The attitudes and nutritional knowledge of 11–12 years olds in Merseyside and Northern Ireland

Abstract

School is a major area for providing young people with nutritional knowledge and skills. In Northern Ireland home economics is taught to 11–12 years olds (CCEA,1998). The 1988 Education Reform Act introduced the national curriculum and home economics as a subject was effectively abolished in English schools. Key stage 3 pupils in England are taught nutrition in Science, Design and Technology and in the cross curricular theme of health education (SCAA, 1996). The aim of the study was to compare the attitudes and nutritional knowledge of children in Merseyside, England (M) and Northern Ireland (NI). A questionnaire was designed, which examined attitudes to aspects of healthy eating and tested the subject's knowledge, practical and theoretical, on nutrition and healthy eating. Subjects aged 11–12 years were recruited (M:541, NI:128). The results indicate that the healthy food message seems to have been better learnt by children in Merseyside but results of surveys in Merseyside into eating habits suggest that many have not put this knowledge into practice.

Perceived health value of ready meals and side dishes: regional and gender differences

“…They seek enjoyment from food and are health conscious (Sloan, 2005). Among youth, awareness of the need to adopt a healthier lifestyle seems to be growing (McCullough et al, 2003). However, when faced with time constraints, young people opt for convenience and for easy-to-prepare foods (Glanz et al, 1998) to the detriment of nutrition (National Institute of Nutrition, 2002).…”

“…However, when faced with time constraints, young people opt for convenience and for easy-to-prepare foods (Glanz et al, 1998) to the detriment of nutrition (National Institute of Nutrition, 2002). Studies have shown that convenience foods appeal to university students because they compensate for their poor cooking skills, allowing them to spend less time preparing meals, which enables them to proceed more quickly to another activity (Marquis, 2005;McCullough et al, 2003).…”

“…This ''food de-structuration'' observed in most Western countries has also been translated by increased importance placed on convenience in consumers' food choices (Euromonitor International, 2001, 2006Eurostaf, 2003Eurostaf, , 2004Glanz et al, 1998;NIN and CFIC, 2004;Sloan, 2006). Lifestyle choices (Jabs and Devine, 2006), compression of available time (McCullough et al, 2003;De Boer et al, 2004), individualism and the single life (Armstrong et al, 1991;Candel, 2001;Marquis, 2005), lack of cooking expertise (McCullough et al, 2003) and the omnipresent food supply (De Boer et al, 2004) have lead to increased consumption of ready meals and side dishes (RMSD).…”

The impact of lifestyles and food knowledge on the food patterns of German children

“…Food patterns differ in accordance with the knowledge of food and health. The more people know about the foodstuff they eat, the higher is the probability that they make healthier food choices (Ohr et al, 2001;McCullough et al, 2003). Schwartz et al (1998) shows that the importance of information retrieval, as well as the scope of information gained and the variety of individual healthoriented activities, depend on the social status.…”

Η Διερεύνηση Των Παραγόντων Προσδιορισμού Της Ζήτησης Τροφίμων Εύκολης Σίτισης

“…and Cohen, 1995, Ahlgren et al, 2004, Scholderer and Grunert, 2005 (Buckley et al, 2005), η αντίληψη για την υγιεινή των τροφίµων και η ανησυχία σχετικά µε την υγεί (Darian nd Cohe , 1995, McCullough et al, 2003, Akbay et al, 2007, η αντίληψη στενότητας χρόνου (Darian στενότητας χρήµατος (Scholderer and Grunert, 2005), η στάση ως προς την τιµή του φαγητού (Akbay et al, 2007), η στάση ως προς τον χρόνο (Davies and Madran, 1997), η ευχαρίστηση στη µαγειρική (Madill- Marshall et al, 1995, Davies andMadran, 1997), η ικανοποίηση από τη ζωή και το αίσθηµα στρες (Madill- Marshall et al, 1995), η αντίληψη της εθνικής ταυτότητας (Laroche et al, 1998) αλλά και οι περιστασιακοί καθοριστικοί παράγοντες (situational determinants) (Verlegh and Candel, 1999, Ahlgren et al, 2005, Schöder and McEachern, 2005 , Tzimitra-Kalogianni, 1996. Η κατανόηση των στάσεων επιτρέπει στους παραγω στις ανάγκες και τις επιθυµίες των καταναλωτών και να τα προωθήσουν αποδοτικά.…”