INTRODUCTION

TO PUBLIC
HEALTH
NUTRITION
Course Lecturer: Divine Joy A. Sales, RND
Learning Objectives:

ILO: To discuss the scope and focus of Public Health

Nutrition

Specific Objectives:
1. To define Public Health Nutrition and its concept
2. To identify knowledge and skills needed by the public
health/community nutritionist
OUTLINE

➢ What is Public Health?

➢ Public Health Nutritionist Concepts

➢ Knowledge and Skills needed by the public

health/community nutritionist
PUBLIC HEALTH
●
PUBLIC HEALTH
❑ The science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting
health and efficiency through organized community effort.
❑ PUBLIC HEALTH NUTRITION (PHN) - is the theory and practice of nutrition
as a through organized community effort.
❑ COMMUNITY NUTRITION because the knowledge of mechanism of food
and its effect to the body is utilized in organizing activities for the
protection, promotion, and conservation of the health of the community
❑ PUBLIC HEALTH NUTRITION PROGRAM - is a planned nutrition activity in
the community with clear and specific objectives, designated target
audience and specific methods and measurement of changes
PUBLIC HEALTH NUTRITION CONCEPTS
1. Good nutrition promotes and increase the people's productivity,
helps promote the capacity for learning and enables people to
participate actively in their development.
2. Responsive nutrition programs are need-oriented, participatory,
provides those in need access to the resources they offer and
develop people's self-reliance meeting their own food needs.
3. Certain population groups are nutritionally at-risk.
4. Malnutrition is multi-faceted and multidimensional problem.
5. The nutrition solution requires a multi-disciplinary approach.
PUBLIC HEALTH NUTRITION CONCEPTS
6. Strategy for solution demands coordination and integration.
7. Government and private sectors involvement and participation are
necessary.
8. A comprehensive nutrition program should reach all segments of
population especially those who are in need.
9. Sound scientifically-based nutrition information are available as bases
for action.
10. Monitoring, evaluation and surveillance assist in decision making.
PUBLIC HEALTH NUTRITIONIST
● Professionally qualified to provide leadership; assume responsibilities in planning,
directing & activities; and application of nutrition knowledge for health and
longevity

✓ Tasks:
● Translates general recommendation into action
● Understanding of and appreciation for nutrition dietetics
● Engage the public in their programming
● Work closely with educational institutions, government and non-governmental
organizations and commercial institutions
● Target groups within the community who has common interest, risk or other
characteristics
● Consider all the policy and programs for the health of the community
ROLES OF PUBLIC HEALTH/COMMUNITY NUTRITIONIST
● Assessor of people’s nutrition & nutrition related problem
● Community organizer
● Program planner, implementer, evaluator, administrator
● Informer, educator, communicator
● Researcher
● User or research & information
KNOWLEDGE NEEDED BY THE PUBLIC HEALTH/
COMMUNITY NUTRITIONIST
KNOWLEDGE NEEDED
● Nutrition & dietetics
● Communications
● Public health science i.e., biostatistics, epidemiology,
environmental science
● Management
● Policy legislation & advocacy
● Research & evaluation
● Community political structure
SKILLS NEEDED BY THE PUBLIC HEALTH/COMMUNITY
NUTRITIONIST
● RESEARCH SKILLS

● How to conduct
● How to use research materials
● Use of statistics
● How to tap trained manpower
SKILLS NEEDED BY THE PUBLIC HEALTH/COMMUNITY
NUTRITIONIST
● MANAGEMENT SKILLS

● Program planning
● Writing goals & objectives
● Organizing people & activities
● Decision making
● Manpower development
● Financial management
● Knowledge & skills needed by the public health/community nutritionist
SKILLS NEEDED BY THE PUBLIC HEALTH/COMMUNITY
NUTRITIONIST
● COMMUNICATION SKILLS

● Interpersonal relation
● Interviewing
● Facilitating
● Motivating techniques
● Group dynamics
● knowledge & skills needed by the public health/community
nutritionist
SKILLS NEEDED BY THE PUBLIC HEALTH/COMMUNITY
NUTRITIONIST
● EDUCATIONAL SKILLS

● Education method
● Evaluation of behavioral change