The Effect of the “Colorful Eating Is Healthy Eating” Long-Term Nutrition Education Program for 3- to 6-Year-Olds on Eating Habits in the Family and Parental Nutrition Knowledge

Abstract

Background: Effective strategies for improving eating habits and dietary intake in preschoolers are essential for reducing the risk of chronic non-infectious diseases in later life. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of long-term nutrition education for 3- to 6-year-olds on parental nutrition knowledge. Methods: The study was conducted as part of the “Colorful Eating is Healthy Eating” nutrition education program that has been implemented in kindergartens in Lublin since 2016. A total of 11 kindergartens were involved in this stage of the program, and 733 parents consented to participate in the project. The study was divided into three stages. In the first stage all parents completed a questionnaire containing 54 items. In the next stage, 211 children from four randomly selected kindergartens participated in the “Colorful Eating Is Healthy Eating” educational program that lasted 7 months. In the third stage of the study, the parents of children who had completed the 7-month educational program and the parents of control group children once again completed the questionnaire. Results: A positive outcome of the educational program was that it contributed to a decrease in the consumption of sweetened hot beverages (p = 0.005) and an increase in water intake (p = 0.001). The nutrition education program was also successful in reducing the consumption of sweets. Children’s education improved the parents’ knowledge about dietary sources of fiber and the recommended fiber intake, and it contributed to the awareness that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. The program did not enhance the parents’ knowledge about snacking between meals or the role of sweetened beverages in dental caries, overweight and obesity. Conclusions: Long-term multi-stage nutrition education for children aged 3 to 6 years can be helpful in shaping families’ eating habits and improving parental nutrition knowledge. However, the program was less effective in eliminating the respondents’ preference for sweet-tasting foods.

Impact of a school‐based nutrition educational intervention on knowledge related to iron deficiency anaemia in rural Karnataka, India: A mixed methods pre–post interventional study

“…One of the benefits of school-based health and nutrition education programmes is that children act to spread the information, bringing it to their homes to achieve transmission of the information to the whole family. 51,52 Our findings reveal the same with students discussing and sharing topics learnt with friends and families. However, to achieve better impact, studies recommend involvement of families and communities in the nutritional education programmes from the beginning.…”

“…Our findings reveal the same with students discussing and sharing topics learnt with friends and families. However, to achieve better impact, studies recommend involvement of families and communities in the nutritional education programmes from the beginning 52–55 …”

“…However, to achieve better impact, studies recommend involvement of families and communities in the nutritional education programmes from the beginning. [52][53][54][55]…”

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“…Parents achieved on average 60% of the knowledge score at baseline, which is already high when compared with the children (45%), the latter achieving on average around 60% after the completed intervention. The overall time effect in favor of parental knowledge in both groups may be due to more awareness with regard to the addressed game topics simply by completing the questionnaires due to an iteration effect [ 25 ] or due to interactions with their children [ 26 ], the latter having received the same intervention at school in both trial arms.…”

Impact of a Nutrition Education Intervention on Knowledge, Healthy Eating Index, and Biochemical Profile in a Rural Community in Peru

“… 17 Adequate nutritional knowledge acquired through nutrition education programs can empower heads of household to take control of their own and their family’s health by helping them understand how their food choices affect health and well-being. 15 , 18 …”