scholarly journals Evaluation of a computer-based nutrition education tool

2004 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 271-277 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katrin Kreisel

AbstractObjective:To evaluate the efficacy and feasibility of using a computer-based teaching tool (http://www.coolfoodplanet.org) for nutrition and lifestyle education developed for primary school children.Design:This was a 2-week school-based intervention in third and fourth grades. The study design was multi-factorial with repeated measures of nutrition knowledge, at three points in time, of dependent samples from control and intervention groups. Control schools (n=7) used ‘traditional’ nutrition education materials and intervention schools (n=8) additionally used the computer-based educational tool. Qualitative information was collected in focus group discussions with student teachers and pupils, and by observing the nutrition lessons.Setting/subjects:Pupils aged 8–11 years (n=271) from participating schools in Vienna, Austria.Results:Nutrition knowledge increased significantly in both intervention and control schools, irrespective of the teaching tool used (P<0.001). The significant effect was maintained at 3 months' follow-up. There was no detectable difference in nutrition knowledge post intervention or at follow-up between the two study groups. In intervention schools, younger pupils (8–9 years) had better nutrition knowledge than older pupils (10–11 years) (P=0.011).Conclusion:This computer-based tool increases the possibilities of school-based nutrition education. If the tool's weaknesses identified during the formative evaluation are eliminated, it has the potential to make learning about nutrition more enjoyable, exciting and effective. This is of great importance considering that ‘healthy’ nutrition is not necessarily a topic that easily attracts pupils' attention and in view of the potential long-term health benefits of early and effective nutrition education.

2014 ◽  
Vol 114 (5) ◽  
pp. 322-330 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dongxu Wang ◽  
Chun Chang ◽  
Donald Stewart ◽  
Ying Ji ◽  
Yuhui Shi

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to improve adolescents’ nutrition knowledge and to examine the effect of interventions component to improve adolescents’ nutrition knowledge. Design/methodology/approach – The study design was multi-factorial with repeated measures, at two points in time, of dependent samples from three schools, which were randomly selected from 15 middle schools in Miyun County, Beijing, and then randomly assigned to control school or intervention school. The instrument for baseline survey was a 14-item and for follow-up survey was a 26-item, self-administered, structured questionnaire, designed in Chinese. Findings – Students’ nutrition knowledge improved significantly in intervention schools after intervention compared with controls. The extent to which students felt that peer support activities were helpful and that what they learned in class about nutrition was helpful, was related to their resultant level of nutrition knowledge. Originality/value – To the authors’ knowledge there have been no previous studies which explore the effect of specific intervention components on levels of nutrition knowledge among adolescents.


Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 3280
Author(s):  
Angeliek Verdonschot ◽  
Emely de Vet ◽  
Jolien van Rossum ◽  
Anouk Mesch ◽  
Clare E. Collins ◽  
...  

A healthy diet is important for optimal child growth and development. School-based opportunities to encourage children to achieve healthy eating behaviors should be explored. Nutrition education programs can provide school children with classroom-based nutrition education and access to fruits and vegetables (FV). However, the effectiveness of specific program components implemented separately has not yet been comprehensively evaluated. The current study examined effectiveness of individual components of two programs targeting primary school children (n = 1460, n = 37 schools) aged 7–12 years. Nutrition knowledge and FV consumption were measured using a student questionnaire, and presence of school food policies was measured in the teachers’ questionnaire. A quasi-experimental design with three arms compared: (1) schools that implemented both programs: FV provision + education (n = 15), (2) schools that implemented the FV provision program only (n = 12), (3) schools that did not implement either program (n = 10). Outcomes were assessed pre-intervention (T0), during the intervention (T1), and 6 months post-intervention (T2). Results indicated a significant increase in nutrition knowledge for children attending schools that had participated in both programs, compared to control schools (p < 0.01), but no significant increase in FV intake. In schools without food policies, FV provision alone contributed to an increase in child FV intake (p < 0.05).


Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 140
Author(s):  
Angeliek Verdonschot ◽  
Emely de Vet ◽  
Natalie van Seeters ◽  
Jolieke Warmer ◽  
Clare E. Collins ◽  
...  

