Barriers to Teacher-Parent Nutrition Communication
US teachers have reported many obstacles to discussing nutrition with parents
Nutrition Communication Barriers
- Lack of parental engagement
- Lack of support from parents
- Low confidence to discuss nutrition concepts with parents
- Inadequate nutrition knowledge to share valid information with parents
- Parents' lack of nutrition knowledge and understanding
- Time constraints to discuss nutrition information
- Cultural differences between teachers & parents impacting nutrition perceptions
Strategies to Overcome Nutrition Communication Barriers
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- Parents may ask questions and it is important that you have a good understanding of the information first
- Parents may be more willing to take your nutrition advice if you seem confident and knowledgeable on the topic
- Make sure your classroom practices align with the nutrition concepts you are discussing with parents
(ex. If you want to discuss the importance of eating fruits & vegetables, you should also emphasize that in your classroom and be a good role model for healthy eating)
- Informational flyers/newsletters for parents are a great way to provide parents with information and reinforce topics learned in the classroom
- It may be more comfortable and more personable to discuss nutrition with parents in person – parents may feel more open to have conversation face-to-face
- These meetings are great to bring up nutrition since you will have the parents’ individual attention
- Try not to make parents feel like they are doing something wrong for their child; rather provide nutrition facts and relay importance of healthy eating
What would you do?
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