A short-term impact assessment of a pilot nutrition education intervention promoting the Mediterranean diet among a group of healthy Maltese adults

Abstract

This research planned to encourage and enable self-selected motivated participants (N=60) to adopt healthier habits in order to improve their overall health and well-being. This was mainly accomplished through the implementation of a nutrition education intervention involving group sessions and utilising the Mediterranean diet as a health promoting and disease prevention education tool. The ultimate aim was to influence dietary intake and physiological outcome through a positive change in nutritional knowledge, attitudes, behaviours and skills. This research used the PRECEDE-PROCEED framework for planning and evaluation and followed an embedded experimental design which integrated qualitative and quantitative data collection at baseline and at the end of the intervention. Moreover, health behaviour change theories were used to help identify, understand and modify the influencing factors leading to the 'less healthful' behaviours. Intervention activities dealt with promoting positive healthful behaviours, overcoming barriers and coping strategies for maintaining positive behavioural change. Participants participated in three sessions comprising of discussions, group work, sensory analysis and critical thinking. They were provided with printed informative material, a helpline and free food gifts. This methodological approach tested the short-term impact of the nutrition education intervention highlighting the Mediterranean dietary pattern among a group of healthy Maltese adults (experimental group) receiving the educational intervention as compared to another similar group not receiving the educational intervention (control group) and its effects on: anthropometric profile, knowledge, attitudes and behaviours in relation to food intake and physical activity. The results show that the nutrition education intervention based on the Mediterranean diet, together with theory-based educational strategies contributed to bring about positive knowledge, attitude and behaviour changes in the experimental group participants with regards to healthy eating and to a lesser extent physical activity. This concludes that education about the Mediterranean diet is effective to promote health by equipping individuals with the skills, abilities and self-efficacy to act on their motivation, take charge over their actions and thus change their health behaviours. Based on such findings specific recommendations proposed the rising need for similar studies which would ultimately help to protect against a variety of health problems in Maltese adults, thus reducing the burden of the occurrences and high costs of non communicable diseases.