Nutrition Knowledge, Attitude, Dietary Behavior, and Commitment to Nutrition Education of Nutrition Educators

The nutrition knowledge, food/nutrition attitude, dietary behavior, and commitment to nutrition education of nutrition educators were assessed. Nutrition educators were de fined as those individuals, by virtue of baccalaureate level training, who are often responsible for, or expected to take part in, teaching nutrition. The population was comprised of six groups of individuals who earned baccalaureate degrees in nutrition, home economics, nursing, elementary education, health and physical education, and/or individuals in any other field of study. Data were collected by means of a mailed questionnaire. Results indicate that nutrition knowledge is positively correlated with both food/nutrition attitude and commitment to nutrition education. Also, food/nutrition attitude is positively correlated with dietary behavior and commitment to nutrition education. In addition, enrollment in home economics courses at the secondary level of school correlated positively with food/nutrition attitude, knowledge, and commitment. Knowledge was not significantly correlated with commitment. These data suggest that interrelationships among nutrition knowledge, food/nutrition attitude, dietary behavior, and commitment to nutrition education for nutrition educators as well as the general population warrant further study because this may aid in the improvement of nutrition education efforts. 1982 American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences