The effect of an educational program on knowledge, attitude and behavior of mothers in relation to proper nutrition in 2-6 year old children

Abstract

Background and purpose: Eating habits are formed in childhood and continue throughout life. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of educational intervention on knowledge, attitude and behavior of mothers about proper nutrition in children aged 2-6years. Materials and methods: In this quasi-experimental study multistage random sampling was performed in Tehran Health Houses. The participants were divided into two groups, an intervention group and a control group. The intervention group attended four training sessions that were held in three months. They were given pamphlets about healthy eating habits and group discussion was conducted alongside other educational programs. Data was collected and analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent t-test and paired t-test. Results: The mean scores for knowledge, attitude, and behavior in intervention group were 18.59, 18.22 and 13.89, respectively that increased to 20.46, 19.30, and 15.59, respectively (P<0.001). Conclusion: According to the results, training the mothers on appropriate eating habits could be effective in enhancing their knowledge, attitude and practice towards their children nutrition. © 2015 Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences. All rights reserved.