Childhood eating behaviours can track into adulthood. Therefore, programmes that support early healthy eating, including school-based nutrition education programmes, are important. Although school-based programmes may be beneficial in improving nutrition knowledge, impact on actual fruit and vegetable (FV) intake is generally limited as FV intake is also influenced by the home environment. The current study includes secondary analyses of data from an evaluation study on Dutch nutrition education and examined the role of caregivers’ health promotion behaviours (HPB) in influencing healthy eating behaviours in primary school children (n = 1460, aged 7–12 years) and whether caregivers’ HPB contribute to programme effectiveness. Children’s nutrition knowledge, FV intake and caregivers’ HPB (FV/sugar-sweetened beverages/sweets provision to take to school, cooking together and talking about healthy food at home) were measured by child-reported questionnaires at baseline, during, and 6 months post-programme. Results indicated that caregivers’ HPB was positively associated with children’s healthy eating behaviours and that programme effectiveness was highest in those in the lower HPB subcategory. In conclusion, children with less encouragement to eat healthily at home potentially benefit more from school-based nutrition education programmes than children receiving more encouragement. This highlights the important role of the home environment in supporting healthy eating behaviour in children.


2021 ◽  
pp. bmjnph-2020-000159
Author(s):  
Lidia Ghirmai Teweldemedhin ◽  
Helen Gebretatyos Amanuel ◽  
Soliana Amanuel Berhe ◽  
Ghidey Gebreyohans ◽  
Zemenfes Tsige ◽  
...  

BackgroundHealthy pregnancy and birth outcomes are greatly influenced by the intake of adequate and balanced nutrition. Pregnant women’s nutritional knowledge and practice have been identified as an important prerequisites for their proper nutritional intake. The antenatal period with the opportunities for regular contact with health professionals appears to be the ideal time and setting to institute the intervention which could maximise pregnant women’s outcome and that of their baby by motivating them to make nutritional changes.ObjectiveTo assess the effect of nutrition education on the appropriate nutritional knowledge and practice of pregnant women.MethodologyA facility-based single-group pre–post quasi-experimental study design was employed in five health facilities providing antenatal care (ANC) service in Asmara on 226 pregnant women. A predesigned and pretested questionnaire was used to collect data regarding nutritional knowledge via interview by trained data collectors during the pretest, immediate post-test and 6 weeks later. The practice was assessed at pre-intervention and 6 weeks later only. Repeated measures analysis of variance and paired t-test were used to make comparisons in knowledge and practice scores, respectively, using SPSS (V.22).ResultsTraining provided to pregnant women resulted in a significant increase on the mean scores of their knowledge from 29.01/47 (SE=0.35) pre-intervention to 42.73/47 (SE=0.24) immediate post-intervention. However, the score declined significantly from immediate after intervention to 6-week follow-up by 1.79 (SE=0.22). Although the score declined, knowledge at 6-week follow-up was still significantly greater than that of pre-intervention (p<0.0001). Health professionals (70.2%) were the primary source of information for pregnant women. The pregnancy-specific dietary practice score at 6-week follow-up (M=13.13/16, SE=0.09) was significantly higher than that of pre-intervention (M=12.55/16, SE=0.16). There was no significant interaction between the categories of demographic characteristics and change in practice and knowledge.ConclusionThis study has shown that the nutrition messages given to pregnant women by trained health professionals using a holistic approach in a sustained manner played a huge role in increasing their knowledge and in introducing positive dietary practices among them. Thus, ANC clinics must play a leading role in coordinating the effort of awareness creation regarding nutrition during pregnancy.


2016 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-34 ◽  
Author(s):  
Parisa Keshani ◽  
Seyed Mohammad Mousavi ◽  
Zahra Mirzaei ◽  
Zeinab Hematdar ◽  
Najmeh Maayeshi ◽  
...  

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 61
Author(s):  
Sintha F S ◽  
Nadya Anggraeni

Guidelines for balanced nutrition began to be introduced and socialized more than 15 years ago. Guidelines for balanced nutrition apply to every stage of age including school-aged children. Education of balanced nutrition is still little given to school-aged children. According to some research is still a lot of prevalence of knowledge of balanced nutrition is lacking. In the study conducted Zulaekah (2012) showed that as many as 57.7% of primary school children have a lack of nutrition knowledge. This study aims to determine whether there is influence of nutrition education by using Comic media on knowledge of balanced nutrition. In this research use quasy experimental research design with time series design design. This research is done by using comic print media which contains about 4 messages of balanced nutrition, that is variation of food, the importance of clean life, the importance of active lifestyle and exercise, and the importance of monitoring the weight which is visualized in a tumpeng gizi seimbang (TGS). Statistical analysis of data using t-dependent test. The result of t-dependent test shows that there is an increase of average value of knowledge before and after giving comic 36,36. In this research, balanced comic nutrition media can increase the average knowledge of schoolchild by 34,36 or 72,15%.


