Cultural diversity: a counseling perspective (Summer 2003)
By Jillian M. Meloy, RD; Stephanie Taylor-Davis, PhD, RD

Multicultural nutrition counseling involves a nutrition professional and client who are from different cultural backgrounds. A client's nutritional needs may be influenced by ethnicity, religion, group affiliation, socioeconomic status, and/or world view. However, typical approaches to multicultural nutrition counseling are based on traditional values of the dominant (white, Anglo-Saxon) culture. As the society becomes more culturally diverse, multiculturally competent professionals are needed. The educational background of many nutrition professionals offers little preparation for incorporating cultural concepts into practice. Therefore, cultural factors are either neglected or insufficient in dietary assessments and interventions.

Cultural minorities currently comprise about one quarter of the U.S. population. It has been documented that cultural minorities in the United States have higher rates of morbidity and mortality from major chronic diseases than do white, non-Hispanic populations. The risk for disease states with nutritional consequences often varies in different populations. Therefore, the cultural background of a client may affect nutritional status related to disease state as well as nutrient needs.

Culturally diverse counseling skills are essential for health professionals working with clients from different ethnic backgrounds. Healthy People 2010 indicates that we must address the issue of cultural and linguistic differences at all levels to ensure competence within a diverse public-health work force. Knowledge of one's own culture's beliefs and familiarity with a client's culture often reveal significant differences in food habits. Therefore, health professionals such as dietitians and nurses must be culturally competent delivering culturally appropriate service. Respect for cultural values and personal preferences is a precondition for successful nutrition promotion in a heterogeneous society.

To become more aware of food and nutrition practices of culturally diverse clients, health-care professionals can consult relevant research and the latest findings regarding food practices and nutrition-related health problems of cultural groups, complete training and/or workshops on food and nutrition practices of various cultural groups, shop in food stores that cater to specific cultural groups, and ask their culturally diverse clients to tell them about their food practices. By becoming aware of their own and of other cultures' nutrition practices, health-care professionals can become competent counselors who have the ability and experience to perform culturally appropriate responsibilities.

References

Harris-Davis, E, and Haughton, B. Model for Multicultural Nutrition Counseling Competencies. J Am Diet Assoc . 2000;100:1178–1185.

Healthy People 2010. Available at http://www.healthypeople.gov/. Keenan, D. In the face of diversity: Modifying nutrition education to meet the need of an increasingly multicultural consumer base. J Nutr Educ . 1996;28(2): 86–91.

Terry, RD. (1994). Needed: A New Appreciation of Culture and Food Behavior. J Am Diet Assoc . 1994;94(5): 501–504.