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Educational instrument for intervention in the lifestyle of overweight pregnant women

Abstract

Objectives:

to conduct the semantic validation of the images and text in educational material about eating and lifestyle for overweight women in different stages of pregnancy.

Methods:

qualitative, descriptive, analytical, cross-sectional study with focus groups for adapting and semantically validating the messages and images of educational material for women in three moments of the pre-natal period, as well as the support scripts for healthcare providers. The Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ – Portuguese acronym) were considered.

Results:

participants of this study were seven pregnant women aged 21 to 40 who were in pre-natal care and 17 nutritionists aged 25 to 51. The folder was validated over seven meetings with the focus group, with one-week intervals between the groups. For each folder there were at least two meetings with focus groups, and one meeting for each script. The language was adjusted for the messages, and two images were changed to improve the self-identification of pregnant women. Technical and didactic adaptations were suggested for the scripts.

Conclusion:

images and text were semantically adapted; the instrument is easy to use in primary and secondary healthcare, providing support for pregnant women and healthcare providers on the subject of eating habits and lifestyle for overweight women in different stages of pregnancy.

Key words:
Pregnancy; Eating and nutritional education; Qualitative research; Validation studies

Resumo

Objetivos:

realizar validação semântica de imagem e texto de material educativo sobre alimentação e estilo de vida para diferentes etapas da gestação de mulheres com sobrepeso.

Métodos:.

estudo qualitativo, descritivo e analítico, transversal, para adaptação e validação semântica de mensagens e imagens, com grupos focais, de material educativo para gestantes em três períodos do pré-natal e de roteiros de apoio direcionados aos profissionais de saúde. Foram observados os Critérios Consolidados para Relatos de Pesquisa Qualitativa (COREQ)

Resultados:

participaram do estudo sete gestantes adultas entre 21 e 40 anos em atendimento de pré-natal e 17 nutricionistas entre 25 e 51 anos. A validação dos folders constituiu-se em sete sessões de grupo focal com intervalo de uma semana entre os grupos. Para cada folder, aconteceram pelo menos dois encontros com grupos focais e para a construção de cada roteiro foi realizado um encontro. Foram realizados ajustes da linguagem paras as mensagens e mudança de duas imagens para melhorar a autoidentificação das gestantes. Foram propostas adaptações textuais nos roteiros de conteúdo técnico e didático.

Conclusão:

o material educativo foi adaptado semântica e imageticamente, sendo um instrumento didático de fácil acesso para ser empregado na atenção primária e secundária à saúde, apoiando gestantes e profissionais da saúde sobre alimentação e estilo de vida.

Palavras-chave:
Gestação; Educação alimentar e nutricional; Pesquisa qualitativa; Estudos de validação

Introduction

The gestational period is characterized by metabolic and physiological changes that require the adoption of an adequate diet to fulfill the nutritional requirements and prevent excessive weight gain during the pregnancy.11 Ministry of Health (BR). Sociedade Beneficente Israelita Brasileira Albert Einstein. Nota Técnica para Organização da Rede de Atenção à Saúde com Foco na Atenção Primária à Saúde e na Atenção Ambulatorial Especializada. Saúde da mulher na gestação, parto e puerpério. São Paulo: Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein/ Ministry of Health; 2019. The goals of prenatal care include the monitoring of risk factors to avoid complications in the pregnancy and to prevent the development of obesity resulting from postpartum weight retention.22 Zuccolotto DCC, Crivellenti LC, Franco LJ, Sarotelli DS. Padrões alimentares de gestantes, excesso de peso materno e diabetes gestacional. Rev Saúde Pública. 2019; 53: 52.

In the study by Zuccolotto et al.,22 Zuccolotto DCC, Crivellenti LC, Franco LJ, Sarotelli DS. Padrões alimentares de gestantes, excesso de peso materno e diabetes gestacional. Rev Saúde Pública. 2019; 53: 52. women with greater adherence to the dietary patterns classified as “healthy” and “traditional Brazilian” were less likely to be obese and reported more time spent walking and exercising. Conversely, women classified in the intermediate level of adherence to the “snacks” dietary pattern were more likely to be overweight. Badanai et al.33 Badanai NL, Zuccolotto DCC, Crivellenti LC, Sartorelli DS. Association of dietary patterns and degree of food processing with feelings of depression in pregnancy. Rev Bras Saude Mater Infant. 2019 Jul/Sep; 19 (3): 591-600. identified that greater adherence to “traditional Brazilian” and “healthy” dietary patterns was inversely associated with feelings of depression during pregnancy. Evidence suggests that high consumption of ultra-processed foods is associated with increased gestational weight gain and neonatal body fat, which can cause various problems for both pregnant woman and fetus in the short and long term, including problems related to mental health.

