Creating and using nutrition education program as example of developing proper eating habits among children

Abstract

Health education, including nutrition education, is defined as a process which is aimed at teaching a proper lifestyle, maintaining good health, strengthening it and creating an environment which would be beneficial to physical and mental health. Properly planned and conducted education brings both health and economic benefits and is a long-term investment in the health of the population. Providing education is especially needed among the youngest children, beginning from children at the preschool age. Forming proper eating behaviors from the earliest age of a child may prevent the development of diseases in older age, for example overweight and obesity, accompanying diseases such as diabetes, atherosclerosis or malignancies. Thus, it is necessary to implement educational programs which supplement preschool education and school health education. A response to the needs of the population was the creation and implementation of the authors' own educational program "Children's Academy of Culinary Art", whose aim was to increase children's interest in proper nutrition and form proper eating habits which will improve health in future. The program consisted of a technological module which included practical classes in technological workshops and an educational one which consisted of theoretical and practical parts. The huge success of both editions of the program convinced the authors of the necessity and importance of further actions connected with nutrition education.

The Project “Colourful Means Healthy” as an Educational Measure for the Prevention of Diet-Related Diseases: Investigating the Impact of Nutrition Education for School-Aged Children on Their Nutritional Knowledge

“…A characteristic feature of the activities was that participants were encouraged to take an active part in the tasks, which has a positive effect on the student’s motivation and perceptual abilities [ 39 , 40 ]. Activation methods are particularly recommended in the teaching of preschool and early school-age children.…”

“…An important and attractive form of physical activity for children at this age is play, undertaken in a variety of places, e.g., on the playing field, in the playground, at school, in training rooms, etc. The use of activating methods makes it possible to combine education and play, increasing the attractiveness of the teaching process and its effectiveness [ 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 ].…”