Clin Nutr Res.  2015 Oct;4(4):250-258. 10.7762/cnr.2015.4.4.250.

Development and Application of Low-Carbohydrates and Low-Simple Sugar Nutrition Education Materials for Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Patients

• An YM
• Jun DW
• Lee SM

• KMID: 2386082
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.7762/cnr.2015.4.4.250

Abstract

We developed nutrition education materials for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) patients focusing on low-carbohydrate and low-simple sugar diet and assessed subjective difficulty and compliance for the developed materials. The materials were developed in 2 types, a booklet for face-to-face education and a handout for phone education. The booklet covered 4 topic areas of fatty liver, low-carbohydrate and low-simple sugar diet, weight control, and meal plan. The handout material included several eating behavior tips. To assess practical usability of nutrition education using the developed materials, subjective compliance and difficulty levels were examined in a sample for NAFLD patients. A total of 106 patients recruited from 5 general hospitals were randomly assigned to a low-carbohydrate and low-simple sugar weight control diet group or a general weight control diet group. Each participant received a 6-week nutrition education program consisting of a face-to-face education session and two sessions of phone education. The developed materials were used for the low-carbohydrate and low-simple sugar weight control diet group and general weight control information materials were used for the control group. Subjective difficulty and compliance levels were evaluated three times during the education period. Subjective difficulty level was significantly higher in the low-carbohydrate and low-simple sugar diet group compared to the control group at the end of the second week, but such a discrepancy disappeared afterward. No significant difference was found for subjective compliance between the groups at each time. In conclusion, the developed nutrition education materials for low-carbohydrate and low-simple sugar diet are reasonably applicable to general Korean NAFLD patients.

Keyword

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease; Low carbohydrate; Sugars; Diet

MeSH Terms

Carbohydrates
Compliance
Diet
Education*
Fatty Liver*
Feeding Behavior
Hospitals, General
Humans
Meals
Pamphlets
Carbohydrates

Figure

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  Figure 1 Flow chart of nutrition education material development.

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  Figure 2 Application process of nutrition education materials.

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  Figure 3 Booklet for face-to-face nutrition education.

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  Figure 4 Handouts for telephone-mediated nutrition education.

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  Figure 5 Comparison of subjective difficulty and compliance between the low-carbohydrate and low-simple sugar diet and the general weight control diet group. *p < 0.05.

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