CDN Nutrition Counseling & Behavioral Change Flashcards

Which stage of the Transtheoretical Model is characterized by consistent healthy behavior maintained for more than 6 months?

Answer: Maintenance

Maintenance is the stage where the new behavior has been sustained for over 6 months and the individual works to prevent relapse.

A registered dietitian notices a client has strong resistance to change. According to MI principles, the best response is to:

Answer: Roll with the resistance and explore ambivalence without arguing

MI principles emphasize 'rolling with resistance' — avoiding argumentation and instead exploring the client's ambivalence to reduce defensiveness.

Which behavior change technique involves having a client track their food intake, physical activity, or symptoms daily to increase self-awareness?

Answer: Self-monitoring

Self-monitoring through food diaries or apps is one of the most evidence-based behavior change techniques for improving dietary adherence.

When counseling a patient from a food-insecure household about dietary improvement, which approach is most appropriate?

Answer: Focus on affordable, nutrient-dense foods and local food assistance resources

Effective counseling for food-insecure clients prioritizes affordable, accessible, nutrient-dense options and connects them with SNAP, food banks, or WIC resources.

In group nutrition counseling, which dynamic is most likely to enhance behavior change outcomes?

Answer: Peer support and shared experiences among group members

Peer support, shared accountability, and normalization of struggles within a group setting are powerful drivers of sustained behavior change.

Which principle of adult learning (andragogy) is most important to apply when counseling adult patients about dietary change?

Answer: Adults are self-directed and draw on life experience — involve them in goal-setting

Andragogy holds that adults are self-directed learners who connect new knowledge to prior experience, making collaborative goal-setting far more effective than directive instruction.