State of the Evidence Regarding Behaviour Change Theories, Article Critique Example

Introduction

This article examines behavioural change and theories within the field of dietics. It describes the importance of counselling in order to facilitate proper care and guidance covering nutrition advice to individuals. The article includes a comprehensive bibliography of peer reviewed references and has been compiled by a number of leading academics in this field. The article is written with authority and covers what motivational strategies may be adopted for patients requiring nutrition guidance for type 2 diabetes.

Critique

Evidence based medicine is one of the most dominant approaches to nutritional medicine. This article describes a number of theoretical model approaches including that of (i) Cognitive Behavioural Theory (ii) Transtheoretical Model and (iii) Socio Cognitive model.  The paper offers the underlying philosophy for each model and appropriate nutrition counselling strategies. The analysis provides results from 86 primary studies. The graded conclusions provide evidence that theory based counselling services will result in both health and food behavioural changes for those adults receiving the benefit of counselling in a clinical setting.  The results are set out in informative evidence based tables.  The results are supported by a comprehensive set of action statements that can support the counselling action steps.

Conclusions

An authoritative piece of research that is supported by consultation with leading Medical advisors. It provides an important contribution to the field of dietics and contains important nutritional guidance information referencing important illnesses like that of type 2 diabetes.  For researchers this provides the added benefit of a very comprehensive bibliography where further supporting information may be obtained.  The tables of results are very professional and well set out from an evidential perspective addressing the different theoretical models used for the purpose of discussion.

References

Spahn, M. R. (2010). State of the Evidence regarding behaviour change theories and strategies in nutrition counselling to facilitate health and food behaviour change . American Dietic Association, 879-891.