A Study to assess the effectiveness of Structured Teaching Program (STP) on Knowledge Regarding Healthy Food Habits for Children among Mothers of School age Children (6-12years) in Selected Urban Areas at Hassan, Karnataka

 

Mrs. Sunitha John

Nursing Tutor, Maharashtra Nursing Council, Mumbai

 

ABSTRACT:

A study was conducted on evaluating the effect of structured teaching program on healthy food habits for children. A pre-experimental one group pre-test post-test design approach was utilized to achieve the overall and comprehensive purpose. The research approach adopted for this study is an evaluative and educative approach. The sample consists of 60 mothers of school age children (6-12 yrs) in Pensionmohalla at Hassan, Karnataka. Samples were selected by using Non probability convenient sampling technique. The results of the study showed that pretest overall knowledge score regarding healthy food habits for children was 38.4%, mean and SD was 11.52±2.22. The post test overall knowledge score was 81.8%, mean and SD was 24.55±2.30. Hence the difference between pretest and post test overall knowledge score was above 43.4%. So the results of the study shows difference between the pre-test and post-test knowledge score of the mothers of school age children (6-12 yrs) regarding healthy food habits for children is statistically significant and this difference is due to the structured teaching program on healthy food habits for children. There is a significant association between the post-test knowledge score in the selected socio demographic variables like age, educational status of mother, number of children, previous information regarding healthy food habits for children and residence. The findings of this study support the need for mothers to understand regarding, healthy food habits for children. This study has proved that the mothers have a remarkable increase in the Knowledge regarding healthy food habits for school age children, when compared to their knowledge before the intervention. Thus for the future outlook there is a need to improve the knowledge and food habits of children by conducting the teaching and training programmes on healthy food habits among parents and children.

 

 

 

 

INTRODUCTION:

The early years of life are very important for laying the foundations of good nutrition. Children should be guide from the first to develop the desire to eat the right foods¹. The normal, rapidly growing child has a good appetite. He comes to the table eager for his meal, and he eats with zest the food set before him². But the hectic lifestyle of the modern day has lead mothers to offer many quick fix meals for their children and family. This makes the children get into wrong eating habits resulting in child obesity, which in turn give rise to many serious diseases³. According to WHO, 22 million children (under 5 years of age) are overweight, Obesity is evolving as a major nutritional problem in developing countries₃ and one in every three malnourished children in the world lives in India. Vitamin and mineral deficiencies also affect children’s survival and development.⁴ The research found that toddlers from the age of 12 months and up consumed one third of their daily calories from snacking between meals. “Poor eating habits starting early in life, and they mirror those of older children and adults,” said Dr Kathleen Reidy, Global Head of Nutrition Science, Baby Food, at Nestlé Nutrition. “It’s important to establish the foundation for healthy diets early in life when eating habits and preferences are being formed.”The study found that parents and guardians need better nutrition guidance to help young children develop healthy eating habits from 12 months upwards. However, there are simple steps that parents can take to instill healthy eating habits in their children, without turning mealtimes into a battle zone. By encouraging healthy eating habits now, we can make a huge impact on children’s lifelong relationship with food and give them the best opportunity to grow into healthy, confident adults⁵.

 

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY:

1.      To assess the knowledge of mothers of school age children (6-12 yrs) on healthy food habits for school age children before intervention.

2.      To assess the knowledge of mothers of school age children (6-12 yrs) regarding healthy food habits for school age children after the intervention.

3.      To evaluate the effectiveness of structured teaching program by comparing pretest and post test knowledge scores.

4.      To find out the association between post test knowledge scores of mothers of school age children (6-12 yrs) with their selected socio demographic variables.

 

HYPOTHESIS:

H1:

There will be significant difference between pre test and post test knowledge score of mothers of school age children (6-12 yrs) after intervention.

H2:

There will be significant association between knowledge scores of mothers of school age children (6-12 yrs) with their selected socio demographical variables.

 

METHODOLOGY:

A pre-experimental one group pre-test post-test design approach was utilized to achieve the overall and comprehensive purpose. The research approach adopted for this study is an evaluative and educative approach. The sample consists of 60 mothers of school age children (6-12 yrs) in Pensionmohalla at Hassan, Karnataka. Samples were selected by using Non probability convenient sampling technique

 

RESULTS:

·        The results of the study showed that pretest overall knowledge score regarding healthy food habits for children was 38.4%, mean and SD was 11.52±2.22. The post test overall knowledge score was 81.8%, mean and SD was 24.55±2.30. Hence the difference between pretest and post test overall knowledge score was above 43.4%.

·        So the results of the study shows difference between the pre-test and post-test knowledge score of the mothers of school age children (6-12 yrs) regarding healthy food habits for children is statistically significant and this difference is due to the structured teaching program on healthy food habits for children.

·        There is a significant association between the post-test knowledge score in the selected socio demographic variables like age, educational status of mother, number of children, previous information regarding healthy food habits for children and residence.

Table 1: Comparison of overall knowledge score

	Max score	Mean score	Mean Difference in knowledge with 95% Confidence interval	Percentage Difference in knowledge with 95% Confidence interval
Pretest	30	11.52	13.03(12.36 – 13.71)	43.4 %( 41.2% –45.7%)
Posttest	30	24.55

* Significant at P≤0.05 ** highly significant at P≤0.01 *** very high significant at P≤0.001

 

On an average, in posttest, mothers are having 43.4% of more knowledge than pretest.