Sartorelli et al.,44 Sartorelli DS, Crivellenti LC, Zuccolotto DCC, Franco LJ. A relação entre consumo de alimentos minimamente processados e ultraprocessados durante a gestação e obesidade e diabetes mellitus gestacional. Cad Saúde Pública. 2019 May; 35 (4): e00049318. in a cross-sectional study with 785 adult pregnant women, observed that women who reported diets with greater energy contribution from natural or minimally processed foods had a 51% lower chance of obesity during pregnancy [OR=0.49 (CI95%=0.30-0.79)] compared to pregnant women classified in the lowest tertile after adjustment for confounding factors. This evidence suggests that encouraging the consumption of these foods can have a positive impact on adequate weight gain.

Educational interventions for healthy eating behaviors and lifestyle habits are emphasized as tools to promote health in pregnancy, addressing themes such as adequate weight gain, physical activity, consumption of appropriate foods, vitamin and mineral supplementation, and cessation of tobacco and alcohol use, among other aspects.55 Micali FG, Diez-Garcia RW. Pictorial instrument of food and nutrition education for promoting healthy eating. Rev Nutr. 2016; 29 (6): 917-28. Oliveira et al.,66 Oliveira SC, Fernandes AFC, Vasconcelos EMR, Ximenes LB, Leal LP, Cavalvanti AMTS, et al. Efeito de uma intervenção educativa na gravidez: ensaio clínico randomizado em cluster. Acta Paul Enferm. 2018 Jun; 31 (3): 291-8. in a clinical trial of an intervention with pregnant women on the use of regional foods, demonstrated that the educational material had an impact on the adequate use of regional foods, with an increase in the dimensions analyzed. A randomized controlled study with an intervention in lifestyle, diet and physical activity in prenatal care presented improvements in the intake of some nutrients, in the intake of vegetables and in lifestyle, emphasizing the importance of interventions during this period and their importance in the quality of self-care and gestational weight gain.77 Aşcı Ö, Rathfisch G. Effect of lifestyle interventions of pregnant women on their dietary habits, lifestyle behaviors, and weight gain: a randomized controlled trial. J Health Popul Nutr. 2016 Feb; 35: 7.

Cognitive processes such as attention and memory can influence food consumption, as shown by some studies.88 Higgs S, Robinson E, Lee M. Learning and memory processes and their role in eating: implications for limiting food intake in overeaters. Curr Obes Rep. 2012 Feb; 1: 91-8. Favoring the memory of past dietary guidance can be an important aid for daily food choices. The contribution of the image stands out for its ability to attract attention to the educational material being used, which seems to favor the following of guidelines and recommendations.99 Daghio MM, Fattori G, Ciardullo AV. Use of pictorial advice to promote compliance to diet and drugs among illiterate and migrant patients. J Diabetol. 2010; 1 (3): 1-4.,1010 Levie WH, Lentz R. Effects of text illustrations - a review of research. Educ Comm Tech J. 1982; 30 (4): 195-232.

The use of significant images for verbal or textual guidance is recommended, as is simplifying the language used in association with the images, being sensitive in creating and selecting images according to the cultural context of the target audience, evaluating the effects produced by the imagery language, involving healthcare providers in the creation of images and guiding the viewer regarding the correct interpretation of them.1111 Houts PS, Doak CC, Doak LG, Loscalzo MJ. The role of pictures in improving health communication: a review of research on attention, comprehension, recall, and adherence. Patient Educ Couns. 2006 May; 61 (2): 173-90.

Nutritional guidance should be provided considering the economic, social and cultural possibilities, which implies the need for adequate preparation of healthcare providers in relation to the subject.1212 Castro IR, Souza TS, Maldonado LA, Caniné ES, Rotenberg S, Gugelmin AS. A culinária na promoção da alimentação saudável: delineamento e experimentação de método educativo dirigido a adolescentes e a profissionais das redes de saúde e de educação. Rev Nutr. 2007 Dec; 20 (6): 571-88.

