Assessing the impact of nutrition education on growth indices of Iranian nomadic children: an application of a modified beliefs, attitudes, subjective-norms and enabling-factors model

Abstract

In order to teach suitable feeding and hygiene practices to a group of randomly selected Qashqa'i tribe families with 406 children aged 0 -59 months, a culturally appropriate community-based education intervention approach was used. To assess the impact of the intervention on the study group, another group of families with 405 children were randomly selected to serve as the controls. At the beginning of the intervention programme both groups of children had access to a similar diet, consisting of cereals, beans, oil, sugar, milk and yoghurt. Baseline data, age, gender, weight, height and mean arm circumference (MAC), were obtained before the intervention. Using Hubley's behavioural change model, the components of which deal with beliefs, attitudes, subjective norms and enabling factors, the research team studied the behaviour of the family members and tried to change their nutritional behaviour. This was achieved by designing a suitable education programme to be carried out for 12 months. During the programme, families were instructed to follow different methods of food preparation and cooking practices. The final data were collected 3 months after the end of the intervention programme. The results indicated that the children in the study group gained: 1·16 (SD 1·2) kg body weight, 0·033 (SD 0·05) m in height, 0·0067 (SD 0·015) m in MAC, 0·8 (SD 1) in weight-for-age Z-score, 0·97 (SD 1·7) in height-for-age Z-score and 0·28 (SD 1·8) in weight-for-height Z-score by the end of the study. The corresponding values for the control group were 0·42 (SD 1·0), 0·0167 (SD 0·047), 0·0017 (SD 0·012), 0·35 (SD 1·1), 0·56 (SD 1·5) and 0·014 (SD 1·6) respectively and the differences were statistically significant (P, 0·05). These findings suggest that educational interventions involving parents and/or other family members who might play a role in the care behaviour and care resources are important in feeding the children energy-and protein-enriched, hygienic, simple and cheap foods. Such practices could improve child growth even under conditions of poverty.

A Peer-Led Pulse-based Nutrition Education Intervention Improved School-Aged Children’s Knowledge, Attitude, Practice (KAP) and Nutritional Status in Southern Ethiopia

“…The study showed significant differences between the intervention and control group on WAZ, WHZ and HAZ after 12-month nutrition education (Salehi, et al, 2004). A study conducted in Pakistan documented that the mean (SD) weight for age and weight for height Z-scores of children were significantly higher in the intervention group compared to those in the control group.…”

Feeding of Young Children During Diarrhea: Caregivers' Intended Practices and Perceptions

“…Educational programs can lead to improved child nutrition, in the absence and presence of diarrhea. 38,39 To shed light on whether an educational intervention could improve caregivers' intended practices, we piloted a brief educational intervention. The intervention was similar to those previously used in other projects, such as home visits by field-workers and distribution of educational leaflets.…”

Improvement of Cardiovascular Risk Factors by Applying a Modified Educational Model of Planned Behavior Among the Employees of a Large Petrochemical Company

“…From the welfare view, it can also boost the work ambition of employee (13). The importance of nutrition education programs depends on the level of their effectiveness (14). Nutrition education programs can be more effective if they are supported by a model or theory specifically addressing changes in nutrition behavior (15).…”

“…Subjective norms are a component of the TPB and refer to an individual's perception about a particular behavior influenced by the judgment of others, including family members (especially spouse), employer, health experts, and friends (36). If the key members of life (especially spouses) agree to perform certain healthy behaviors, then it is more likely that the patient will engage in such behaviors (14). Shafieinian et al, also reported that the TPB-based intervention aimed at promoting physical activity had no effect on the subjective norms of the study participants, which were both consistent with the results of the current study (28).…”