Supporting and Promoting Adolescent Nutritional Health Equity

Abstract

Health disparities for adolescent nutrition patients stem from systemic social, environmental and economic disadvantages that affect their daily lives and long-term health outcomes. In addition, experiencing Adverse Childhood Events (ACEs) increases the likelihood of such disparities. Despite the significant challenges to achieving health justice, adolescent nutrition providers can support and promote the health equity of their patients and families in many ways. To start, providers can use a reflective process to review their own biases that may influence their clinical encounters, including reframing the words used to talk about or perceive their patients. A tool providers can leverage is motivational interviewing, which supports seeing patients as individuals with unique perspectives and lived experiences that can account for the wide range of factors that impact nutritional health. Screening for resilience rather than risks could be helpful in gaining rapport and trust with youth who may have historical trauma from medical and societal systems. Providers can also prioritize training approaches that expose them to a wider variety of communities and experiences while also focusing on adolescent health education and empowerment. Finally, supporting a youth’s larger social context and influences, including family, community and culture could reinforce the formation of their social identity and positive nutritional support.