1. Opportunity to intervene?
Firstly, the appropriate timing to carry out the intervention is important – the physical setting and emotional setting needs to be right e.g. approach the subject with sensitivity in a quiet, confidential area of the workplace.
Furthermore, significant events or transition points in people’s lives present an important opportunity for intervening at some or all of the levels, because it is then that people often review their own behaviour and contact services. Typical transition points include: leaving school, entering the workforce, becoming a parent, becoming unemployed, retirement and bereavement. (top)
2. Raising the issue
Raise health issues in a friendly, non-threatening manner which uses indirect questions to start with.
Q: We are offering people the opportunity to discuss their diet, would you like - just some information?
personal advice with this?
Q: Have you seen out promotion/advertisement for a healthy lifestyle consultation?
Q: Did you know that changing your diet can have many health benefits?
Doing brief interventions requires good communication skills. It is important to:
- listen to what people say
- notice what they do not say
- watch what they do
- think about their situation
- think about what you know about them
- talk with them in a way which is not threatening
- avoid giving a lecture about health behaviour
|
|
 |
A warm, reflective, and understanding style of delivering brief intervention is more effective than an aggressive, confrontational, or coercive style. (top)
3. How to complete the Healthy Eating Quiz
Show the individual the quiz in the ‘Healthy Eating’ leaflet. They can fill in the quiz by themselves or you can help administer the quiz.
Download quiz (click here) (top)
4. How to score the Healthy Eating Quiz
Scoring
If they answered NO to any of the above questions then there is a good chance that they would benefit from a few changes to their diet. (top)
5. Discussing the Healthy Eating Quiz
Ask the individual how theyfeel about their score OR begin a discussion using the following;
Your score suggests you could benefit from making a few changes to what you eat and drink. What do you think?
Do they have all the information they need to decide what to do for the best? Use the information below (and on the leaflet) to highlight the benefits of a healthier diet. (top)
6. Recommendations
A well-balanced diet includes food from the five main food groups. These are:
- bread, cereal (including breakfast cereals) and potatoes (starchy foods),
- *fruit (including fresh fruit juice) and vegetables,
- meat and fish,
- milk and dairy foods, and
- fat and sugar.
*Aim for at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables a day. Fresh, frozen, chilled, canned, 100% juice, and dried fruit and vegetables all count. Fruit and vegetables are packed with vitamins and minerals, low in calories and high in fibre. Eating lots of fruit and vegetables keeps the heart and body healthy. They are also an ideal alternative to eating crisps and chocolate as snacks between meals.
Most people should be eating three main meals a day. Most people need to eat more starchy foods and more fruit and vegetables, as well as reduce their fat intake, drink less alcohol and eat less salt. Look for labels that say food is low in fat (particularly saturated fat), low in salt and sugar-free. (top)
The Eatwell Plate with explanation (click here)
7. What are the benefits of Healthy Eating?
Good nutrition is vital to good health. While many people in England eat well, a large number do not, particularly among the more disadvantaged and vulnerable in society. In particular, a significant proportion of the population consumes less than the recommended amount of fruit and vegetables and fibre but more than the recommended amount of fat, saturated fat, salt and sugar. Such poor nutrition is a major cause of ill health and premature death in England. Cancer and cardiovascular disease, including heart disease and stroke, are the major causes of death in England, accounting together for almost 60% of premature deaths. Furthermore, about one-third of cancers can be attributed to poor diet and nutrition.
Increasing the consumption of fruit and vegetables can significantly reduce the risk of many chronic diseases. It is estimated that eating at least 5 varied portions of fruit and vegetables a day can reduce the risk of deaths from chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, and cancer by up to 20%. Research has shown that each increase of one portion of fruit or vegetables a day lowers the risk of coronary heart disease by 4% and the risk of stroke by 6%. Evidence also suggests that an increase in fruit and vegetable intake can help lower blood pressure. (top)
8. Stages of change model – Are they ready to change?
Brief interventions can help instigate a natural process, from pre-contemplation, to contemplation to action. The Stages of change model is a useful tool to describe the process that people will go through en route to health behaviour change.
Stages of Change model with explanation (click here)
However, are they ready to commit to change?
As well as exploring readiness, it’s useful to explore the importance of changing by using a question such as:
How important is it for you to change to a healthier way of eating? If 0 was ‘not important’ and 10 was ‘very important’, what number would you give yourself?
