Recipient Organization
UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS
(N/A)
FAYETTEVILLE,AR 72703
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
The objective of this project is to create and implement an evidence-based educational program that empowers Cooperative Extension agents, healthcare professionals, and community leaders to promote balanced dietary patterns. The program will focus on:Emphasizing the role of lean meats and protein in a healthy diet.Addressing obesity and chronic diseases.Dispelling nutritional misconceptions among diverse populations.Key components of the project include developing a comprehensive curriculum based on current scientific research, implementing training workshops and resources for target audience, and evaluating the program's effectiveness in improving knowledge and promoting behavior change. The project will utilize a multidisciplinary team of experts in nutrition, dietary protein, extension, and communication to design and deliver targeted educational initiatives, integrate information on lean protein and meats into healthy dietary patterns, and enhance understanding of the scientific basis for lean meat consumption in mitigating chronic disease risk. In the long-term, we expect to 1) increase knowledge among educators and community leaders, 2) improve public understanding of balanced diets and protein sources, 3) have a positive impact on dietary choices and health outcomes across communities.
Animal Health Component
100%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
100%
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
The long-term goal of this project is to enhance awareness and understanding of the role of dietary protein, especially lean meats such as pork, in diverse dietary patterns through a series of learning activities that engage Cooperative Extension agents, health professionals and community leaders. This goal is driven by several key factors: 1) the recognition that inadequate dietary habits are linked to adverse health outcomes like obesity and chronic diseases, impacting over 73% of adults in the United States who have overweight or obesity and nearly 40% facing two or more chronic diseases(Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025); 2) aligning with the core message of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025 (DGA), which emphasize the importance of a balanced diet incorporating a variety of lean protein sources, including lean meat, across the lifespan to ensure essential nutrient intake and overall well-being; 3) acknowledging that dietary patterns higher in protein have been associated with a reduction in risk factors for chronic diseases; 4) addressing the existence of multiple sets of recommendations for dietary protein intake, leading to confusion among many Americans(Gardner et al. 2019); and 5) overcoming misconceptions related to economics and the environment related to consumption of animal sources of protein.To achieve the long-term goal, it is important to engage key opinion leaders, educating them on the role of fresh lean meats such as pork in promotion of health and prevention of chronic disease across the lifespan. Therefore, this project aims to develop and implement a comprehensive educational program that equips Cooperative Extension agents, health professionals, and community leaders with the knowledge and tools to promote balanced dietary patterns emphasizing the role of lean meats in addressing obesity, chronic diseases, and nutritional misconceptions among diverse populations.Our proposed objectives for reaching the long-term goal include the following:Design, validate, and implement a comprehensive protein knowledge assessment tool that accurately measures understanding of dietary protein among Cooperative Extension agents, health professionals, and community leaders.Assess and analyze the current knowledge, perceptions, and educational needs regarding dietary protein (e.g., lean meats) among Cooperative Extension agents, health professionals, and community leaders.Create a comprehensive, user-friendly, multi-media educational toolkit for Extension agents, health professionals, and community leaders that enhances their understanding and ability to effectively communicate the role of dietary protein, including lean meats, in healthy dietary patterns across the lifespan.
