Effects of a Nutrition Literacy Promotion Program for Parents of Overweight School-Aged Children in Remote Schools in Health Region 4

Abstract

This study was a quasi-experimental one-group pretest–posttest design. The objectives were to evaluate the level of nutrition literacy, to assess preventive behaviors against overweight, and to study the effect of the level of nutrition literacy on preventive behaviors against overweight of parents in remote schools in Health Region 4. The sample consisted of parents of school-aged children with overweight in remote schools in Health Region 4, totaling 96 persons. The study was conducted using a nutrition literacy and overweight prevention promotion program. Data were collected using questionnaires. The data were analyzed by comparing pretest and posttest scores with inferential statistics Paired t-test, and the relationship between literacy and behaviors was analyzed using Pearson correlation.

The results showed that after participating in the program, the average nutrition literacy score increased from 52.4% to 76.7%, particularly media literacy which increased by 35.0% and self-management which increased by 29.3%. Preventive behaviors against overweight increased from 54.4% to 79.3%, which was statistically significant. The analysis of behavioral change found that 78.1% of parents improved preventive behaviors against overweight in children. Nutrition literacy was positively correlated with preventive behaviors against overweight at a moderate level (r = 0.52, p < 0.001), with media literacy and self-management being the most important factors.

It can be concluded that the nutrition literacy promotion program could increase both knowledge level and behaviors of parents, and is an important approach in preventing overweight and non-communicable diseases in school-aged children.