Educational instruments for nutritional interventions have relevant applicability in prenatal care, since food is essential to prevent undesirable outcomes in maternal and child health. Accordingly, the aim of the present study was to validate educational material on food and lifestyle for different stages of pregnancy in overweight women.

Methods

This was a qualitative, descriptive and analytical crosssectional study for the adaptation and semantic validation with focus groups of the messages and images of educational material for pregnant women in three prenatal periods, as well as the support scripts aimed at healthcare providers. This material was developed for a randomized controlled clinical trial of a nutritional intervention in overweight pregnant women treated in Primary Health Units.1313 Sartorelli DS, Crivellenti LC, Manochio-Pina MG, Baroni NF, Carvalho MR, et al. Study Protocol effectiveness of a nutritional intervention based on encouraging the consumption of unprocessed and minimally processed foods and the practice of physical activities for appropriate weight gain in overweight, adult, pregnant women: a randomized controlled trial. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2020 Jan; 20 (1): 24.

The Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Studies (COREQ) guidelines were followed.

Adult pregnant women aged ≥18 years, regardless of Body Mass Index (BMI) and gestational age, of a group being monitored at the social center of a medium-sized city (380,000 inhabitants) in the state of São Paulo (SP), were invited to voluntarily participate in focus groups to validate the folders. The study exclusion criteria were: twin pregnancy, previous report of diabetes (or use of oral hypoglycemic agents and/or insulin) and use of weight loss medications.

Nutritionists of the city, as professionals specialized in food and nutrition content, were invited to voluntarily participate in the validation of the support scripts aimed at healthcare providers. Pregnant women in this group were excluded. The pregnant women and nutritionists were contacted by telephone and, after confirming the inclusion criteria, focus groups were scheduled. The socioeconomic questionnaire from Brazilian Economic Classification Criteria1515 Associação Brasileira de Empresas de Pesquisa (ABEP). Critério Padrão de Classificação Econômica Brasil (CCEB). O novo critério padrão de classificação econômica Brasil. São Paulo: ABEP; 2015. was applied and data from prenatal care history of the pregnant women were recorded. Weight and height data were reported by the pregnant women. Data collection took place between October and November 2019.

Researchers involved in the clinical trial,1313 Sartorelli DS, Crivellenti LC, Manochio-Pina MG, Baroni NF, Carvalho MR, et al. Study Protocol effectiveness of a nutritional intervention based on encouraging the consumption of unprocessed and minimally processed foods and the practice of physical activities for appropriate weight gain in overweight, adult, pregnant women: a randomized controlled trial. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2020 Jan; 20 (1): 24. entitled “Estudo de intervenção nutricional em gestantes com sobrepeso atendidas em Unidades Básicas de Saúde: um ensaio clínico aleatorizado controlado”, were responsible for analyzing the focus groups and adapting folders and scripts. After each focus group, the team of researchers, composed of four nutritionists, two professors and two post-doctoral fellows, met to analyze the results and reformulate the folders and guidance scripts.

All focus groups were conducted by the researcher responsible for the validation study.

The educational material consisted of three folders containing messages and images for pregnant women in three different periods of pregnancy: up to the 19th week, from the 20th to the 26th week and from the 27th week. This material will be used in three meetings, which constitute the intervention strategy of the randomized controlled clinical trial.1313 Sartorelli DS, Crivellenti LC, Manochio-Pina MG, Baroni NF, Carvalho MR, et al. Study Protocol effectiveness of a nutritional intervention based on encouraging the consumption of unprocessed and minimally processed foods and the practice of physical activities for appropriate weight gain in overweight, adult, pregnant women: a randomized controlled trial. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2020 Jan; 20 (1): 24.

Each folder, one for each intervention meeting, was constructed with six or seven illustrative messages and images related to the established goals: adequate gestational weight gain, daily consumption of natural or minimally processed foods and regular practice of 150 minutes of physical activity per week. All these intervention strategy topics are addressed in the three meetings, however, with different approaches according to the gestational period. The scripts aimed at the healthcare providers responsible for guiding pregnant women constitute support material with detailed information that complements the messages in the folders.

