Rafaella Dusi de Souza

@ppgnh.unb.br

PhD candidate in Human Nutrition at the University of Brasília - Postgraduate Program in Human Nutrition
University of Brasília - Postgraduate Program in Human Nutrition

Rafaella Dusi de Souza


            Download Compact PDF  
https://researchid.co/rafaella.dusi

RESEARCH, TEACHING, or OTHER INTERESTS

Nutrition and Dietetics
6

Scopus Publications

Scopus Publications

  • Do Cooking Classes for Nutrition Students Improve Their Eating Competence and Cooking Skills? A 1-Year Follow-Up in a Sample of Brazilian Public University Students
    Julyana Nogueira Firme, Renata Puppin Zandonadi, Millena Amaral Santana, Rafaella Dusi, Eduardo Yoshio Nakano, Fabiana Lopes Nalon de Queiroz, Luanna Ortiz Costa Ribeiro, António Raposo, Zayed D. Alsharari, Raquel B. A. Botelho
    Nutrients, 2026
    Background: The decline in traditional cooking practices and the increased consumption of ready-to-eat meals have raised concerns about dietary quality and health, especially among university students. Nutrition students, despite their academic training, often struggle to translate theoretical knowledge into healthy eating practices. Culinary classes in academic settings have emerged as promising strategies to enhance both cooking skills (CS) and eating competence (EC). Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of a 12-month cooking class program on the development of culinary skills and eating competence among nutrition students at a public university in Brazil. Methods: A longitudinal study was conducted with 42 nutrition students who completed a structured questionnaire at three time points: baseline, after 6 months, and after 1 year of participation in sequential cooking-related subjects. Data were collected using the Brazilian Cooking Skills and Healthy Eating Questionnaire (QBHC) and the Brazilian version of the Satter Eating Competence Inventory (ecSI2.0™BR). Statistical analyses included a repeated-measures ANOVA and a Pearson correlation. Bonferroni post hoc comparisons were conducted following the repeated-measures ANOVA to identify the time points at which significant differences occurred. Results: Participants, predominantly young females (78.6%, mean age 21.07 ± 2.71 years), demonstrated high CS at baseline and showed significant improvements over time (p < 0.05). At baseline, 59.5% of participants (n = 25) were considered competent eaters (EC ≥ 32). Knowledge in cooking terms and techniques increased after one year (p = 0.023). EC mean scores classified participants as competent eaters at the beginning and after one year, with an increase in the internal regulation domain. Improvements in technical culinary knowledge were associated with gains in contextual skills. Conclusions: Participation in structured cooking classes positively influenced the development of CS and EC internal regulation among nutrition students.
  • Strategies for Effective Communication in Hypertension Management: Validation of Messages from a Mobile Application to Assist Hypertensive Older Adults in Adherence to Treatment, Nutrition and Physical Activity
    Alayne Pereira, Raiza Trombini, Yuri Barbalho, Marina Stival, Luciano Lima, Renata Zandonadi, Verônica Ginani, Rafaella Dusi, Silvana Schwerz Funghetto
    Nutrients, 2024
    Background: Poor adherence to antihypertensive treatment is a common problem among elderly hypertensive patients and one of the leading causes of inadequate blood pressure control. In this sense, it is essential to improve strategies for effective communication in managing hypertension treatment for this group. Objective: This study aimed to validate the text messages of a mobile application to aid adherence to antihypertensive treatment, nutrition, and physical activity among older adults with hypertension treated in Brazilian public primary health care. Methods: This descriptive, methodological development study with a quantitative approach was carried out between March and August 2024. Results: A total of 27 messages were constructed and validated by 13 experts, and this stage was divided into two rounds. The Content Validity index and percentage of agreement were used in the validation process. The messages were developed using theory, national guidelines, validation, and expert review. Conclusions: Text messages for adherence to antihypertensive treatment involving medication, nutrition, and physical activity have enormous potential with the target audience studied.
  • Evaluation of the Effect of a Mobile Application on Glycated Hemoglobin in Older Adults with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus—Protocol of a Randomized Clinical Trial
    Raíza Rana de Souza Lima Trombini, Rafaella Dusi, Alayne Larissa Martins Pereira, Renata Puppin Zandonadi, Marina Morato Stival, Verônica Cortez Ginani, Silvana Schwerz Funghetto
    Nutrients, 2024
    Background: Digital educational technologies in health have been an important instrument for promoting learning, self-care, self-esteem, and security regarding prevention and health promotion actions that lead to changes in behavior, mainly for non-communicable disease patients, such as type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (DM 2). Objective: This study aimed to describe a protocol for evaluating the effect of an app for cell phones and tablets on the blood glucose of older adults with DM 2. Methods: The protocol will be used to compare the effectiveness of an application for mobile devices concerning the educational booklet in reducing Glycated Hemoglobin in older adults with DM 2 in Primary Health Care. This protocol is part of a Randomized Clinical Trial project entitled Effectiveness of a Mobile Device Application on Glycated Hemoglobin in Elderly People with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: a Randomized Clinical Trial. Results: The protocol was structured in the following phases: (i) sample calculation, (ii) invitation to participate in the study according to the eligibility criteria; (iii) participant registration; (iv) randomization and allocation of participants into groups (double blinding); (v) application of the intervention; (vi) post-intervention procedures (post-test); (vii) data analysis. Conclusion: It is expected that encouraging studies on the impact of a mobile application will improve and enhance health education focused on self-care for older adults with DM 2, potentially influencing the local health system by reducing hospitalizations due to conditions that are sensitive to primary care, since health promotion and prevention of DM-related illnesses will be the main focus of the application and booklet developed.
