O Mundo da Saúde (Nov 2021)
Food and nutrition education actions based on Pestalozzi's intuitive method
Abstract
Food and Nutrition Education (FNE) interventions have been increasingly essential in educational spaces for children and adolescents, requiring proposals for innovative methodologies that consider psycho-social and cultural factors involved in the formation of dietary patterns. Therefore, the objective of this study was to carry out FNE interventions based on the Intuitive Method proposed by Johaan Henrich Pestalozzi (1746-1827); which has never been applied to this theme before. Furthermore, this study aims to identify the relationship between skin color and the socioeconomic conditions of the participants. This method involves learning exercises of shapes, numbers, and language as elements that must be linked to the observation of the object or content. The interventions were carried out in children and adolescents from different socioeconomic conditions who practiced two different sports modalities. The study was carried out with 60 students, 40 athletes from artistic gymnastics (group A) and 20 athletes from taekwondo (group B) and was carried out in three stages: an initial assessment, interventions based on the Food Guide for the Brazilian Population, and a final assessment. The Brazilian Scale of Food Insecurity (BSFI) was applied to those responsible for the students to assess the situation of Food Insecurity (FI) of the family. Of the families participating in group B, 62.5% had FI. After the interventions, there was a significant reduction in the consumption of ultra-processed foods in group A (p=0.034), while in group B, there was an increase in the consumption of fresh foods (p=0.022). The Intuitive Method was effective in both groups, regardless of socioeconomic conditions, demonstrating that it is an efficient proposal for FNE actions.
