IMPLEMENTATION OF A “BALANCED NUTRITION EDUCATION PROGRAM” AMONG PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILDREN IN TURKEY

The Family Environment as a Source for Creating the Dietary Attitudes of Primary School Students-A Focus Group Interview: The Junior-Edu-Żywienie (JEŻ) Project

The family environment plays a crucial role in creating the health behaviours of children and youth. This study aimed to explore the attitudes of parents with children aged 7-12 who represent an influential environment for creating the eating behaviours of children. A qualitative study was conducted using focus-group interviews (FGI) involving 101 parents from various socioeconomic backgrounds. Three categories of parents were identified based on their level of involvement and awareness of nutrition: 'aware', 'determined', and 'relaxed'. Among parents of 10-12-year-old students, an additional category, 'distanced' parents, was identified. The study revealed that parents require support in terms of providing compelling arguments and practical recommendations related to meals and reducing or eliminating their children's consumption of sweets, snacks, fast food, and, in the case of older students, energy drinks. Parents reported that their children had a moderate understanding of the principles of proper nutrition. The majority of respondents viewed this knowledge as primarily theoretical and expressed a need for practical guidance and activities, which they believe should be offered by schools. To achieve positive outcomes in educational activities related to food and nutrition, it is essential to involve children, parents, guardians, teachers, and other school staff in these efforts.

Balance Nutrition Messages Are Still Implemented in Preschools One Year Postintervention: Case Studies in Subang District, West Java, Indonesia

Thirty-two teachers from 10 preschools in Cisalak subdistrict, Subang district, West Java province, Indonesia, received a two-day training on Balance Nutrition and My Plate in February 2018. The main messages underlined in the training were consume a variety of foods, drink enough water daily, wash your hands with soap, be physically active, and monitor your body weight. The training was followed by an eight-week implementation period to preschoolers aged 3 to 6 y. The knowledge of the teachers increased by up to 33 percentage points (average score: 69 to 82 pre- vs. posttest) after training, and the teachers answered correctly to the same questions 15 mo later. The mothers' knowledge increased by up to 37 percentage points after parenting sessions. All seven teaching aids provided were used by end-line, but their usage decreased after seven months (range: 2 to 7) and further decreased by 12 mo postintervention (range: 2 to 5). A teacher's handbook and a flipchart were the two aids persistently used. The practices of washing hands with soap, bringing healthy packed lunches, and monitoring weight and height continued after 12 mo postintervention. Dissemination of Balance Nutrition knowledge to fellow teachers of the same school, colleagues from different schools, or to representatives of preschool associations was evident. Training should be scaled up to the district level, using trained teachers as trainers and adopting a cascade training method. National roll-out by teachers' associations, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health, could improve the knowledge of over 200,000 preschool teachers and potentially improve the nutrition of 19 million preschoolers.