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Relationship Between the Level of Nutrition Education and

Opinions Regarding Elective Gluten-Free Diets


Meghan Smith, Amanda Tome, MS, NDTR, Ericha Grace, MS, NDTR, Amir Golmohamadi, PhD, and Margo Loggia
Department of Nutrition, West Chester University of Pennsylvania, West Chester, PA 19383

INTRODUCTION: OBJECTIVE/HYPOTHESIS: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION:


Gluten-free diets (GFD) and related disorders have become increasingly prevalent The purpose of this study was to examine if there is a correlation between the level of  A small, but non-significant, positive correlation (r=0.158; p = 0.053) between the
among our population (Hyun-seok et al., 2016). Existing literature reveals that despite an number of nutrition courses and opinions on elective GFDs was found.
nutrition education and opinions towards EGFD. It is hypothesized that support of
increase in the prevalence of GFD, there is limited evidence regarding the opinions and EGFD will have an inverse relationship with the number of nutrition courses taken.  The greatest proportion (83.3%) of participants disapproving of EGFD have taken
attitudes regarding a GFD outside of a celiac disease diagnosis. The present study will 15 or more nutrition courses (Figure 3).
help provide insight to nutrition and health professionals, and guide future research.  Most participants obtained information about GFDs from multiple sources.
Nutrition courses (51%) and the internet (49%) are the largest contributors.
Figure 2. Overall disapproval of EGFD Figure 3. Disapproval of EGFD based on number of
 The time constraints of only having one semester to develop, administer, and
METHODOLOGY: nutrition courses taken
analyze the study’s data limited the availability of the survey to only 8 days.
RESEARCH DESIGN  There was an uneven distribution of data; only 20 out of 150 respondents were
46.2%
 The study was a cross-sectional design that used a survey to evaluate a relationship faculty members, 22 out of 150 respondents had taken 11 or more nutrition
between level of nutrition education and opinion of elective gluten-free diets (EGFD). 83.3% courses, and most of those surveyed had taken 1 or no nutrition courses (Figure 4).
The level of nutrition education was measured by number of nutrition courses taken 30.0%
(independent variable) correlated with responses to survey questions to determine 50.0% Figure 5. Participants Department Affiliation
opinions of EGFD (dependent variable). A total of 150 participants (20 faculty
45 42.1
members, 130 students) fully completed the survey. 52.7% Students
40
POPULATION & RECRUITMENT 50.0% 35 32.6 Faculty

Frequency (%)
 Survey distributed via email to all students and faculty members from the College of 17.3% 53.8% 30
Health Sciences at West Chester University of Pennsylvania 25 21.1 21.1
42.9% 20 17.8 17.1
MEASUREMENTS 15 12.4 12.4
10.5
 Qualtrics Survey containing 17 questions assessed nutrition knowledge, opinions on Disagree No Opinion Agree 0 1 2-5 6-10 11-14 15 or more 10 5.4
gluten-free diets, and basic demographics 5 0 0
 Majority of respondents took 7-14 minutes to complete the survey Figure 4. Number of Nutrition Courses Taken by Participants 0
Nutrition Nursing Health Kinesiology Comm. Sci. Sports Med.
45 Department
40
40 36.2
Table 1. Participant Demographics Figure 1. Age Range of Participants
Frequency (%)

35
Characteristics Percent (%) 70
CONCLUSION:
30 26.2
Frequency (%)

60 57.4 25  A small, but non-significant, correlation was found between nutrition education
Gender 25
Female 84.7 50 20 Students and opinions of EGFD.
40 20 16.9
Male 14.7 Faculty
30 15
10 10  Future research should include a larger sample size and increased inclusion of
Ethnicity 20 16.9 12.2 10 7.7
8.1 5.4 5 faculty and post-graduate students.
Caucasian/White 91.3 10 5 3.1
African American 4.0 0 0
Hispanic 2.0 0 References:
18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-65
Asian/Pacific Islander 1.3
Age (years)
0 1 2-5 6 - 10 11 - 14 15 or more Hyun-seok, K., Patel, K. G., Orosz, E., Kothari, N., Demyen, M. F., Pyrsopoulos, N., & ... Kim, H. (2016). Time Trends in the Prevalence of
Celiac Disease and Gluten-Free Diet in the US Population: Results From the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys
Number of Nutrition Courses 2009-2014. JAMA Internal Medicine, 176(11), 1716-1717. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2016.5254

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