Does the healthy plate model workshop improve nutrition knowledge, behaviors, and habits in school-age children? the impact of workshop on dietary habits: original article

Abstract

Background: This study was conducted to identify the impacts of the healthy plate model workshop on 4th-graders nutrition knowledge, behaviors, and habits. Methods: The study was conducted from March to June 2023 in the Uskudar district of Istanbul, involving 102 children (50% girls) with a mean age of 10.2 ± 0.45 years. A pretest-intervention-posttest design was used for the research. Before and after the training, a questionnaire was administered to measure students’ demographic characteristics, physical activity status, adherence to the Mediterranean Diet, frequencies of food group consumption, and nutritional knowledge. Results: The number of students consuming eggs, legumes, vegetables, fruits, and oilseeds daily increased after the training (p > 0.05). Increases were observed in daily consumption of meat group and water (p < 0.05). While the proportion of students who consumed whole fruit with skin was 35.3% before the training, this rate increased to 47.1% after the training (p < 0.05). The mean nutritional knowledge score (before: 71.37 ± 11.8; after: 80.45 ± 1.6, p < 0.05) and the Mediterranean Diet Quality Index (KIDMED) score (before: 4.77 ± 2.41; after: 5.50 ± 2.45, p < 0.05) increased significantly after the training. A weak positive correlation was identified between pre-training nutritional knowledge scores and KIDMED index scores (r = 0.19; p = 0.045). Furthermore, a negative weak relationship was observed between post-training nutritional knowledge scores and meal-skipping status (r=-0.231; p = 0.019). Conclusions: Structured nutrition education for school-age children can positively impact their nutritional knowledge and dietary habits.