Effectiveness of a Cultural and Theory-Based Nutrition Intervention on Increasing Dietary Calcium Intake Among Vietnamese Women in Hanoi, Vietnam

Abstract

Objectives The objective of this study was to assess the effect of a nutrition education intervention (NEI) on increasing dietary calcium intake among Vietnamese women aged 30–65 years in rural Hanoi, Vietnam. Methods This study used pretest/posttest experimental and delayed nutrition intervention approach. The NEI was based on the Health Belief Model and comprised two educational and demonstrations sessions, followed by educational handouts once a week for 4 weeks. Women aged 30–65 years in six communities in a rural district in Hanoi were recruited and randomly assigned into two groups: intervention group (IG, n = 128), which received the NEI first, and a control group (DG, n = 118), that received a delayed intervention. Dietary calcium intake, knowledge, health beliefs, and self-efficacy were collected at baseline/pre-intervention and post-intervention. Linear mixed model with repeated measures and multiple regression were used to assess the effectiveness of the nutrition intervention. Results The results showed that participants in the IG had a significant higher increase in knowledge score at post intervention, compared to the DG (4.02 points larger, P < 0.05). Perceived susceptibility and barriers significantly decreased from baseline to post intervention in the IG (P ≤ 0.001). From baseline to post intervention, self-efficacy significantly increased among participants in the IG (P < 0.05) whereas the DG significantly decreased their self-efficacy (P < 0.05). While calcium intake at baseline was not significantly different between the IG and DG, at post intervention the IG reported a significant higher increase in calcium intake than the DG (P < 0.05). Regression analysis showed that knowledge and self-efficacy significantly predicted dietary calcium intake (P ≤ 0.001). Conclusions Findings of this study demonstrate the importance of nutrition education in increasing dietary calcium intake and knowledge among Vietnamese women. The findings also suggested that knowledge and self-efficacy played an important role in improving dietary calcium intake. Funding Sources This study was partially funded by the Graduate School at Texas Tech University.