The following theoretical frameworks were used in the elaboration of the intervention strategy: Guia Alimentar para a População Brasileira16 for dietary guidelines; Institute of Medicine (IOM)17 for gestational weight gain recommendations; and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG)18 for instructions on regular physical activity.

For the semantic validation of the educational material, focus groups were held with the pregnant women and nutritionists, based on the participatory construction of the groups for the necessary adjustments to the messages and images considering the intended message.1919 Carneiro AC, Souza V, Godinho LK, Faria ICM, Silva KL, Gazzinelli MF. Educação para a promoção da saúde no contexto da atenção primária. Rev Panam Salud Pública. 2012; 31 (2): 115-20.,2020 Ministry of Health (BR). Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG). Instrutivo: metodologia de trabalho em grupos para ações de alimentação e nutrição na atenção básica. Brasília (DF): Ministry of Health/UFMG; 2016. The process of this construction in the focus groups occurred through the interpretation and discussion of each message and, after the explanation of the intended message, the appropriate reconstitution was carried out, according to the language and image significant for the groups.

The criteria adopted in the validation of the folders were: relevance between the text and the illustrations; understandable, accessible, clear and appropriate language; educational goals achieved with the messages and images; practical feasibility of the proposed messages; motivating and reflection-inducing content; and the pregnant women’s identification with the messages and images.

The criteria for the support scripts aimed at healthcare providers were: relevance between the message in the folder and the way of transmitting the information; understandable, accessible, clear and appropriate language; relevance considering the objectives of the proposed guidelines; and motivating and reflective content.

The dynamic in the focus groups with pregnant women followed the following steps: each message and corresponding illustrative image were shown using a data show and in printed format for handling; discussion was opened and the participants’ statements were recorded, seeking ways to adapt the message or recommendations for an alternative image; once the discussion of the folder had been exhausted and the group agreed, the session was closed.

The dynamics in the focus group with the nutritionists followed the following steps: each professional received a printed copy of the orientation script and contents of the folder, a blank sheet and pen to take notes. After reading each message aloud, the discussion was opened, the participants’ statements were recorded, seeking ways to improve the message; once all discussion was finished, a consensus was reached on the content and the group was closed.

All meetings were audio-recorded and transcribed in full. After discussing each folder and the respective guidance script, the team of researchers met to make the adjustments suggested by the focus groups. Once this was done, new focus groups were scheduled to discuss the edited version of the educational material.

The present study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the School Health Center of the Ribeirão Preto Medical School on 08/01/2017 (CAAE 69997717.6.0000.5414). All participants signed the consent form prior to data collection.

Results

All 10 pregnant women of the group were invited to voluntarily participate in the social center where the focus groups took place. Of these, seven agreed to participate. The validation step of the folders consisted of seven focus group sessions with an interval of one week between each. For each folder, there were at least two meetings. Folder 1 was completed with three focus groups (G1, G2 and G3), with 5 pregnant women participating in G1; 7 pregnant women in G2; and 6 pregnant women in G3. All 7 pregnant women participated in the discussions related to the other folders. The women were between 21 and 40 years of age, with a mean of 32.4 years, pre-pregnancy BMI (reported) between 18.98kg/m2 and 43.34kg/m2 (mean of 26.50kg/m2, overweight), gestational age (reported) between 10 and 24 weeks (mean of 17), with 50% being primiparae. The majority of the pregnant women had completed high school (85.6%) and worked outside the home (71.4%). In relation to the economic class, 57.14% belonged to class D-E, receiving the minimum wage of R$768.00, and 42.86% to class C2, with a salary of R$1,625.00.1515 Associação Brasileira de Empresas de Pesquisa (ABEP). Critério Padrão de Classificação Econômica Brasil (CCEB). O novo critério padrão de classificação econômica Brasil. São Paulo: ABEP; 2015.

Regarding the invited nutritionists, 17 agreed to participate in the focus groups, however, in no meeting it was possible for all of them to participate. In total, there were three meetings (G1, G2 and G3), one for each script, with 11 nutritionists participating in G1; 10 in G2; and 4 in G3. They were between 25 and 51 years of age, mean of 33.4 years, with only one male. The professionals worked in different areas of activity, such as offices, hospitals, public services and education.

