A conceptual framework of the values of nutrition health professionals in the Netherlands

Abstract

Nutrition health professionals play important roles in developing and implementing healthy eating strategies for socioeconomically disadvantaged populations. However, the values of nutrition health professionals that inform and underly their everyday decisions and practices are not explicit. The purpose of this study was to identify and synthesize the key values of nutrition health professionals. An explorative qualitative research design was used in which a purposive sample of nutrition health professionals (n = 29) were interviewed. The ‘Values Wheel of Nutrition Health Professionals (VWNHP)’ was created, consisting of 16 values organized into six groups of complementary values–self-transcendence, self-enhancement, openness to change, conservation, connection, and perseverance. The VWNHP may be utilized as a tool to support the critical reflection in health promotion training and practice needed to address nutrition inequities.