EXAMINING HEALTH PROMOTION AND NUTRITIONAL EDUCATION COMBAT AILMENTS NURSING part 1

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The prevalence of nutrition related ailments like obesity and cardiovascular disease has increased among health care consumers for almost a decade (Park et al., 2010). Most of these diseases normally affect the quality of the patient’s life in a manner that makes them less productive for the rest of their life (Park et al., 2018). The prevention of dietary related ailment involves modification of one’s way of life through changes in choice of food. However, patients that are affected tend not to adhere to the dietary advice in most developed countries (Graham et al., 2017). In some cases, patients that are suffering from ill-health due to poor dietary control often lack sufficient knowledge about the diet they are required to eat and are not getting accurate nutrition education from nurses and other health care workers (WaÅ›kiewicz et al., 2018).

Health promotion as stated by Cookes (1995) helps to curtail the expenses of the health care system. Warber et al. (2000) go further and declare that the rapid rise in the health care quality should not be attributed to the expensive technical know- how, but to the easy access of patients to their health care practitioners and prevention of disease through thorough promotion of health. Hu et al. (1997) and Schaller and James (2015) have recalled that the role of nutrition in promoting the health of the public, prevention of ailment and in the management of non-communicable diseases is well documented.

Nutrition is considered to be the bedrock of wellbeing and prevention of ill health in the society (Schneeman, 1996). It is also referred to as the key condition for proper growth, infection control, and attainment of quality life (Teko, 1999). It was recommended by Wynder and

Andres (1994) that as nutrition is the key to the health of the populace; it is of paramount importance for all health care providers to understand how dietary intake could have impact on people’s well being. Hunt (1995) suggested that nutrition psychotherapy should be a fundamental component of health care tradition, as it has been shown that educating patients on different aspects of nutrition is a means of reducing the cost of the management of ill-health as well as engaging in the promotion of good health.

Knowledge of nutrition is cited as a fundamental component of nursing educational curriculum, and is usually incorporated into their school programmes (La Trobe University, 2003). Schaller and James (2005) claimed that the majority of nurses that are still in school are tutored about clinical nutrition from the perspective of health in general; that is health promotion and prevention. Schaller and James, (2005) believe that being aware of the essential dietary components is one of the most crucial training student nurses should undergo. However, it has been reported by Harminder and Slhgh, (2006) that nurses have inadequate knowledge of nutrition and are not concerned about evaluating patients’ nutritional status. The idea of training nurses in nutrition is supported by the registered body in charge of the diet of patient in the United States American Dietetic Association (1998), and the Dietetic Association (1994) in the United Kingdom (UK). In ad