Intervention: Nutrition Education and Nutrition Counseling
Nutrition Education
To implement nutrition interventions and self-management, clients need knowledge and skills. Nutrition education begins in a series of initial encounters with the registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN), which should be followed by ongoing nutrition education and counseling. Initial encoun- ters often focus on nutrition education in basic food, eating, and physical activity (PA) skills that have been prioritized by the RDN and the individual client. In-depth information and additional skills and topics may be added as nutrition education progresses. The possible topics are numerous and vary according to the individual’s characteristics, needs, and desires. Outcomes must be identified and the effective- ness of nutrition interventions continually evaluated. To help RDNs identify potential nutrition education top-
ics, the following sections outline specific medical nutrition therapy (MNT) recommendations related to food and nutri- ents from the evidence-based nutrition practice guidelines (EBNPG). If recommendations are not from Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics EBNPG, the source is noted. Definitions of the ratings that follow each recommenda-
tion are listed on page xii. Other abbreviations are listed on pages ix–xi.