Evaluation of nutritional education using concept mapping

The concept mapping method is presented in the current study as a new tool to assess the learning process taking part in the hallmark of a nutritional education program addressed to obese diabetic patients. Population: eight patients were interviewed prior to and after completion of 1-week in-hospital stay during which concept maps were designed. Concept maps quantitative and qualitative analysis disclose both (i) the importance of previous knowledge among patients prior to nutritional education and (ii) the maintenance of misconceptions after it. Nutritional education allows patients to acquire and structure their knowledge while providing them with a certain amount of medical vocabulary. An underlying correlation between concept maps design and the results of psychological tests identifying eating behaviour troubles (EBT), depression or anxiety has not been clearly identified. However, the nutritional education is more beneficial to those patients with a higher degree of self-assertiveness and with a lesser degree of anxiety, depression and eating disorder.