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Connecting to Our Clients
From SNE Connecting to Our Clients Arguably one of the biggest challenges we all face—regardless of who our ‘‘clients’’ are—is understanding how to connect so our messages and guidance result in action. Whether we work with new moms, families, the food and beverage industry, low-income and culturally diverse populations, school children, high school or college graduates, the elderly, or policymakers, finding the best way to engage our audience that will result in change is key to success but not always easy. This Journal is packed with insights and tips to help us all work with our clients, at their level, to promote change. In their work with low-income African American women, Lynch and Holmes found that using more familiar and culturally acceptable food group categories instead of those in MyPyramid can lead to greater understanding of key nutrition messages.1 Mouttapa et al found that an on-line personal planner tool geared to female university staff resulted
in weight loss and improved dairy intake.2 Several articles point to the need for engagement and education about purchasing and preparing healthy meals so moms of all income levels and different cultures can feel confident in their abilities. Even within households, especially immigrant families, generational differences call for greater understanding of food habits and preferences to better target approaches. And fathers play a key role in eating habits and practices of kids – especially when it comes to fast food and full service restaurant outings. It is clear from the sampling of articles in this journal – one size does not fit all and we must know our clients and customers before we can expect to help them in their efforts to lead healthier lives. Turn the page to find out how you can continue to enhance and strengthen your skills to be a better messenger.
In addition to the excellent research and findings inside this issue, don’t forget to come to SNE’s Annual Meeting coming up in July in Kansas City— another great way to connect, learn, share, and network. Hope to see you in Kansas City!
Tracy Fox, MPH, RD 2010-2011 SNE President
REFERENCES 1. Lynch EB, Holmes S. Food group categories of low-income African American women. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2011;43:157-164. 2. Mouttaba M, Robertson TP, McEligot AJ, et al. The Personal Nutrition Planner: a 5-week, computertailored intervention for women. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2011;43:165-172.
From JNEB The Open-Ended Question Focus groups are: A. easy to conduct; B. good to use when you can’t recruit many subjects; C. provide quantitative results. Maybe I should add D. none of the above. Well-conducted focus groups require the same level of pre-planning that quantitative survey research does. You still need to have a reason for the number of subjects recruited and an analysis strategy. Qualitative research is a world that many of us dip our toes into from time to time. It lets us explore the openended questions of our research, and provides a better understanding of our audience. Kolopaking et al1 explore the factors involved in mothers’ selfefficacy in providing food for their families in Indonesia. How would you describe your financial scheme? Who will help you in the hardship of daily life? How would you yourself answer these questions? It is difficult. It requires more that a multiple-choice response to fully understand
the underlying thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors. Another qualitative study in this issue by Fulkerson et al2 describes the perceived barriers to family meals. The researchers built their questions from results of their previous work,3 which exemplifies the careful methodology in focus group script development that is optimal in sequentially asking and answering research questions. Each year JNEB provides a workshop at annual conference. This year’s theme will be qualitative research: reviewing and publishing. We hope many of our experienced researchers will attend to provide direction and input, and that many of us who dip their toes in this arena will come to learn. There is sure to be an open-ended question on our evaluation, and we’ll look forward to your feedback.
Karen Chapman-Novakofski PhD, RD, LDN Editor-in-Chief
REFERENCES 1. Kolopaking R, Bardosono S, Fahmida U. Maternal self-efficacy in the home food environment: a qualitative study among low-income mothers of nutritionally at-risk children in an urban area of Jakarta, Indonesia. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2011;43: 180-188. 2. Fulkerson JA, Kubik MY, Rydell S, Boutelle KN, Garwick A, Story M, Neumark-Sztainer D, Dudovitz B. Focus groups with working parents of school-aged children: what’s needed to improve family meals? J Nutr Educ Behav. 2011;43:189-193. 3. Fulkerson JA, Story M, NeumarkSztainer D, Rydell S. Family meals: perceptions of benefits and challenges among parents of 8- to 10-year-old children. J Am Diet Assoc. 2008;108:706709.
in weight loss and improved dairy intake.2 Several articles point to the need for engagement and education about purchasing and preparing healthy meals so moms of all income levels and different cultures can feel confident in their abilities. Even within households, especially immigrant families, generational differences call for greater understanding of food habits and preferences to better target approaches. And fathers play a key role in eating habits and practices of kids – especially when it comes to fast food and full service restaurant outings. It is clear from the sampling of articles in this journal – one size does not fit all and we must know our clients and customers before we can expect to help them in their efforts to lead healthier lives. Turn the page to find out how you can continue to enhance and strengthen your skills to be a better messenger.
In addition to the excellent research and findings inside this issue, don’t forget to come to SNE’s Annual Meeting coming up in July in Kansas City— another great way to connect, learn, share, and network. Hope to see you in Kansas City!
Tracy Fox, MPH, RD 2010-2011 SNE President
REFERENCES 1. Lynch EB, Holmes S. Food group categories of low-income African American women. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2011;43:157-164. 2. Mouttaba M, Robertson TP, McEligot AJ, et al. The Personal Nutrition Planner: a 5-week, computertailored intervention for women. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2011;43:165-172.
From JNEB The Open-Ended Question Focus groups are: A. easy to conduct; B. good to use when you can’t recruit many subjects; C. provide quantitative results. Maybe I should add D. none of the above. Well-conducted focus groups require the same level of pre-planning that quantitative survey research does. You still need to have a reason for the number of subjects recruited and an analysis strategy. Qualitative research is a world that many of us dip our toes into from time to time. It lets us explore the openended questions of our research, and provides a better understanding of our audience. Kolopaking et al1 explore the factors involved in mothers’ selfefficacy in providing food for their families in Indonesia. How would you describe your financial scheme? Who will help you in the hardship of daily life? How would you yourself answer these questions? It is difficult. It requires more that a multiple-choice response to fully understand
the underlying thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors. Another qualitative study in this issue by Fulkerson et al2 describes the perceived barriers to family meals. The researchers built their questions from results of their previous work,3 which exemplifies the careful methodology in focus group script development that is optimal in sequentially asking and answering research questions. Each year JNEB provides a workshop at annual conference. This year’s theme will be qualitative research: reviewing and publishing. We hope many of our experienced researchers will attend to provide direction and input, and that many of us who dip their toes in this arena will come to learn. There is sure to be an open-ended question on our evaluation, and we’ll look forward to your feedback.
Karen Chapman-Novakofski PhD, RD, LDN Editor-in-Chief
REFERENCES 1. Kolopaking R, Bardosono S, Fahmida U. Maternal self-efficacy in the home food environment: a qualitative study among low-income mothers of nutritionally at-risk children in an urban area of Jakarta, Indonesia. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2011;43: 180-188. 2. Fulkerson JA, Kubik MY, Rydell S, Boutelle KN, Garwick A, Story M, Neumark-Sztainer D, Dudovitz B. Focus groups with working parents of school-aged children: what’s needed to improve family meals? J Nutr Educ Behav. 2011;43:189-193. 3. Fulkerson JA, Story M, NeumarkSztainer D, Rydell S. Family meals: perceptions of benefits and challenges among parents of 8- to 10-year-old children. J Am Diet Assoc. 2008;108:706709.