Applying research in nutrition education planning: a dietary intervention for Bangladeshi chronic kidney disease patients.

Background: Effective nutrition health interventions are theory-based, as well as being drawn from practice and research, aiming to successfully accomplish dietary behavioural changes. However, the integration of theory, research and practice to develop community dietary educational programmes is a challenge that many interventionists feel ill equipped to achieve.

Methods: In the present study, a community-based education programme was designed for Bangladeshi patients with chronic kidney disease and hypertension. The goal of this programme was to reduce dietary salt intake in this population group, with a view to reducing their blood pressure and slowing kidney disease progression.

Results: The present study sets out the first four steps of a six-step model for creating a behaviour change programme.

Conclusions: These four steps were concerned with the translation of theory and evidence into intervention objectives, and illustrate how a practical, community-based intervention was developed from behavioural theory, relevant research, knowledge of practice and the target patient group. Steps 5 and 6, which are concerned with implementation and evaluation, will be reported separately.