Also, explore the individual’s confidence in changing to a healthier lifestyle by using a question such as:
If you decided right now to change what you eat, how confident do you feel about succeeding with this? If 0 was ‘not confident’ and 10 was ‘very confident’, what number would you give yourself?
The response to the above questions will help you understand exactly what someone feels about change. Follow the link to some useful questions which can help you further Explore Importance and Build Confidence. (top)
Useful Questions (click here)
9. Barriers - common barriers to healthy eating
The individual may need to address such barriers before they can move forward and change.
- access and availability - whether people have access to good quality, affordable fruit and vegetables etc locally
- attitudes and awareness - awareness of the healthy eating messages, and people's knowledge
- attitudes, motivation and skills concerning buying, preparing and eating healthy foods.
|
|
 |
(top)
10. Top tips for Healthy Eating
- Keep a note of how many portions of fruit and vegetables you eat each day. If you count your portions it might help you to increase the amount you eat.
- If you need to fix dinner in a hurry, frozen, canned or ready-prepared vegetables are quick and easy to cook.
- Microwaving is a convenient way to cook and helps to preserve vitamins.
- Add extra vegetables to your takeaway, ready meal or homemade dishes.
- Add still or sparkling water to a medium glass of fruit juice for a tasty, cheap alternative to bought fizzy drinks.
- Avoid wastage by buying fresh fruit and vegetables in varying degrees of ripeness – so that some ripen earlier and some ripen later.
- Everyone loves corn on the cob! Buy a pack of mini ones, freeze them and cook them
- Peppers, mushrooms, onions or pineapple on your pizza topping count as 1 portion
- Liven up soups and sauces with a handful of kidney beans, peas or corn
- Ditch the crisps! Chop up sticks of celery, cucumber and sweet pepper and dip them into salsa or guacamole
- Add some crunch to your sandwiches with lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber or grated carrots
- Stir in a handful of fresh or frozen vegetables into pasta, soup or noodles
- Chop up lots of vegetables and use them in a stir-fry. Quick, easy and super healthy
- Swap chocolate for apples. They're just as sweet and much better for your teeth
- Eat a piece of fruit or drink a glass of juice every day for a refreshing start to the day
- Open a tin of fruit in natural juice for an instant healthy pudding
- Don't throw away over ripe fruit - use it to make yourself a delicious Smoothie
- For extra sweetness, chop fruit onto your cereal or stir it into desserts
- Wash down lunch with a glass of orange juice - a medium glass counts as 1 portion
- Make ice-lollies by pouring fruit smoothies, 100% fruit juice or pureed fresh fruit into ice lolly moulds and freezing them (top)
11. Making a SMART Plan
If the individual appears ready to change, make use of the ‘tips’ section within the leaflet and allow the individual to decide upon some goals which will work for them, allow the individual to take the lead.
The ‘Planning for Change’ tool in the leaflet has a section where goals can be set; remember to assist the individual in making the goals SMART –
Specific - vague terms are not useful and can easily be confusing
Measurable - how will you know if the goal has been achieved?
Achievable - don't set impossibly high targets for yourself
Realistic - you know yourself, what can you actually do?
Time-limited - set a period in which this will be achieved
If the individual doesn't succeed at their goal, they need to examine why not, re-frame the goal and then try again. If they do succeed, it is important to acknowledge it. Rewarding themselves with an appropriate treat, such as going to see a favourite film, buying a new CD, perhaps, or going for a swim is important, they deserve it! (top)
12. Links to local and national support services
Local
The Eatsome Project (The aim of the Eatsome project is to promote healthy eating and the 5 A DAY policy across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly) 01209 216967. Link to Eatsome page on the healthpromcornwall website (click here).
National
NHS Direct 0845 4647
www.5aday.nhs.uk
www.5aday.nhs.uk/original/professionals/behavioural_approach.aspx - New resource available to help communicate 5 A DAY message to patients (video and booklet)
www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk
www.dh.gov.uk
www.healthyliving.gov.uk
www.food.gov.uk
www.bdaweightwise.com
www.eatwell.gov.uk
www.sustainweb.org
(top)
13. Leaflet available for ordering or downloading
To download a copy of our leaflet (click here)
|
