Communication Theory As a Basis for Nutrition Education

Communication theories are reviewed and then applied in a model for communicating nutrition. The Nutrition Communication Model has two major components: inputs and responses (Figure 1). Inputs include both the decisions nutrition communicators make about the communication strategy (Nutrition Communicator Inputs) and the predispositions receivers bring to the communication event (Receiver Inputs). The combined contributions of receiver and nutrition communicator inputs, as well as the situational context, influence the responses to a communication. Responses occur at two levels: the intervening process and outcomes. Important stages of the intervening process are attention, comprehension, and interaction. The results, or outcomes, of the communication events are the receivers' acceptance or rejection of the changes the communicator intended. Acceptance or rejection may be in the cognitive (knowledge), affective (attitude), and/or behavioral domain (including behavioral intent and actual behavior).