Cultural sensitivity and nutrition counseling

Nutrition educators are faced with the challenge of providing nutrition education and assistance to people who come from a variety of cultures different from their own. This article defines culture and provides a glossary of cultural terms. Cultural competence is defined as knowledge and a set of interpersonal skills that allow individuals to increase their understanding and appreciation of cultural differences and similarities within, among, and between groups. Development of cultural competence moves through four stages and provides the nutrition counselor with understanding and skills to more effectively transmit nutrition information to people of cultures different from their own.