The semantic validation of the educational instrument, with the description of the altered messages in folders and scripts and the modifications carried out in illustrative images, is presented in Table 1. In the folders, the main suggestions were related to the adequacy of the language so that the messages were better understood, detailing some information and changing some terms that had been used, but that were not clear to the participants, such as “cooked meals” in reference to homemade food. Regarding the illustrative images, only two modifications were suggested, one of them so that the image could better represent the purpose of the proposed message (folder 2) and the other so that the image more adequately reflects the identification of the pregnant women with their body perception of a pregnant woman (folder 3). In the scripts, the nutritionists made many suggestions, especially in the first one. In general, the main changes were related to the relevance between the message of the folder and the way of transmitting information, and to the adequacy of the proposed guidelines in order to be more didactic, detailed and to arouse greater interest and attention for pregnant women to follow the recommendations.

Table 1
Semantic changes in the language and images of the folders and scripts for healthcare providers. Ribeirão Preto, SP, 2021.

Figure 1
Step-by-step cleaning. Ribeirão Preto, SP, 2021.

The final version of the folders, with the description of messages and illustrative images, is presented in Tables 2 and 3, while the final version of the scripts is presented in Table 4.

Table 2
Final version of the messages in the folders (1, 2 and 3) for pregnant women. Ribeirão Preto, SP, 2021.
Table 3
Final version of the images in the folders (1, 2 and 3) for pregnant women. Ribeirão Preto, SP, 2021.
Table 4
Final version of the scripts (1, 2 and 3) for professionals of nutritional guidance for pregnant women. Ribeirão Preto, SP, 2021.

Discussion

Promoting greater autonomy for people is one of the goals of health actions of professionals working in the sector, with the availability of educational material to support health actions contributing to increase their efficacy.1919 Carneiro AC, Souza V, Godinho LK, Faria ICM, Silva KL, Gazzinelli MF. Educação para a promoção da saúde no contexto da atenção primária. Rev Panam Salud Pública. 2012; 31 (2): 115-20.,2020 Ministry of Health (BR). Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG). Instrutivo: metodologia de trabalho em grupos para ações de alimentação e nutrição na atenção básica. Brasília (DF): Ministry of Health/UFMG; 2016. The understanding and identification of the user with the meanings of the material support adherence to self-care.2020 Ministry of Health (BR). Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG). Instrutivo: metodologia de trabalho em grupos para ações de alimentação e nutrição na atenção básica. Brasília (DF): Ministry of Health/UFMG; 2016. The reproduction of the three versions of nutritional and lifestyle guidelines was carried out to bring this information in line with the requirements of women during the progression of pregnancy.

According to Alexandre and Coluci,2121 Alexandre NMC, Coluci MZO. Content validity in the development and adaptation processes of measurement instruments. Ciênc Saúde Colet. 2011 Jul; 16 (7): 3061-8. the validation of content by specialists is one of the steps for the development of educational instruments. In the method used in the present study, despite the technical content being similar, the scripts aimed at healthcare providers were also validated considering the different stages of pregnancy. In addition, after consensus, they were adapted to differences contained in the folders for pregnant women, emphasizing the technical content and guidelines according to the gestational period.

The literature suggests that a coherent, cohesive, organized, sufficient structure with adequate language should be adopted as quality criteria in health educational materials.2222 Khurana S, Rao BK, Lewis LES, Bhat R, Purkayastha J, Kamath A, et al. Development and validation of educational leaflet for caregivers of preterm infants. J Clin Diagn Res. 2016 Jul; 10 (7): YC01-YC04.,2323 Leite SS, Afio ACE, Carvalho LV, Silva JM, Almeida PC, Pagliuca LMF. Construction and validation of na educational content validation instrument in health. Rev Bras Enferm. 2018; 71 (Suppl 4): S1635-S41. Therefore, the following evaluation criteria were used in the material validation process: clear, relevant and accessible language; images appropriate for the message; and the pregnant women’s identification with the way in which contents were presented.

