Abstract
Objective: The goal of the present study was to examine relationships among several predictors of nutrition comprehension. We were particularly interested in exploring whether nutrition knowledge or motivation moderated the effects of attention on comprehension across a wide age range of adults. Methods: Ninety-three participants, ages 18-80, completed measures of nutrition knowledge and motivation and then read nutrition information (from which attention allocation was derived) and answered comprehension questions. Results: In general, predictor variables were highly intercorrelated. However, knowledge, but not motivation, had direct effects on comprehension accuracy. In contrast, motivation influenced attention, which in turn influenced accuracy. Results also showed that comprehension accuracy decreased-and knowledge increased-with age. When knowledge was statistically controlled, age declines in comprehension increased. Conclusion: Knowledge is an important predictor of nutrition information comprehension and its role increases in later life. Motivation is also important; however, its effects on comprehension differ from knowledge. Practice implications: Health educators and clinicians should consider cognitive skills such as knowledge as well as motivation and age of patients when deciding how to best convey health information. The increased role of knowledge among older adults suggests that lifelong educational efforts may have important payoffs in later life.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 107-112 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Patient Education and Counseling |
| Volume | 80 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jul 1 2010 |
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Keywords
- Aging
- Comprehension
- Health information
- Health literacy
- Nutrition
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Medicine(all)
Cite this
Predictors of nutrition information comprehension in adulthood. / Miller, Lisa M.Soederberg; Gibson, Tanja N.; Applegate, Elizabeth A.
In: Patient Education and Counseling, Vol. 80, No. 1, 01.07.2010, p. 107-112.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Predictors of nutrition information comprehension in adulthood
AU - Miller, Lisa M.Soederberg
AU - Gibson, Tanja N.
AU - Applegate, Elizabeth A.
PY - 2010/7/1
Y1 - 2010/7/1
N2 - Objective: The goal of the present study was to examine relationships among several predictors of nutrition comprehension. We were particularly interested in exploring whether nutrition knowledge or motivation moderated the effects of attention on comprehension across a wide age range of adults. Methods: Ninety-three participants, ages 18-80, completed measures of nutrition knowledge and motivation and then read nutrition information (from which attention allocation was derived) and answered comprehension questions. Results: In general, predictor variables were highly intercorrelated. However, knowledge, but not motivation, had direct effects on comprehension accuracy. In contrast, motivation influenced attention, which in turn influenced accuracy. Results also showed that comprehension accuracy decreased-and knowledge increased-with age. When knowledge was statistically controlled, age declines in comprehension increased. Conclusion: Knowledge is an important predictor of nutrition information comprehension and its role increases in later life. Motivation is also important; however, its effects on comprehension differ from knowledge. Practice implications: Health educators and clinicians should consider cognitive skills such as knowledge as well as motivation and age of patients when deciding how to best convey health information. The increased role of knowledge among older adults suggests that lifelong educational efforts may have important payoffs in later life.
AB - Objective: The goal of the present study was to examine relationships among several predictors of nutrition comprehension. We were particularly interested in exploring whether nutrition knowledge or motivation moderated the effects of attention on comprehension across a wide age range of adults. Methods: Ninety-three participants, ages 18-80, completed measures of nutrition knowledge and motivation and then read nutrition information (from which attention allocation was derived) and answered comprehension questions. Results: In general, predictor variables were highly intercorrelated. However, knowledge, but not motivation, had direct effects on comprehension accuracy. In contrast, motivation influenced attention, which in turn influenced accuracy. Results also showed that comprehension accuracy decreased-and knowledge increased-with age. When knowledge was statistically controlled, age declines in comprehension increased. Conclusion: Knowledge is an important predictor of nutrition information comprehension and its role increases in later life. Motivation is also important; however, its effects on comprehension differ from knowledge. Practice implications: Health educators and clinicians should consider cognitive skills such as knowledge as well as motivation and age of patients when deciding how to best convey health information. The increased role of knowledge among older adults suggests that lifelong educational efforts may have important payoffs in later life.
KW - Aging
KW - Comprehension
KW - Health information
KW - Health literacy
KW - Nutrition
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=77953534247&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=77953534247&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.pec.2009.09.031
DO - 10.1016/j.pec.2009.09.031
M3 - Article
C2 - 19854605
AN - SCOPUS:77953534247
VL - 80
SP - 107
EP - 112
JO - Patient Education and Counseling
JF - Patient Education and Counseling
SN - 0738-3991
IS - 1
ER -