 

Table 2: Each domain wise percentage of knowledge gain

Domains	Pretest knowledge	Posttest knowledge	% of knowledge gain
Developing healthy eating habits	42.5%	84.1%	41.6%
Ways to get a picky child to enjoy a wider variety of foods	38.3%	79.0%	40.7%
Limiting salt and sugar	45.6%	80.6%	35.0%
Balanced diet for school age children	33.4%	81.6%	48.2%

 

 

Figure 1: Bar diagram showing each domain wise percentage of knowledge gain

 

Table 2 and figure 1 shows each domain wise knowledge gain. The mothers of school age children gained 41.6% knowledge on developing healthy eating habits, 40.7 % on ways to get a child to enjoy a wider variety of foods 35%on limiting salt and sugar and 48.2% on Balanced diet for school age children.

 

EFFECTIVENESS OF STP:

Table 3:

	% of Pretest knowledge	% of Posttest knowledge	% of knowledge gain
Knowledge	38.4%	81.8%	43.4%

 

Table no 3 shows the effectiveness of the STP. Considering the overall aspects, mothers are gained 43.4 percent more knowledge after the administration of STP.

 

This 43.4 percent of knowledge gain is the net benefit of this study, which indicates the effectiveness of STP.

 

Table 4: Association between post-test level of knowledge and their demographic variables.

Demographic variables		Posttest level of knowledge				Total	Pearson chi square test
		Good		Very good
		n	%	n	%
Age	< 25 yrs	9	64.3%	5	36.7%	14	c2=7.06P=0.03 DF=2  significant
	25 -35 yrs	11	37.9%	18	62.1%	29
	>35 yrs	3	17.6%	14	82.4%	17
Religion	Hindu	11	45.8%	13	54.2%	24	c2=0.95P=0.62DF=2 not significant
	Christian	5	33.3%	10	66.7%	15
	Muslim	7	33.3%	14	66.7%	21
Type of family	Nuclear family	13	40.6%	19	59.4%	32	c2=0.15 P=0.69DF=1 not significant
	Joint family	10	35.7%	18	64.3%	28
Number of children	One	17	58.6%	12	41.4%	29	c2=9.79 P=0.01**DF=2 significant
	Two	5	20.0%	20	80.0%	25
	> Two	1	16.7%	5	83.3%	6
Husband education	Primary	5	55.6%	4	44.4%	9	c2=3.54 P=0.31DF=3 not significant
	Secondary	5	26.3%	14	73.7%	19
	PUC	8	34.8%	15	65.2%	23
	Graduate	5	55.6%	4	44.4%	9
Mother education	Primary	12	57.1%	9	42.9%	21	c2=6.19 P=0.05*DF=2 significant
	Secondary	9	34.6%	17	63.4%	26
	PUC	2	15.3%	11	84.7%	13
Father occupation	Govt employee	1	33.3%	2	66.7%	3	c2=1.18 P=0.78DF=3 not significant
	Private employee	3	27.3%	8	72.7%	11
	Business	6	35.3%	11	64.7%	17
	Agriculture	13	44.8%	16	55.2%	29
Mother occupation	Govt employee	2	50.0%	2	50.0%	4	c2=0.25 P=0.88DF=2 not significant
	Housewife	14	37.8%	23	62.2%	37
	Business	7	36.8%	12	63.2%	19
Monthly income	< Rs.3000	2	22.2%	7	77.8%	9	c2=3.81 P=0.28DF=3 not significant
	Rs.3000 -5000	13	52.0%	12	48.0%	25
	Rs.5000 -7000	6	28.6%	15	71.4%	21
	> Rs.7000	2	40.0%	3	60.0%	5
Previous information	No	21	40.4%	31	59.6%	52	c2=8.80 P=0.01** DF=1 significant
	Yes	2	25.0%	6	75.0%	8
Residence	Urban	15	41.7%	21	58.3%	36	c2=0.42 P=0.51DF=1 not significant
	Semi urban	8	33.3%	16	66.7%	24

 

Table no 4 shows the association between post test level of knowledge and their demographic variables. Age, education, number of children and previous knowledge of mothers are significantly associated with their posttest level of knowledge. These type of association are statistically significant and it was calculated using pearson chi square test.

 

CONCLUSION:

Education regarding healthy food habits for children among mothers of school age children is of great value and is considered as a prime necessity to reduce the incidence of nutrition associated problems in our country. The structured teaching program was effective as evidence by the result of pre-test and post-test knowledge scores. So this chapter concluded that pre-test level of knowledge on healthy food habits for children was 38.4% and followed by intervention the post-test knowledge was 81.8%. The overall effectiveness of structured teaching program was 43.4%.

 

RECOMMENDATIONS:

On the basis of findings of the study the following recommendations have been made:

·        A study could be repeated on school age children.

·        A descriptive study can be conducted to assess the food habits of school age children.

·        A similar study can be conducted in other community areas.

·        Topics like food habits, balanced diet etc. should be included in the syllabus of schools.

 

REFERENCES:

1.     Nutrition for children. [serial online]. [cited 2011 oct 17]; Available from: URL: pediatrics. about.com/od/nutrition/Nutrition_for_Children. htm

2.       C. Rowena Schmidt. Good food habits for children. Bureau of home economics 1929 May;[page 2].

3.       Encouraging Healthy Eating Habits in Children [editorial]. BMJ 2010;11

4.       Eating Habits of Your Child [editorial]. BMJ 1999; 121:132

5.       Eating tips for children (5) – primaryschool.[serial online] [cited 2011 oct 20]; Available from: URL:http://www. betterhealth.vic.gov. au/bhcv2/bhcarticles. nsf/pages/

 

 

 

 

Received on 26.06.2017           Modified on 17.01.2018

Accepted on 07.04.2018     © A&V Publications all right reserved