Nutrition Educational Programming: An added step in the integrated healing process of the residents of the Battered Women\u27s Shelter

This honors project began as a conversation to explore the feasibility of including nutrition education into the health and wellness programming offered at the Battered Women’s Shelter of Summit and Medina Counties. As this population of women has unique needs and health concerns specifically associated with recovery from domestic violence, before planning for what nutrition education may be appropriate to implement, it is first necessary to explore the literature that discusses the health and nutritional needs of this population. Unfortunately, there is not a substantial amount of research available that examines this question, so there is still a lot left unknown about the nutritional needs of battered women, leaving much to be assumed from research on other populations. Conclusions drawn from reviewing the research on populations in similar situations indicates that nutritional concerns prevalent among battered women seeking the help of shelters may include a lack of access to nutritious foods that help promote an overall healthy life and prevent malnutrition, thus making nutrition education about how to grocery shop on a budget and where to gain access to healthier foods, and skill-building around how to plan and cook simple, healthy meals imperative