LO 7

Question 1

Describe diversity in Canada

Answer 1

1. North America is more culturally diverse today than ever
2. Health care professionals must offer culturally sensitive interventions
3. Dental hygienists must consider culture and socioeconomic status when providing nutritional counselling

Question 2

What are the social determinants of health?

Answer 2

1. Neighbourhood and physical environment
2. Health and healthcare
3. Social community context
4. Education
5. Economic stability

Question 3

Describe culture, cultural competence, and cultural awareness

Answer 3

1. Culture- A set of guidelines that one can inherit as a member of a particular group or society, influences the way one perceives the world
2. Cultural Competence - Knowledge & awareness of another person’s culture to better individually adapt interventions and approaches to healthcare
3. Cultural Awareness - the process of self-reflection of one’s own culture and its potential influence on one’s ways of thought and behaviour

Question 4

Describe the relationship between culture, health, and nutrition

Answer 4

1. Eating patterns and habits vary among different nations & religions
2. Frequency of meals, types of foods, restrictions, preferences, availability
3. Cultural food patterns contributed to survival of the group in their native environment
4. Naturally occurring foods, what is abundant, readily accessible
5. Diets & food patterns work for individuals in their respective nations
6. Problems arise due to economic faults in Canada
7. Local healthy cuisine, native fruits/vegetables may be unavailable due to climate
8. Cost & availability of traditional foods impact new immigrants’ ability to maintain nutritional health
9. When a food source is abundant, it is usually cheaper

Question 5

Our diets have become more diverse because of __________

Answer 5

1. Transportation
2. Advertising
3. Changes in distribution
4. Appreciation for one another’s heritage

Question 6

Food has become associated with ___________

Answer 6

1. Religions
2. Symbols
3. Comfort
4. Rewards
5. Punishments

*Respect that our clients may have similar or very different relationships with food than you have

Question 7

Describe the relationship between religion and nutrition

Answer 7

1. Religion may affect eating patterns by attaching symbolic meaning to food and drink
2. This may affect:
   
   1. Which foods may be consumed (Vegan/Vegetarian)
   2. When foods can be consumed (Fasting/Holidays)
   3. How foods are processed (Kosher)
   4. How foods are purchased or obtained (by trade/barter, cash, garden?)

Question 8

Describe socioeconomic effects on nutrition

Answer 8

1. Cultural food patterns establish the foundation for a child’s lifelong eating patterns
2. Think of what you eat now, what your parents or guardians ate growing up?
3. Difficult to change, deeply rooted in the psyche
4. Eating patterns, times, frequency and number of meals per day, attitudes towards food and eating are established early
5. Rising cost of food prices (food is too expensive)
6. Low household income (not enough money to buy healthy foods)
7. Education (not knowing which foods should be consumed)

Question 9

How can foods and food practices be categorized?

Answer 9

1. Beneficial - Promotes health by contributing necessary nutrients
2. Neutral - Neither beneficial or harmful
3. Harmful - Customs affecting the nutritional content of food can be harmful; Eg. Cooking veggies, water-soluble vitamins are destroyed by heat; Processed foods;Pop, juices
4. Aim is to alter harmful food practices and promote evidence-based ways to satisfy nutritional requirements

Question 10

How can a DH encourage change?1

Answer 10

1. Suggest minimal alterations in the client’s normal patterns
2. Give options
3. Suggest portion control rather than eliminating cultural foods completely
4. Be mindful of food fads & nutrition misinformation

Question 11

How can a DH promote adequate nutrition while respecting diversity?

Answer 11

1. Encourage a variety of nutrient-dense fruits & vegetables
2. Recommend protein alternatives for clients with restrictions on consumption of animal products
3. Consider frequency of meals for clients who implement fasting
4. Practice respectful & open communication when delivering nutritional recommendations
5. Consider a holistic approach to nutrition (oral and overall health & wellbeing)

Question 12

How can a DH promote adequate nutrition while respecting food budgets?

Answer 12

1. Encourage grocery lists to stay on track
2. Shop sales or weekly specials
3. “no name”
4. Read nutrition labels - allows you to get best nutritional bang for buck
5. Eat leftovers
6. Limit processed foods

Question 13

What should you remember when talking to clients about diet?

Answer 13

1. Accents or lack of proficiency in English is not indicative of intelligence
2. People are sensitive to their own preferences
3. Your way isn’t necessarily the right way
4. Some people may not be able to adapt to our way of eating due to cultural or religious reasons
5. Teach your clients how to read labels
6. Provide resources Canada’s Dietary Guidelines, or referral to respective professionals if out of your scope of practice (Dietitian, family doctor, etc)

Question 14

People from different cultures, nations and religions have their own _________. There is no one size fits all

Answer 14

’food guides’