Primary health care nurses' need for continued nutritional education in the prevention of obesity.

Abstract

Obesity has been declared as a worldwide epidemic leading to morbidity and mortality (World Health Organisation 2004). According to the National Statistics Office (2008), 62 per cent of the Maltese population is either overweight or obese. Primary health care [PHC] nurses have an opportunity to educate patients on healthy lifestyle, but it is important that these have adequate training and knowledge not to miss on this occasion. This study sought to identify sources of nutritional information amongst PHC nurses, examine their role and perception towards nutritional advice, and determine their level of knowledge about nutrition and obesity. A quantitative design with a descriptive and cross sectional survey approach was adopted. A forty PHC nurse cohort was selected from different PHC settings and 72.5% of them returned a questionnaire adopted from another study. The data collected during this study was analysed by descriptive statistics, with frequency distribution of every variable mentioned in the objectives. Findings of the present study indicate that the majority of participants did not have nutrition training neither during their nursing training nor during their working experience. PHC nurses perceive nutrition advice as part of their health promotion role and they acknowledge that clients follow their advice, yet the study showed that they lack nutritional knowledge to counsel patients in the prevention of obesity. Recommendations put forward include; the need for nutrition education, which should be given importance in nursing training curricula and as continued professional development. Monitor and counsel clients about obesity during nurse-led health awareness clinics was a recommendation for practice and for future research a study could be conducted to investigate the patient's point of view of advice given from PHC nurses.