Adjusting the content to the proposed theme, with the integration of topics and paragraphs or excerpts, with a logical sequence of ideas, starting with general and impersonal issues and progressing to more specific subjects, are also recommendations contemplated in the construction process of educational material.2222 Khurana S, Rao BK, Lewis LES, Bhat R, Purkayastha J, Kamath A, et al. Development and validation of educational leaflet for caregivers of preterm infants. J Clin Diagn Res. 2016 Jul; 10 (7): YC01-YC04.,2323 Leite SS, Afio ACE, Carvalho LV, Silva JM, Almeida PC, Pagliuca LMF. Construction and validation of na educational content validation instrument in health. Rev Bras Enferm. 2018; 71 (Suppl 4): S1635-S41. Sufficiency is an aspect closely related to the validity of the content of materials, as it reflects relevant topics of the proposed theme in a comprehensive way and avoids possible uncertainties of the reader.2222 Khurana S, Rao BK, Lewis LES, Bhat R, Purkayastha J, Kamath A, et al. Development and validation of educational leaflet for caregivers of preterm infants. J Clin Diagn Res. 2016 Jul; 10 (7): YC01-YC04.,2323 Leite SS, Afio ACE, Carvalho LV, Silva JM, Almeida PC, Pagliuca LMF. Construction and validation of na educational content validation instrument in health. Rev Bras Enferm. 2018; 71 (Suppl 4): S1635-S41.

Among the aspects necessary for the language of a good instrument, objectivity and clarity stand out. Long, detailed sentences can lead to dispersion and make reading tiring. An extensive instrument can also compromise the willingness to respond and result in inappropriate and inaccurate answers.2424 Keszei AP, Novak M, Streiner DL. Introduction to health measurement scales. J Psychosom Res. 2010 Apr; 68 (4): 319-23.,2525 Mokkink LB, Terwee CB, Patrick DL, Alonso J, Stratford PW, Knol DL, et al. The COSMIN checklist for assessing the methodological quality of studies on measurement properties of health status measurement instruments: an international Delphi study. Qual Life Res. 2010 May; 19 (4): 539-49.

It is essential to use language accessible to all layers of society, regardless of the level of education of the target population, given that the material needs to be easy to comprehend. The use of images is important for transforming textual information into visual language, in order to stimulate interest in reading and facilitate understanding.2626 Oliveira MC, Lucena AF, Echer IC. Neurological sequelae: preparation of a guidance manual for health care. J Nurs UFPE On line. 2014; 8 (6): 1597-603.

An important point to favor the interpretation and comprehension of educational material is the simplicity of the image, that is, to suppress minimal details that can divert the reader’s attention.1111 Houts PS, Doak CC, Doak LG, Loscalzo MJ. The role of pictures in improving health communication: a review of research on attention, comprehension, recall, and adherence. Patient Educ Couns. 2006 May; 61 (2): 173-90. In the present study, the validated educational material prioritized simple images that facilitated the comprehension and understanding of the messages, with colorful illustrations that represent the daily life of this population. As recommended by Houts et al.,2727 Houts PS, Doak CC, Doak LG, Loscalzo MJ. The role of pictures in improving health communication: a review of research on attention, comprehension, recall, and adherence. Patient Educ Couns. 2006 May; 61 (2): 173-90. the use of pictures in health education should focus on images that provide significant support for the verbal or textual guidance. Furthermore, the language used in association with the images should be simplified, in a creative way, according to the cultural context of the target audience, being as close as possible to the natural world, with elements readable by any layperson, such as gestures, views and attitudes.2828 Freitas F, Rezende Filho LA. Análise semiótica de imagens em impressos para educação em diabetes. In: VII Encontro Nacional de Pesquisa em Educação em Ciências (Enpec). Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil; 2000 Nov 08. Florianópolis: Enpec; 2000.

Verbal and visual texts are polysemic and complementary, as pictures can increase attention to educational materials, comprehension and recall of information, and can favor adherence.55 Micali FG, Diez-Garcia RW. Pictorial instrument of food and nutrition education for promoting healthy eating. Rev Nutr. 2016; 29 (6): 917-28.,1111 Houts PS, Doak CC, Doak LG, Loscalzo MJ. The role of pictures in improving health communication: a review of research on attention, comprehension, recall, and adherence. Patient Educ Couns. 2006 May; 61 (2): 173-90.

