Book clubs as strategy for increasing nutrition knowledge among general population

Pilot study

  • María Teresa López-Díaz Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Faculty of Pharmacy, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain
  • Irene Romero Department of Characterization, Quality and Safety, Institute of Food Science, Technology and Nutrition, Spain
  • María Ángeles Martín Department of Metabolism and Nutrition, Institute of Food Science, Technology and Nutrition, Spain
  • María Teresa Sánchez-Ballesta Department of Characterization, Quality and Safety, Institute of Food Science, Technology and Nutrition, Spain
  • Joaquín Gómez-Estaca Department of Meat and Fishery Products, Institute of Food Science, Spain
  • David Álvarez-Cilleros Department of Metabolism and Nutrition, Institute of Food Science, Technology and Nutrition, Spain
  • Sonia Ramos Department of Metabolism and Nutrition, Institute of Food Science, Technology and Nutrition, Spain
  • Marta Mesias Department of Characterization, Quality and Safety, Institute of Food Science, Technology and Nutrition, Spain
  • Elena Peñas Department of Biotechnological Processes and Biotechnology, Institute of Food Science, Technology and Nutrition, Spain
  • Jara Pérez-Jiménez Department of Metabolism and Nutrition, Institute of Food Science, Technology and Nutrition, Spain
DOI: https://doi.org/10.20318/recs.2023.7211
Keywords: nutrition misbeliefs, food myths, scientific dissemination, food literacy, nutritional education

Abstract

Introduction: The spread of false news related to nutrition shows the need to provide general public validated information on food and health, inducing them to follow healthy dietary habits. Objective: To assess whether attendance to book clubs devoted to scientific disseminations books is a useful strategy for improving nutritional knowledge among the population. Methodology: 65 adults participated in a reading club, attending a research center once a month for 4 months to talk about informative scientific books on food/nutrition. The knowledge of the participants was monitored through a survey performed in all the sessions of the club. Results: Participants were mostly female with university studies. Attendance to the book clubs caused a significant increase (P < 0.05) in the number of correct answers on a questionnaire about common misbeliefs on the topics covered in the discussed books. Participants showed a high degree of satisfaction with the activity and willingness to read more scientific dissemination books, even when most of them were not previously usual readers. Conclusions: Book clubs based on popular science books and led by scientists with expertise in the field could increase nutritional knowledge among general population, which should be further explored in different socioeconomic contexts.

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Published
2023-06-13
How to Cite
López-Díaz, M. T., Romero, I., Martín, M. Ángeles, Sánchez-Ballesta, M. T., Gómez-Estaca, J., Álvarez-Cilleros, D., Ramos, S., Mesias, M., Peñas, E., & Pérez-Jiménez, J. (2023). Book clubs as strategy for increasing nutrition knowledge among general population: Pilot study. Revista Española De Comunicación En Salud , 14(1), 8-21. https://doi.org/10.20318/recs.2023.7211
Issue
Vol. 14 No. 1 (2023)
Section
Originals

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