepted for inclusion in University of Kentucky Master's Theses by an authorized administrator of UKnowledge. For more information, please contact [email protected]. ABSTRACT OF THESIS PRACTICE AND APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE BY NUTRITION STUDENTS Practice and knowledge of upper‐level human nutrition and dietetics students (juniors and seniors, n=96) attending a midwestern university were compared to their comprehension and application of the Scope of Dietetics Practice. The sample consisted of 96 students, primarily (72%) in the 21 – 23 age category; females made up 83% and males comprised the remaining 17% of the sample. In this sample, 70% of the participants reported dietetics as their current major, and 30% stated that their major was human nutrition. Overall, students majoring in human nutrition responded neutrally to the questions concerning comprehension, knowledge, and implementation of the Scope of Dietetics Practice, while participants majoring in dietetics reported better knowledge, comprehension, and implementation of the Scope of Dietetics Practice. However, students majoring in human nutrition reported increased use of nutrition information to diagnose others than were students studying dietetics. In general, participants responded to questions regarding their practice and application of nutrition knowledge to themselves and others as would be expected, though there were differences between the students studying human nutrition and those studying dietetics. KEY WORDS: college students, Scope of Dietetics Practice, dietetics, Code of Ethics, nutrition advice Jennifer Kristin Boyee May 3, 2011 PRACTICE AND APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE BY NUTRITION STUDENTS By Jennifer Kristin Boyee Hazel Forsythe, PhD, RD, LD Director of Thesis Hazel Forsythe, PhD, RD, LD Director of Graduate Studies May 3, 2011 Date RULES FOR THE USE OF THESIS Unpublished theses submitted for the Master’s degree and deposited in the University of Kentucky Library are as a rule open for inspection, but are to be used only with due regard to the rights of the authors. Bibliographical references may be noted, but quotations or summaries of parts may be published only with the permission of the author, and with the usual scholarly acknowledgments. Extensive copying or publication of the thesis in whole or in part also requires the consent of the Dean of the Graduate School of the University of Kentucky. A library that borrows this thesis for use by its patrons is expected to secure the signature of each user. Name Date _________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ THESIS Jennifer Kristin Boyee The Graduate School University of Kentucky 2011 PRACTICE AND APPLICATION OF KNOWELDGE BY NUTRITION STUDENTS _____________________________ THESIS ______________________________ A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Sciences College of Agriculture at the University of Kentucky By Jennifer Kristin Boyee Lexington, KY Director: Dr. Hazel Forsythe, RD, LD, Professor Lexington, Kentucky 2011 Copyright © Jennifer Kristin Boyee 2011 TABLE OF CONTENTS Table of Contents iii List of Tables iv List of Figures v List of Files vi Chapter 1: Introduction 1 Chapter 2: Literature Review 3 Weight Change in College Students 3 Collegiate Life, Stress, and Weight Gain 6 Nutrition Labeling and Personal Accountability 8 Scope of Dietetics Practice 11 Summary 13 Chapter 3: Methodology 14 Research Purpose 14 Research Questions 14 Methodology 15 Population and Sample Selection 15 Research Design 17 Data Collection 18 Measurements 18 Data Analysis 18 Chapter 4: Results 20 Demographics 20 Significant Correlations Regarding Scope of Dietetics Practice 23 Significant Correlations Involving Course of Study 36 Chapter 5: Discussion 46 Scope of Dietetics Practice Implications 46 Discussion 47 Course of Study Implications 53 Bias, Limitations, and Future Research 54 Final Conclusions 55 Appendices 57 Appendix A: Survey 57 Appendix B: Scope of Dietetics Practice Framework 72 Appendix C: IRB Approval Documentation 73 Appendix D: Statistical Analysis of Survey Results 74 References 246 Vita 251 iii LIST OF TABLES Table 1: Demographics 22 Table 2: Scope of Practice 38 Table 3 (Part A): Solicited Advice 39 Table 3 (Part B): Solicited Advice 40 Table 4 (Part A): Unsolicited Advice 42 Table 4 (Part B): Unsolicited Advice 43 iv LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: Scope of Dietetics Practice #1 25 Figure 2: Scope of Dietetics Practice #2 28 Figure 3: Scope of Dietetics Practice #3 30 Figure 4: Scope of Dietetics Practice #4 33 Figure 5: Scope of Dietetics Practice #5 36 Figure 6: Solicited Advice: Eat a high protein, low carbohydrate diet 41 Figure 7: Solicited Advice: Make smart food choices when eating away from home 41 Figure 8: Unsolicited Advice: Eat a high protein, low carbohydrate diet 44 Figure 9: Unsolicited Advice: Make smart food choices when eating away from home 44 Figure 10: Stressor: Relationship Ends 45 v LIST OF FILES 1. JBoyeeThesis.pdf 6MB vi Chapter 1: Introduction College years serve as a period of life changing decisions for many people across the United States. During this time, students make the majority of their choices without a great deal of outside influence – what to study, where to live, and what to eat, to name a few. Many students also struggle with their weight at some point during their years in college, even those studying nutrition. The American Dietetic Association states that registered dietitians (RD) are the nation’s food and nutrition experts, but how does this expertise mix with the demands of college life in students studying to become registered dietitians? The food service systems at universities and colleges are notorious for their calorically dense, nutritionally questionable food selections, as well as their encouragement of poor eating habits due to circumstances. As these foods contain high levels of calories and grams of fat, many university students experience weight gain during their freshman year of school. Studies have examined the validity of the “freshman fifteen” and one such study found that typical weight gain during the freshman year specifically averaged closer to about four pounds (Vella‐Zarb, RA., Elgar, FJ., 2009). While some people gain fifteen or more pounds during their freshman year, it does not trend as the norm. Though five pounds of weight gain may not concern the general public, an addition of five pounds per year over the course of four years at the university would result in a net gain of twenty pounds, which is cause for concern. In order to prepare nutrition students to become experts in their field, professors must relay to them the importance of maintaining a healthy 1 weight‐for‐height throughout all stages of their lives and work with their students to make healthy choices in difficulty scenarios, like a college dining facility. In addition to managing their own weight management, friends and family often ask for nutrition and health advice from nutrition students by the time the student reaches the upper level nutrition courses. At this level of academic preparation, family members, friends, and acquaintances often assume that the student studying nutrition has knowledge comparable to a dietitian. While students may have been studying nutrition topics for many years and are able to answer general inquiries, it is important for the general public to understand that students do not have the same knowledge base as a dietitian. To answer questions appropriately, students must know and identify with the American Dietetic Association’s Scope of Practice, as well as their course content. Students must possess the knowledge to live as a nutrition expert. The intent of this study is to examine how nutrition students utilize their knowledge in their daily lives by investigating their food‐related behavior and nutrition recommendations. By studying the practice and application of food‐related behaviors and attitudes of upper level nutrition students, educational methods and content will be identified to better prepare future experts in the field of nutrition, the registered dietitians. 2 Chapter 2: Literature Review Weight Change in College