Project Methods
Objective 1. Design, validate, and implement a comprehensive protein knowledge assessment tool that accurately measures understanding of dietary protein among Cooperative Extension agents, health professionals, and community leaders.Approach for Objective 1.There is a need for valid and reliable questionnaires that measure dietary protein knowledge that is feasible to implement with the key stakeholders such as cooperate extension agents, health professionals, community leaders, and the general population. The measures developed will be used to assess protein knowledge before and after delivery the dietary protein educational program outlined in objective 3. Assessing dietary protein knowledge will also inform the adaptation of the educational program for target audiences and will allow for evaluation of the effectiveness of the educational program. We will adapt methodology developed by Calloway et al(Calloway et al. 2022b, 2022a).Step 1: Literature review.The project DFEND research team will collaborate with a University of Arkansas librarian to scan academic and grey literature to identify existing measures of protein knowledge. Covidence software will be used to manage the search and for data extraction. Measures identified may include those that assess three constructs of protein knowledge: foundational knowledge, critical thinking, and interactive/motivation to apply knowledge to everyday life. Identified measures will be adapted to protein knowledge survey(Boateng et al. 2018; Calloway et al. 2022b).Step 2: Expert review. Once the literature review is complete with the item pool, the DFEND research team will convene a panel of subject-matter experts on nutrition and physical activity literacy. The expert panel will review the preliminary item pool and help prioritize, modify, and/or remove items.Step 3: Cognitive interviews.After expert review and incorporation of item modifications, cognitive interviews or a focus group with participants similar to the target population will be conducted. The research team will facilitate recruitment and scheduling of interviews/focus group. Recruitment may occur through partnerships with cooperative extension offices across Arkansas. The two potential approaches to get target population input are outlined as follows: 1)Cognitive interviews: At least two iterative rounds of cognitive interviews will be conducted, wherein individuals will be walked through the items using a "think aloud" approach. This approach will explore how individuals interpret items and identify ways to improve clarity. A total of 10-15 interviews will be conducted, in two to three iterative sets of 3-8 interviews. Interviews may be conducted over Zoom or in-person. As the interviewer leads the interviewee through the survey, they will discuss interpretations of terms and phrasing and try to identify potential issues with misinterpretation. They will then discuss modifications. Also, they will identify higher and lower priority items, wording preferences, and needed examples; and 2)Focus group: A total of 8-12 adults similar to the target population will be invited to participate in a 60-minute focus group conducted in-person or over Zoom. A moderator will lead the participants through the survey, they will discuss interpretations of terms and phrasing and try to identify potential issues with misinterpretation. They will then discuss modifications. Also, they will identify higher and lower priority items, wording preferences, and needed examples. Cognitive interviews are strongly recommended as part of an overall strategy for testing and evaluating surveys and helping to ensure the reliability and validity of survey instruments. Cognitive interviewing uses semi-structured interviewing techniques with both direct and indirect probing of cognitive interview respondents, following a specially-developed interview guide broadly based in the cognitive aspects of survey methodology, to identify areas of possible confusion, ambiguity, or other difficulty in the questions, response choices, format, and/or other aspect of the questionnaire, reducing the possibility of measurement error(Willis and Core 2005; Schwarz 2007).Step 4: Pilot testing.Once modified the questions will be included in a pilot survey. The pilot survey will include demographic questions, the modified question pool, and scales/items needed for the validation process. The pilot survey will be administered to a diverse sample of individuals across the United States using Qualtrics with a goal of yielding 300 complete surveys.Step 5: Psychometric analysis. The project team will conduct the psychometric analyses of pilot survey data, and GSCN researchers can provide guidance on running/interpreting the analyses. Item Response Theory and Classical Test Theory approaches will be used to assess item difficulty, item discrimination, factor structure, test bias, differential item functioning, internal consistency, and convergent and discriminant validity. Following this testing, items that do not perform well will be removed and scales will be developed to score the desired latent traits.Step 6:Build dietary protein knowledge assessment survey. Based on the outcomes of Steps 1-5, the dietary protein knowledge assessment survey will be finalized to collect information related to dietary protein intake practices, protein intake in current dietary patterns, understanding of the role of protein in the diet, perceived barriers to consuming protein, and understanding of the science around dietary protein and health. In thefirst sectionof the survey, participant demographicsincluding age, sex, race, ethnicity, household income, and state and county of residence will be collected. In thefinal sectionof the survey, a comprehensive dietary protein knowledge assessment tool.Evaluation Plan.Objective 1 will be evaluated based on number of surveys distributed, number of participants taking the survey, number of surveys completed, and number of publications and presentations produced and disseminated.