Okuzeka
Nutrition & Dietetics vocabulary · Counseling Clients

Behavior change

Meaning in nutrition & dietetics, with examples

nounCommon term

In nutrition & dietetics, behavior change means: The process of changing habits and actions, such as how a person shops, cooks or eats, in a way that lasts over time. In nutrition it is often the main goal of counseling.

In Turkish: davranış değişikliği

How it is used

Used in counseling, public health and research, in phrases like 'behavior change techniques' and 'behavior change model'. Dietitians use tools such as goal setting, self-monitoring and problem solving. The stages of change model describes readiness, from 'precontemplation' to 'maintenance'.

Example sentences

  1. Small, specific goals are more likely to lead to lasting behavior change.

  2. The program uses behavior change techniques such as self-monitoring and planning.

Common collocations

  • behavior change techniques
  • lasting behavior change
  • support behavior change
  • stages of change
  • motivational interviewingA client-centered counseling style that helps people explore their own reasons for change and resolve mixed feelings about it, rather than telling them what to do.
  • eating habitsThe usual ways a person eats: what, when, where, how much and how fast they eat, together with the routines and feelings connected with food.
  • stick toTo continue following a plan, diet, rule or decision without stopping or changing it, even when it becomes difficult.
  • nutrition counselingA supportive conversation, usually over several sessions, in which a dietitian helps a person understand their eating, set goals and make lasting changes that suit their health and lifestyle.
  • adherenceThe degree to which a person actually follows an agreed treatment, diet or plan over time, such as eating according to a meal plan or taking supplements as prescribed.

More terms: Counseling Clients

Practise with graded reading

Reading at the right level is the fastest way to make new words stick. Pick free English books by level:

This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.