Teachers’ self-perception of their dietary behavior and needs to teach healthy eating habits in the school

Abstract

Through focus groups, we explored 22 third- to fifth-grade teachers' perceptions about their eating habits, including barriers and facilitators to healthy eating. It also explored teachers' thoughts about how to teach students healthy eating habits. The information was transcribed and treated using the content analysis technique. Results were evaluated using the concept of majority and minority group and presented in a sequential way: teachers' perceptions about eating habits, barriers to healthy eating, teacher's culinary habits, abilities to teach students healthy eating habits through Information and Communication Technologies, and cooking activities. Teachers' eating habits were poor, with lack of time, money, and will to improve. They had culinary habits skills and the desire to instruct and guide their students in eating healthier food. They need a program with Information and Communication Technologies and cooking workshops to apply in the classroom.

Método DELPHI para buscar consenso sobre metodologías educativas en alimentación saludable para alumnos de tercero a quinto año básico, sus familias y profesores

“…Esto es relevante porque en la actualidad los profesores no acompañan a los niños en el comedor en el momento que comen (12), lo cual hace que no se alimenten adecuadamente con la comida que entrega la Junta Nacional de Alimentación Escolar y Becas (JUNAEB), a través del Programa de Alimentación Escolar (PAE) (10). Además, se pierde una instancia muy favorable para educar en hábitos saludables, como se ha realizado en otros países (23).…”

“…En la primera etapa se elaboró el cuestionario en base al resultado de encuestas previamente realizadas por investigadores del proyecto Fondecyt a 90 niños de tercero a quinto básico y a sus padres, junto a grupos focales realizados a sus padres (10) y profesores (12). El cuestionario se elaboró con preguntas cerradas y repuestas que permitieron establecer una valoración de las mismas en una escala tipo likert (13) de 5 puntos.…”

Adolescents’ perception of dietary behaviour in a public school in Chile: a focus groups study

“…The focus groups discussions were moderated by a psychologist and an assistant moderator (nutritionist). Each group followed a guided open-ended questionnaire designed and validated in previous studies with parents [6] and teachers [19] using theoretical models adapted for adolescents (Table 1). Items included conceptualizing diet, food intake, eating habits, cooking skills, barriers to a healthy diet and use of ICT.…”

“…The final step of analysis included interpretation of the categories obtained following the criteria which included level of depth, grouping of answers and discourse establishment by segment. This categorization was utilized by the same authors in another study with teachers utilizing "Majority" and "Minority" groups [19]. This methodology searches for meanings that are regrouped into categories to reflect the most important ideas.…”

Effect of the Flipped Classroom and Gamification Methods in the Development of a Didactic Unit on Healthy Habits and Diet in Primary Education

“…In this respect, technology can play a fundamental role, since through active participation with simulations in the school environment, not only is different knowledge acquired, but also diet and eating habits are experienced in a personalized way, generating a more real awareness than through traditional teaching [10].…”