Chang Lucy Liu 44

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Nutrition Education Program for Assigned Diet
Lesson Plan Rough Draft
Total Time: 20 minutes
Performance objectives: After completing the course, students will (1) be able to explain the
ways that intake of sodium above recommended amounts negatively influences health,
specifically how sodium can increase the risks for Coronary Heart Disease, heart attacks, and
strokes, (2) be able to identify foods that are high in sodium and should be avoided from a list of
food with foods from each food group, and (3) adhere to a sodium 1500 diet in the week after
the lesson, with evidence by the food choices on a detailed food diary.
Pre-session preparation and materials needed: Make Powerpoint presentation for
explanation of risks of excess sodium in the diet and for explanation of foods that are high and
low in sodium, and for practical tips on how a low-sodium diet can be implemented. Practice
presenting. If class is less than 10 students, use resources to determine their sodium intake
from their 24 hour food intake, organize in table for each person and print out. Make easy-to-
read handout to help students identify foods that are high and low in sodium. Print copies as
needed of handout. Print copies of a handout helpful for keeping food diary, or find a website
that is easy for them to document and gives you access to their documentation.
Needs assessment: A week before the course, send out a survey to course participants.
Survey will seek to determine: (1) what their understanding of sodiums effects (both good and
bad) on health is, (2) where they believe the sodium in their diet comes from, (3) whether or not
they have already attempted to reduce sodium intake and their level of success in their attempts,
and (4) food that they have eaten in the last day through a 24 hour food recall. This should help
identify misconceptions that participants may have and any knowledge or motivational deficits.
What is learned through the needs assessment can be made to modify performance objectives
or just the content and sequence in general.
1. What function does sodium have in the body?
2. What are some health effects of excess sodium intake?
3. Please list, in detail, all of the foods that you have eaten in the last day, breakfast,
lunch, dinner, snacks, and beverages.
4. From the foods you listed in #3, which foods do you think contributed the most
sodium in your diet?
5. Have you made attempts to reduce sodium intake in your diet before? How
successful were the attempts?
Content and sequence:
(1) Introduce myself
(2) Start presentation.
a. Define sodium as a chemical and a food
b. Sodiums roles in the body
i. sodium needed to control blood volume and pressure, function of muscles
and nerves
c. effects of too much sodium: high blood pressure, buildup of fluid, and how this
relates to disease
d. 2300 mg of sodium suggested as daily maximum
e. 3436 is average for Americans over 2 yrs of age
f. Survey of pre-assessment tool: answers to #4 where participants thought sodium
came from in their diets.
g. Actual top food sources of sodium
h. how to find sodium content on a food label
i. ask them to keep food diary.
(3) Give handouts and personal sodium intake sheets if applicable
(4) Closing and Thank You
Evaluation: Send out another survey in a week. Similar questions: (1) What are effects of
sodium intake that is excessive? (2) Enter food diary (or if it was a website, dont have this
question). (3) Have them identify high sodium foods in a list.
If food diary was on a website, evaluate their choices on the website.