At the community level finding solution to nutritional
problems should be the concern of the community health educators and the entire
community (Oyejola, 1988). The community health educators ensure that a
nutrition program is organized. A nutrition program is design to find solution
to nutritional problems. It should be a carefully planned and organized program.
In order to achieve this, the community health educators seeks the co-operation
of the local government of the community to form a committee development
committee (Pyke,1979). This is with a view to improving the nutrition of the
members of the community.
problems should be the concern of the community health educators and the entire
community (Oyejola, 1988). The community health educators ensure that a
nutrition program is organized. A nutrition program is design to find solution
to nutritional problems. It should be a carefully planned and organized program.
In order to achieve this, the community health educators seeks the co-operation
of the local government of the community to form a committee development
committee (Pyke,1979). This is with a view to improving the nutrition of the
members of the community.
The committee must be aware of the community diagnosis
of malnutrition and how much malnutrition there is in community. This is
achieved by forming a survey team to access the nutritional status of the
community. The committee should think of ways to solve the nutritional problems
identified in the community (Ricketts, 1983).This is or can be achieved by
organizing a nutrition program which will include nutrition education,
conference, workshops and seminars.
of malnutrition and how much malnutrition there is in community. This is
achieved by forming a survey team to access the nutritional status of the
community. The committee should think of ways to solve the nutritional problems
identified in the community (Ricketts, 1983).This is or can be achieved by
organizing a nutrition program which will include nutrition education,
conference, workshops and seminars.
(1) Nutrition education
Krause and Mahan (1970) note that all people
regardless of their level of education, social or economic status or geographic
location need nutrition education. This is because man has no instinct nor does
he inherit knowledge that will guide him to choose foods that meet his
nutritional needs. Hence a lot of people in our community are ignorant of the
functions of food. To them food is just to satisfy hunger and a full belly is
all that is needed to promote and maintain good health. They are ignorant of
people in the home. They are ignorant of how food should be handles and
combined to have balance diet for the family.
regardless of their level of education, social or economic status or geographic
location need nutrition education. This is because man has no instinct nor does
he inherit knowledge that will guide him to choose foods that meet his
nutritional needs. Hence a lot of people in our community are ignorant of the
functions of food. To them food is just to satisfy hunger and a full belly is
all that is needed to promote and maintain good health. They are ignorant of
people in the home. They are ignorant of how food should be handles and
combined to have balance diet for the family.
Therefore nutrition education should be taught in
schools, clinic/hospitals, adult literacy classes, and village meetings. This
is to educate the people to understand how to select and handle food to meet
the nutritional needs of different groups of persons in the family (Pyke,1988).
schools, clinic/hospitals, adult literacy classes, and village meetings. This
is to educate the people to understand how to select and handle food to meet
the nutritional needs of different groups of persons in the family (Pyke,1988).
Needless to emphasize the importance of nutrition
education to mothers who attend clinics/hospitals, King (1972) note that many
children are cured of their malnutrition in hospital but become malnourished
again and dies when they go home because their mother have not been taught how
to feed them well enough to prevent malnutrition from happening again.
education to mothers who attend clinics/hospitals, King (1972) note that many
children are cured of their malnutrition in hospital but become malnourished
again and dies when they go home because their mother have not been taught how
to feed them well enough to prevent malnutrition from happening again.
The nutrition education program should include leaving
experiences such as:
experiences such as:
i.
Different classes of foods
ii.
Functions of foods
iii.
The essential nutrients
iv.
Shopping
v.
Meal planning
vi.
Food preparation
vii.
Causes of nutrition
viii.
Practical solution to malnutritional
problems
Practical solution to malnutritional
problems
ix.
Breast feeding
x.
Dangers of artificial feeding.
Besides there should be nutrition program in
television and radio posters and pamphlets should be distributed to member of
the community.
television and radio posters and pamphlets should be distributed to member of
the community.
(2) Nutrition
conference/workshop/seminar
conference/workshop/seminar
The community health educator with the assistance of
other members of the community development committee should organize nutrition
conference/workshop/seminar to educate the community on how to improve
nutrition in the community (Townsend, 1980).
other members of the community development committee should organize nutrition
conference/workshop/seminar to educate the community on how to improve
nutrition in the community (Townsend, 1980).
They should educate them on practical measures of how
to improve food production, distribution, processing and storage.
to improve food production, distribution, processing and storage.
1)
Food
distribution.
Food
distribution.
The community should be educated on how to improve on
food distribution from place where there is excess food to a place where there
is scarcity of food.
food distribution from place where there is excess food to a place where there
is scarcity of food.
2)
Food processing
Food processing
The community health education should educate the
participants on better methods of food preservation to save cost during
scarcity.
participants on better methods of food preservation to save cost during
scarcity.
3) Food storage
There are lots of insect, rats and other pests which
invade our crops, thus not all the food produced in the community is consumed by
members. The committee should educate the participants on measures to correct
this situation. They should be encourage and taught among others on how to
control insects by use of insecticides.
invade our crops, thus not all the food produced in the community is consumed by
members. The committee should educate the participants on measures to correct
this situation. They should be encourage and taught among others on how to
control insects by use of insecticides.
Barriers that hinder effective health education on the
rate of malnourished children from teenage mothers. The following are the
barriers that hinder effective health education on the rate of malnourished
children from teenage mothers.
rate of malnourished children from teenage mothers. The following are the
barriers that hinder effective health education on the rate of malnourished
children from teenage mothers.
i.
Higher poverty rate, which can make
it difficult for participants to pay for services or programs.
Higher poverty rate, which can make
it difficult for participants to pay for services or programs.
ii.
Cultural and social norms
surrounding health behaviours.
Cultural and social norms
surrounding health behaviours.
iii.
Low health literacy levels and
incomplete perceptions of health.
Low health literacy levels and
incomplete perceptions of health.
iv.
Limited affordable, reliable or
public transportation options.
Limited affordable, reliable or
public transportation options.
v.
Availability of resources to support
personnel, use of facilities and effective program operation.
Availability of resources to support
personnel, use of facilities and effective program operation.
vi.
Lack of access to healthy foods and
physical activity options.
Lack of access to healthy foods and
physical activity options.
It can also be lack of finance, lack of interest by
relevant others, and needs for appropriate programs training and patient
receptivity (Stanton, 1996). The barriers of interest and needs were related to
a lack of written policies in some areas, but not directly to levels of other
health promotion activities being conducted in the hospitals.
relevant others, and needs for appropriate programs training and patient
receptivity (Stanton, 1996). The barriers of interest and needs were related to
a lack of written policies in some areas, but not directly to levels of other
health promotion activities being conducted in the hospitals.