The Effects of Nutrition Education on Nutritional Knowledge, Attitude and Behaviors of Preschool Children's Parents

Objective To learn the effects of nutrition education on nutritional knowledge, attitude and behaviors of preschool children's parents in Hefei, and to provide scientifical evidence for their nutritional prevention measures. Method A stratified random cluster sample of eight kindergartens in Hefei was assigned randomly to intervention group and control group. In the intervention group, parents were trained in nutritional knowledge and pamphlets on nutrition were delivered to them. Data were collected on nutritional knowledge, attitude and behaviors of parents using a self-administered before, in the intermediate stage and in the end of nutrition education intervention. Result The nutrition knowledge levels of parents were higher, the percentage of parents who consumed fruits, milk, fish once or more per week increased in the intervention group. Self-control analyses indicated that the percentages of parents who consumed coarse food grain, milk, aquatic products, and kelp increased while the percentage of parents who consumed meat, street foods and western food once or more per week decreased in intervention group. Most parents both in the intervention group and in the control group had a strong desire to acquire nutrition knowledge. Conclusion Nutrition education has positive effects on nutritional knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of preschool children s parents, which can be provided through books,newspapers,magazines, TV programs, free lecture and so on.