Abstract
Objective: This article aims to review how to use a term and concept of empowerment in nutrition education studies.
Methods: The Medline and Ichushi Web databases were searched for literature published in English and Japanese before March 2006. “Nutrition, ” “education, ” “empowerment” in English and “nutrition, ” “dietary education, ” “dietary life, ” and “empowerment” in Japanese were used as the key words. A total of 34 papers in English and 16 papers in Japanese were reviewed.
Results: Description of the definitions or concepts of empowerment were found in 6 English papers and 10 Japanese papers. There was no agreed definition. How to use the term “empowerment” and its concepts were different from each field. The concept of empowerment in the clinical nutrition field, mainly focused on the individual/ psychological empowerment, tended to be used from the medical staff standpoint of view. It had wider meanings in the community nutrition field relating to the three levels, individual, organizational and community empowerment.
Conclusion: Empowerment studies have not been sufficiently conducted in the field of nutrition education. It is necessary to clarify the concept of empowerment and indicators for its evaluation in Japan for conducting more studies on empowerment.