  • Construction and Content Validation of Mobile Devices’ Application Messages about Food and Nutrition for DM2 Older Adults
    Rafaella Dusi, Raiza Rana de Souza Lima Trombini, Alayne Larissa Martins Pereira, Silvana Schwerz Funghetto, Verônica Cortez Ginani, Marina Morato Stival, Eduardo Yoshio Nakano, Renata Puppin Zandonadi
    Nutrients, 2024
    Older adults face a decline in the quality of their diet, which affects their health. The prevalence of DM2 is increasing, as are the associated complications. Effective nutrition education and mobile health (mHealth) interventions offer a viable solution in the scenario of the widespread use of mobile devices. This study aimed to develop and validate messages for a mobile application aimed at older adult Brazilians with DM2 who receive care at the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS). The educational messages on healthy eating for older adults with DM2 were created from 189 excerpts selected from Brazilian official documents. A total of 37 messages were created, categorized into 20 educational, 12 motivational, and 5 congratulatory, all up to 120 characters. Twenty-one experts validated the messages for clarity and relevance, and 11 messages had to be revised to meet the criteria. Subsequently, the 36 messages approved by the experts were tested on a sample of 57 older adults, guaranteeing clarity rates of over 80%. This study developed and validated 36 messages for a mobile health app aimed at older adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus in Brazil. Expert evaluation ensured clarity and relevance, confirmed by older adult participants who evaluated clarity. This research highlights the potential of mHealth to overcome barriers to accessing healthcare in the SUS, emphasizing personalized interventions for the effective management of older adults’ health.
  • Translation of the Satter’s Division of Responsibility in Feeding Questionnaire into Brazilian Portuguese: A Cross-Sectional Study
    Rafaella Dusi, Raquel Braz Assunção Botelho, Eduardo Yoshio Nakano, Fabiana Lopes Nalon de Queiroz, Renata Puppin Zandonadi
    Nutrients, 2023
    This cross-sectional study aimed to translate and perform a psychometric analysis (evaluation of reproducibility and internal consistency) of the sDOR.2-6y™ into Brazilian Portuguese. The translation and back-translation followed the protocol required by the NEEDs Center, and the approved version was called “sDOR.2-6y™—Português-Brasil”. The approved version was submitted to a test–retest round to verify its reproducibility through the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC). A pilot study was performed to assess the internal consistency of the instrument. The reproducibility analysis (n = 23) showed a total ICC of 0.945. With the data from the pilot study (n = 384), the internal consistency evaluation was analyzed through Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, and the instrument obtained an overall Cronbach’s alpha of 0.301. The translation of the sDOR.2-6y™ into Brazilian Portuguese is the first and only tool available for the Brazilian population to exclusively assess the division of responsibility in feeding, which is essential to the academic community, health professionals, and research on child feeding. Therefore, this instrument in Brazilian Portuguese will allow future research on the division of responsibility in feeding among those responsible for children in Brazil.
  • Division of Responsibility in Child Feeding and Eating Competence among Brazilian Caregivers
    Rafaella Dusi, Raquel Braz Assunção Botelho, Eduardo Yoshio Nakano, Fabiana Lopes Nalon de Queiroz, Renata Puppin Zandonadi
    Nutrients, 2023
    This cross-sectional study aimed to assess Brazilian child caregivers’ eating competence (EC) and their adherence to the division of responsibility (sDOR) in child feeding. The research had national coverage in all Brazilian regions. The sample comprised 549 caregivers of Brazilian children (24 up to 72 months) recruited by social media (snowball method). Data on sDOR and EC were collected using the sDOR.2-6yTM Portuguese—Brazil (sDOR.2-6y-BR) and ecSI2.0TMBR, both instruments validated to the Brazilian population. The scores of the sDOR.2-6y-BR were described in terms of means, standard deviations (SD), medians, and interquartile range. Student’s t-test and analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Tukey’s post hoc tests were used to compare the scores of sDOR.2-6y-BR and ecSI2.0TMBR with interest variables. The association between the sDOR.2-6y-BR and ecSI2.0TMBR scores was verified by Pearson’s correlation coefficient. Most of the participants were female (n = 88.7%), 37.8 ± 5.1 y/o, had a high schooling level (70.31%), and high monthly income (more than 15 minimum wages—MW) (31.69%). The children for whom the participants were responsible were mostly girls (53.19%), with an average age of 3.6 ± 1.3 y/o. The instrument presented good responsiveness (floor and ceiling effects = 0%). Cronbach’s Alpha = 0.268. There was no statistical difference in sDOR.2-6y-BR scores between caregiver’s gender, age, level of education, number of people living in the household, or by gender or age of the child. Caregivers who reported (n = 100) that their children had some medical diagnosis (e.g., food allergy, autism, or Down syndrome) had lower sDOR adherence scores than caregivers who indicated their children had no medical diagnosis (p = 0.031). There was no statistical difference in ecSI2.0TMBR scores between the categories of caregiver’s gender, age, occupancy, and child’s gender and age. Caregivers with income higher than 10 MW, living in houses with more than 3 people, and with graduate schooling showed higher EC scores. Caregivers considered competent eaters by ecSI2.0TMBR scores differed only for educational level, which was more frequent among graduate participants. The total EC score was positively associated with total and mealtime structure (D1), how food is available to the child (D3), and the parent gives respect to the child’s autonomy in eating (D4) sDOR.2-6yTM domains. There was a negative association with the what is available to the child (D2) sDOR.2-6yTM domain. In general, the sDOR.2-6y-BR had a positive association with the ecSI2.0TMBR in all domains and total, with a low but significant correlation. This study enables the investigation of the division of responsibility in feeding and EC of a sample of caregivers of children in Brazil. This is the first study to apply the translated and validated version of the sDOR.2-6y-BR and showed good results, where competent eaters’ caregivers adhere more to the principles of sDOR.