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Educational Behavior-Change Interventions in Nutrition: Theory, Development and Evidence

A Special Issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643) belonging to the section "Nutritional Policies and Education for Health Promotion".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 5 March 2027 | Viewed by 3283

Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Family Relations and Applied Nutrition, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
Interests: functional foods; the metabolic syndrome; biomarkers; dietary supplements; nutrition education; gluten-free diet; plant-based diet
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor Assistant
Department of Family Relations and Applied Nutrition, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
Interests: sports nutrition; dietary supplements; nutrition education; health behavior change; psychosocial determinants of health; public health nutrition

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Health behaviors, particularly those related to nutrition, are deeply influenced by a complex interplay of knowledge, motivation, environment, and social norms. While nutrition education has long been a cornerstone of health promotion, its true impact lies in its ability to initiate and sustain meaningful behavior change. To achieve this, educational interventions must be grounded in sound theoretical frameworks, be carefully developed through formative research, and demonstrate measurable outcomes.

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the use of behavioral theories to guide the design and evaluation of nutrition education interventions. However, one of the ongoing challenges in the field is the frequent lack of clarity and detail in published intervention studies when describing what was delivered, how it was expected to influence behavior, and how others might replicate or adapt it.

Therefore, there remains a need for more rigorous, theory-driven studies that document the development process, implementation strategies, and effectiveness of these interventions across different populations and settings.

This Special Issue of Nutrients titled “Educational Behavior-Change Interventions in Nutrition: Theory, Development and Evidence” welcomes original research and reviews of the literature that apply behavioral theory to intervention design; report the design, development, and implementation of nutrition education interventions; and explore outcomes related to behaviour change and long-term adherence.

Dr. Dalia El Khoury
Guest Editor

Dr. Jana Daher
Guest Editor Assistant

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Nutrients is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • nutrition interventions
  • education interventions
  • behaviour change
  • intervention development
  • theory-based interventions
  • health
  • preventative health
  • intervention effectiveness
  • education program

