A study to assess the effectiveness of a nutrition education session using flipchart among school-going adolescent girls

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Adolescence is characterized by a rapid phase of growth and development during which the requirement of nutrition and micronutrients is relatively high. Although there is a decreasing trend in the prevalence of undernutrition among adolescents, the current prevalence of undernutrition is still very high (41.9%). Adolescents with good nutrition knowledge are more likely to follow healthy eating habits. In the light of this, the current study was planned to assess the baseline nutrition-related knowledge of adolescent girls and the effectiveness of nutrition education material (flipchart) in increasing their nutrition-related knowledge. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A school-based interventional study was conducted among adolescent girls of class 9 th of a school in an urban slum of Delhi. A structured pretested Knowledge Assessment Questionnaire consisting of 10 multiple-choice questions in Hindi with a maximum score of 10 was used. The intervention was a nutrition education session conducted by doctors of Community Health department using specially designed flipcharts covering important aspects of nutrition relevant for adolescent girls. A demonstration of food items and charts and flex material was also given. The total sample size was 265 adolescent girls. RESULTS: Baseline knowledge as assessed by mean pretest score was poor (3.698 ± 1.81). The students’ baseline knowledge was significantly associated with mother's educational status ( P = 0.024). There was a significant increase (mean difference was 1.7890 ± 0.1434) in the nutrition-related knowledge of the participants after the intervention ( P < 0.001). The proportion of students who improved, i.e., 147 (55.47%) was more than proportion who deteriorated (25 [9.43%]) after the educational session. This difference was found to be statistically significant ( P ≤ 0.001). CONCLUSION: Nutrition knowledge was found poor among school-going adolescent girls, which significantly improved after the nutrition education session.

Sustainability of a Multi-Component Education Program (ABC of Healthy Eating) after Three Months and Nine Months: The Socioeconomic Context in Improving Nutrition Knowledge in Polish Teenagers

“…BC—Healthy Eating”, which used a multi-component approach with educational, environmental and family elements, a significant increase in the consumption of fresh vegetables and fruits was found [ 16 ]. This finding was confirmed in later studies [ 15 , 17 , 18 , 19 ]. It seems that the success of the program, apart from its complexity, may depend on the complementarity of the program components, as well as the proper identification of health benefits by young people resulting from the adoption of pro-healthy dietary habits [ 20 , 21 ].…”

Nutrition Education Improves Knowledge of Iron and Iron-Rich Food Intake Practices among Young Adolescents: A Nonrandomized Controlled Trial

“…A higher proportion of the participants in the intervention group compared to the control group increased their knowledge level of the general signs of anaemia, causes of anaemia, iron-enhancing foods, and iron-inhibiting foods as it showed a statistically significant difference, indicating that nutrition education was effective in enhancing the knowledge level of participants on anaemia and iron. This study adds to the others that showed that nutrition education intervention improves nutrition knowledge level of adolescents [ 32 – 34 , 48 , 49 ].…”

Impact of a school-based nutrition educational intervention on knowledge related to iron deficiency anaemia in rural Karnataka, India: A mixed methods pre-post interventional study

“…The findings of this study are consistent with prior studies that suggest that nutrition education in schools can improve knowledge and awareness about anaemia; increase demand and improve compliance with IFA supplements; and change adolescent dietary behaviour. [29][30][31][32][33] The pedagogical approach employed in the education sessions differed from conventional approaches in schools and was designed to be interactive and participatory, which we believe crucially contributed towards greater acceptance of the intervention and a positive impact on knowledge and attitude. 34 Similar studies conducted in school settings in India using varied approaches, such as single or multiple interactive education sessions delivered by doctors, trained experts using flipcharts, videos and other interactive methods have been found to improve knowledge and/or change behaviours related to anaemia and its prevention.…”

“…34 Similar studies conducted in school settings in India using varied approaches, such as single or multiple interactive education sessions delivered by doctors, trained experts using flipcharts, videos and other interactive methods have been found to improve knowledge and/or change behaviours related to anaemia and its prevention. [29][30][31][32] Evaluation of the Weekly Iron and Folic Acid Supplementation (WIFS) programme in India and other low-and-middle-income countries found that one of the key factors influencing increased uptake of IFA supplements was implementation of a coordinated and timely information education and communication strategy that dispelled misconceptions and rumours, and capitalised on the positive effects. 25,[35][36][37][38][39] Moreover, as indicated by Joe et al (2022), increased awareness and subsequent demand-generation by target groups will help address other institutional barriers related to the supply and distribution of IFA supplements.…”