The Consumer Food and Nutrition Knowledge of Prospective Teachers

Abstract

Over 4000 prospective secondary and elementary teachers were tested in a national study to determine their knowledge of fourteen consumer subject areas. In the area of consumer food and nutrition knowledge the prospective teachers achieved only 48%. This area of consumer food and nutrition was found to be a critical weakness of prospective teachers relative to their performance in the other consumer subject areas. Prospective home economics and agriculture teachers scored higher than other majors on the food and nutrition questions but still revealed a poor cognitive grasp of the subject. Because of their impact on children's attitudes toward food and their eating patterns, prospective teachers need to be knowledgeable about food concepts. This study has implications for educators and college curriculum committees concerning the need for college level courses which deal with food and nutrition concepts.