2020 ◽  
Vol 79 (8) ◽  
pp. 963-973
Author(s):  
Sanjoy Saha ◽  
John Dawson ◽  
Mary Murimi ◽  
Sara Dodd ◽  
Wilna Oldewage-Theron

Objective: To increase nutrition knowledge, fruit and vegetable preference, eating and cooking self-efficacy among 3rd- to 5th-grade students after a 6-week school-based nutrition education intervention. Design: Quasi-experimental pre–post design. Setting: Title I elementary schools, South Plains, West Texas. Method: A nutrition education curriculum informed by social cognitive theory was developed and implemented in four Title I elementary schools. A total of 115 children from 3rd to 5th grade (age range: 8–11 years) participated and completed both baseline and post-intervention surveys. The intervention included class-based nutrition education for 25 minutes, and a cooking and tasting session for 20 minutes each week. Nutrition handouts on fruit and vegetable were sent to parents. Face-to-face survey questionnaires were administered on nutrition knowledge, fruit and vegetable preference, fruit and vegetable eating and cooking self-efficacy during pre- and post-surveys. Changes in mean score of nutrition knowledge, fruit and vegetable preference, fruit and vegetable eating and cooking self-efficacy were analysed using paired t-tests. Results: Participants showed significant improvements in nutrition knowledge, fruit and vegetable preference, eating and cooking self-efficacy after the intervention. Conclusion: Study results suggest that a brief 6-week multi-component and school-based nutrition education intervention had the potential to engage students and create health-promoting behaviours.


2020 ◽  
Vol 23 (14) ◽  
pp. 2626-2636
Author(s):  
Paul Kyere ◽  
J Lennert Veerman ◽  
Patricia Lee ◽  
Donald E Stewart

AbstractObjective:To evaluate the effect of school-based nutrition interventions (SBNI) involving schoolchildren and adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) on child nutrition status and nutrition-related knowledge, attitudes and behaviour.Design:A systematic review on published school nutrition intervention studies of randomised controlled trials, controlled clinical trials, controlled before-and-after studies or quasi-experimental designs with control. Nine electronic bibliographic databases were searched. To be included, interventions had to involve changes to the school’s physical and social environments, to the school’s nutrition policies, to teaching curriculum to incorporate nutrition education and/or to partnership with parents/community.Setting:Schools in SSA.Participants:School-aged children and adolescents, aged 5–19 years.Results:Fourteen studies met our inclusion criteria. While there are few existing studies of SBNI in SSA, the evidence shows that food supplementation/fortification is very effective in reducing micronutrient deficiencies and can improve nutrition status. Secondly, school nutrition education can improve nutrition knowledge, but this may not necessarily translate into healthy nutrition behaviour, indicating that nutrition knowledge may have little impact without a facilitating environment. Results regarding anthropometry were inconclusive; however, there is evidence for the effectiveness of SBNI in improving cognitive abilities.Conclusions:There is enough evidence to warrant further trials of SBNI in SSA. Future research should consider investigating the impact of SBNI on anthropometry and nutrition behaviour, focusing on the role of programme intensity and/or duration. To address the high incidence of micronutrient deficiencies in low- and middle-income countries, food supplementation strategies currently available to schoolchildren should be expanded.


Children ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 24
Author(s):  
Nienke de Vlieger ◽  
Jolien van Rossum ◽  
Nicholas Riley ◽  
Andrew Miller ◽  
Clare Collins ◽  
...  

In NSW, Australia, the views of primary-school aged children and their parents in regard to the importance of nutrition education at school are unclear. The aim of the current study was to explore children’s knowledge of nutrition and eating habits and to identify gaps that future school nutrition education programs could target. Students aged 9 to 12 years and their parents (n = 21 dyads) were invited to participate in semi-structured interviews, complete a nutrition knowledge questionnaire, and perform a “healthy-unhealthy” food sorting task in a University food laboratory. Among the children, nutrition knowledge scores concerning “serves & portions” of common foods were lowest, identifying a gap in knowledge related to portion size. All children categorized fruits, vegetables, cola, and water correctly as “healthy” or “unhealthy” in the sorting task, but not for the sausage and muesli bar, suggesting that further support categorising processed foods may be needed. The interviews indicated that parents do actively try to teach their children about nutrition, although they reported feeling uncertain about their own level of nutrition knowledge. Children and parents indicated that there is very little nutrition education in school and more is needed. This research could be used to inform future curriculum components related to nutrition education for primary school children.


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