EXAM 1: Introduction To Community Nutrition Flashcards
What does community mean?
- A grouping of individuals who reside in a specific locality* and who interact and connect through a definite social structure to fulfill a wide range of daily needs
- A subgroup of the population according to race/ethnicity, age, gender, or social class (demographic)
Examples of community:
Where you live, age or gender, where you work, health risk of disease, where you go to school, values/religion, cyber connections
What is community nutrition
Community nutrition strives to prevent disease and try to improve the health, nutrition and well-being of individuals and groups within communities
What is policy?
The plan of action decided upon by public authorities
Sound public health policy comes from the input of researchers, community nutritionists and people in cooperation with lawmakers and other public officials
What is the purpose of policy
To come up with strategies to solve public problems
What are nutrition programs
Tools used to implement public policy
Used to initiate behavior change
Major overarching goals of community
- Health Promotion
- Disease Prevention
- Disease Management
What is health promotion
“ The process of enabling people to achieve their maximum potential for good health.”
Focus on changing human behavior for optimal health
When does health promotion happen?
All stages of the disease continuum
Public health is….
“The science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals”
What is the skill set of a community nutritionist
- knowledge of how to write grant applications
- familiarity with budget development, justification and management skills
- knowledge of how to facilitate health system
What happens with community nutrition as the population grows
We have to DO MORE with LESS resources
Characteristics of a community nutritionist
Flexible
Innovative
Versatile
Focused on recognizing opportunities for improving the lives and nutrition status of those around us
What is the skill set of a community nutritionist (dont memorize just understanding)
- Basic understanding of epidemiology and surveillance of health conditions such as diabetes, including the origin and availability of data sets
- knowledge of how to influence policy development
- ability to do an evaluation that will drive program changes
- knowledge of how to effect change by developing broad-based community partnerships