The visual aid for dietary guidance represents an interesting way of conveying dietary information,99 Daghio MM, Fattori G, Ciardullo AV. Use of pictorial advice to promote compliance to diet and drugs among illiterate and migrant patients. J Diabetol. 2010; 1 (3): 1-4. especially when there is cultural identification with the characters portrayed in the images. However, it should be emphasized that the educational support material is an additional reinforcement and does not replace the verbal guidelines provided by the healthcare provider.

In the study by Micali and Diez-Garcia,55 Micali FG, Diez-Garcia RW. Pictorial instrument of food and nutrition education for promoting healthy eating. Rev Nutr. 2016; 29 (6): 917-28. the objective of which was to construct, validate and evaluate the memorization of dietary guidelines transmitted with the support of an imagistic instrument in eutrophic and obese women, the imagistic instrument stood out as a useful tool for use in obesity treatment and prevention. This material was effective in transmitting the messages intended with photos and addressed relevant food topics to improve the Brazilian diet.

Clark et al.2929 Clark KL, Abusabha R, Von Eye A, Achtenberg C. Text and graphics: manipulating nutrition brochures to maximize recall. Health Educ Res. 1999 Aug; 14 (4): 555-64. found that 30 days after viewing nutritional education materials there was a loss of approximately 60.0% of the information memorization. This result was observed in all age groups of the study, regardless of the type of printed material used in the interventions and the degree of memorization initially assessed in each group. These authors also observed that the educational material that had clearer textual language and that had pictures favored greater memorization of the information in comparison to other materials used.

The main limitation of the study was the subjectivity of the experts’ analysis, as well as the divergence from the ideal number of participants. However, the validation of educational material constitutes essential information for overweight pregnant women and for the healthcare provider who will guide them during the gestational period. Another potential of the study is that it presents illustrations that are consistent with the text, favoring communication and understanding. Accordingly, the present study highlights the relevance of content validation studies in this important stage of life.

The use of images associated with written and/or verbal information that is significant for the target population can favor cognitive processes and memorization of guidelines, as well as facilitate the work of health teams. The educational material was validated according to content and appearance and was considered appropriate and well adapted to the local culture. Accordingly, it can contribute to a more effective intervention for overweight pregnant women and to the practice of researchers and healthcare providers in the development of educational content.

Acknowledgments

The authors RW Diez-Garcia (Process: 303194/2018-9) and DS Sartorelli (Process: 302487/2018-2) thank the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq – Portuguese acronym) for the Productivity Grants and DS Sartorelli thanks the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP – Portuguese acronym) for the research project funding (Process: 2017/15386-2); author LC Crivellenti thanks FAPESP for the postdoctoral fellowship (Process: 2017/18980-2) and author MG Manochio-Pina thanks the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel – Brazil (CAPES – Portuguese acronym) for the financial support – Financing Code 001.

References

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    Badanai NL, Zuccolotto DCC, Crivellenti LC, Sartorelli DS. Association of dietary patterns and degree of food processing with feelings of depression in pregnancy. Rev Bras Saude Mater Infant. 2019 Jul/Sep; 19 (3): 591-600.
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    Sartorelli DS, Crivellenti LC, Zuccolotto DCC, Franco LJ. A relação entre consumo de alimentos minimamente processados e ultraprocessados durante a gestação e obesidade e diabetes mellitus gestacional. Cad Saúde Pública. 2019 May; 35 (4): e00049318.
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    Micali FG, Diez-Garcia RW. Pictorial instrument of food and nutrition education for promoting healthy eating. Rev Nutr. 2016; 29 (6): 917-28.
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    Oliveira SC, Fernandes AFC, Vasconcelos EMR, Ximenes LB, Leal LP, Cavalvanti AMTS, et al Efeito de uma intervenção educativa na gravidez: ensaio clínico randomizado em cluster. Acta Paul Enferm. 2018 Jun; 31 (3): 291-8.
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    Aşcı Ö, Rathfisch G. Effect of lifestyle interventions of pregnant women on their dietary habits, lifestyle behaviors, and weight gain: a randomized controlled trial. J Health Popul Nutr. 2016 Feb; 35: 7.
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Publication Dates

  • Publication in this collection
    05 Aug 2022
  • Date of issue
    Apr-Jun 2022

History

  • Received
    09 Apr 2021
  • Reviewed
    26 Jan 2022
  • Accepted
    10 Mar 2022
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