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

11 pages, 793 KB  
Article
Association Between Inclusive Educational Environments and Food Allergy Comprehension Among Preschool Children: A Quasi-Experimental Digital Intervention Study
by Tomoko Noma, Kyosuke Nowaki, Mei Nunoya, Haruna Koyama and Ayano Nishizoe
Nutrients 2026, 18(18), 2972; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18182972 - 11 Sep 2026
Abstract
Background/Objectives: This study examined whether sharing a class with a peer with physician-diagnosed food allergy (FA) was associated with post-intervention FA comprehension among preschool children. Methods: A four-month ARCS motivation model-based digital nutrition education program was delivered to 163 five-year-old preschoolers from nine [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: This study examined whether sharing a class with a peer with physician-diagnosed food allergy (FA) was associated with post-intervention FA comprehension among preschool children. Methods: A four-month ARCS motivation model-based digital nutrition education program was delivered to 163 five-year-old preschoolers from nine public kindergartens. The program provided instruction on knowledge of balanced diets and FA. Preschoolers were classified as inclusive (at least one peer with physician-diagnosed FA in the same class; n = 75) or non-inclusive (n = 88). Dietary balance and FA comprehension were assessed using illustrated worksheets. Ordinal logistic generalized estimating equations (GEE) accounted for clustering within kindergartens. Results: The inclusive environment was associated with higher FA comprehension (Wald χ2(1) = 4.750, p = 0.029; OR = 4.219, 95% CI: 1.156–15.399), whereas no association was observed for dietary balance (Wald χ2(1) = 0.053, p = 0.818; OR = 0.912, 95% CI: 0.414–2.008). Conclusions: The presence of a peer with FA was associated with higher post-intervention FA comprehension. Full article
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16 pages, 1762 KB  
Article
Development of a Theory-Based Nutrition Education Program Targeting Varsity Athletes at a Canadian University
by Jana Daher, Jess Haines, Margo Mountjoy and Dalia El Khoury
Nutrients 2026, 18(11), 1808; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18111808 - 4 Jun 2026
Viewed by 659
Abstract
This paper describes the development and design of Nutrition for Athletes: A Focus on Dietary Supplements, an online educational intervention created for varsity athletes at the University of Guelph. Guided by the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), the program aimed to improve [...] Read more.
This paper describes the development and design of Nutrition for Athletes: A Focus on Dietary Supplements, an online educational intervention created for varsity athletes at the University of Guelph. Guided by the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), the program aimed to improve athletes’ nutrition and dietary supplement-related knowledge while modifying attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, intentions, and behaviors associated with dietary supplement use. Formative research with the target population revealed widespread misconceptions, strong social influences, and high perceived benefits of supplement use, which highlighted the need for an intervention focused on reshaping underlying beliefs. The program covered topics related to sports nutrition, hydration, dietary supplements, and risks of supplement use, and was integrated into the university’s learning management system. Each unit was mapped onto relevant TPB constructs, with an emphasis on correcting inaccurate beliefs and promoting a food-first approach. The program’s effectiveness was evaluated through pre- and post-intervention questionnaires assessing knowledge and TPB constructs. This paper outlines the theoretical framework, development process, and content structure of the intervention, and presents a model that can be replicated in future educational programs. Full article
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19 pages, 524 KB  
Article
Impact of Nutrition Education on Nutrition Knowledge, Attitudes, Practices, and Immune-Related Nutrient Intake in People Living with HIV: A Randomized Controlled Trial
by Souheir M. Alia, Taoufik L. Zoubeidi and Habiba I. Ali
Nutrients 2026, 18(11), 1709; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18111709 - 27 May 2026
Viewed by 796
Abstract
Objective: Nutrition is critical for people living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLHIV); nonetheless, nutritional interventions have not been conducted among PLHIV in the Middle East and North Africa region. This study evaluated the effects of a nutrition-related education intervention on total knowledge, [...] Read more.
Objective: Nutrition is critical for people living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLHIV); nonetheless, nutritional interventions have not been conducted among PLHIV in the Middle East and North Africa region. This study evaluated the effects of a nutrition-related education intervention on total knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) scores and on the intake of immune-enhancing foods and nutrients among PLHIV. Methods: Sixty-three PLHIV were recruited from an outpatient HIV clinic in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, between August and November 2023 and randomly assigned to an intervention (n = 31) or control group (n = 32). The intervention group participated in an individualized, six-session nutrition education program based on the Health Belief Model, whereas the control group received usual care plus a nutrition education brochure on HIV nutrition and health. Data were collected at baseline and after the five-month intervention period using validated instruments assessing HIV-related nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and practices. A food frequency questionnaire and two non-consecutive 24 h dietary recalls were used to assess the intake of immune-enhancing nutrients. Results: Post-intervention KAP score distributions differed significantly between the control and intervention groups for knowledge, attitude, and practices (p < 0.001, 0.003, and 0.001, respectively). Immune-enhancing vitamin intake did not differ significantly between groups, except vitamin E, which increased in the intervention group (p = 0.042). Conclusions: The intervention improved participants’ nutrition-related KAP scores but did not increase the intake of immune-enhancing nutrients, except for vitamin E. Further studies are warranted to develop interventions that improve the intake of immune-enhancing nutrients. Full article
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14 pages, 372 KB  
Article
Exploring the Relationship Between the How to Eat Intervention and Eating Competence Among Repeat Dieters
by Cristen Harris and Ellyn Satter
Nutrients 2026, 18(3), 368; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18030368 - 23 Jan 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 946
Abstract
Background/Objectives: The 10-session How to Eat intervention was developed to institute Eating Competence (EatC) and repair distorted eating attitudes and behaviors growing out of chronically restrained eating and/or repeated weight reduction dieting. How to Eat was conducted over a 12-year period as [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: The 10-session How to Eat intervention was developed to institute Eating Competence (EatC) and repair distorted eating attitudes and behaviors growing out of chronically restrained eating and/or repeated weight reduction dieting. How to Eat was conducted over a 12-year period as an employee wellness option at two locations in the midwestern United States. Methods: Participants in How to Eat were adult employees of their respective hospital or university who voluntarily enrolled after screening and assessment by each site facilitator. Pre- and post-measures were the 16-item EatC measure, the 26-item Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26), and body weight. Results: In the hospital setting, a total of 43 adults participated, with a mean (±SD) age of 47.5 ± 10.7 years, primarily female (95.3%) and white (90.7%). How to Eat was associated with a significant increase in EatC total scores (22.8 ± 6.5 to 34.3 ± 4.9) and a decrease in EAT-26 scores (10.7 ± 8.1 to 3.7 ± 2.9), both p < 0.001. In the university setting, a total of 52 adults participated, 89.4% female, with a mean (±SD) age of 39.3 ± 11.4 years. University participants were significantly younger, p < 0.001. How to Eat was also associated with a significant increase in EatC total scores (24.1 ± 7.0 to 36.6 ± 6.9) and EAT-26 scores (13.9 ± 8.8 to 3.2 ± 4.2), both p < 0.001. At both sites, changes in total EatC, Contextual skills, and EAT-26 scores had strong effect sizes. Mean body weight was ±5% pre/post-intervention at either site. Conclusions: How to Eat is associated with clinically significant improvements in measures of EatC and a decrease in eating disturbances among repeat dieters without significantly impacting body weight. Positive results from employee wellness settings support future experimental studies with more diverse samples and additional outcome measures. Full article
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