Effect of Nutrition Information on the Lifestyles of Older Adults

• Activity Number: 423
• Type: Contributed
• Date/Time: Tuesday, July 31, 2012 : 2:00 PM to 3:50 PM
• Sponsor: Social Statistics Section
• Author(s): Natalia Frishman*+ and Mack Shelley and Doris Montgomery
• Companies: Iowa State University and Iowa State University and Iowa Department of Public Health
• Keywords: multiple regression ; structural equation modeling ; nutrition education

Abstract

The effect on health-related behaviors of an older adult nutrition education program, Chef Charles (CC), was studied with 2009 and 2011 survey data using multiple regression and structural equation models. The results of the 2009 dataset demonstrate that the program affected those respondents who read CC newsletters and participate in the CC nutrition education significantly more than it affected the respondents who did not participate in nutrition education but who read or had access to CC newsletters. Increasing age has a significant negative effect on subsequent health-related behaviors. The following health problems had positive effects on health-related behavior: heart condition, poor vision, diabetes, asthma, breathing problems, and overweight. The results of the 2011 dataset demonstrate that participation in the CC program significantly improves health-related behaviors. Increasing age significantly reduces participation in the CC program, and also reduces learning of the content of the materials provided by the program. Nutrition educators improve participation in the CC program and learning the materials provided by the program.