Pakistan Journal of Medical Research (Jan 2023)
Effectiveness of an Educational Intervention to Improve Dietary Behavior of School-going Adolescent Girls: A Quasi-experimental Study in District Gujrat
Abstract
Background: Adolescence is the transitional phase of age that links childhood to adulthood. Adolescence constitutes about one-sixth of the world’s population today. Among adolescents, girls are vulnerable, as it is a period of rapid growth & development and their dietary behaviors are not as per their requirements. Objectives: To assess the effectiveness of educational intervention for improving dietary behavior and perceptions on nutrition of school going adolescent girls. Study type, settings & duration: This was a Quasi Experimental study conducted in a private school in district Gujrat Punjab Pakistan from May to August 2019. Methodology: A quasi experimental study design was conducted on school going adolescent girls aged 10-18 years. Convenient sampling technique was used to enroll 168 students (for baseline as well as follow up). A standard tool adapted from WHO, contextualized for the study population and pretested was used to assess the adolescent girls’ knowledge on nutrition and improving dietary practices. After a baseline assessment (pre-test), an educational workshop was conducted and post-test was carried after a span of one month. Using SPSS, the differences in knowledge attitude and practices were determined in by undertaking paired T-test. Results: Among 168 students, only 5.4% (n=9) knew at baseline about the expert’s advice of servings of fruits and vegetables people ate at a minimum in one day, while in follow up-test a significant increase was shown in 47.6% (n=80) students, p-value (<0.001). For weekly recommended breakfast; “every day option”, an increase was observed from 30.4% (n=51) to 74.4% (n=125). Moreover, food label reading knowledge was enhanced from 38% (n=64) to 72% (n=121). The results were statistically significant for knowledge (p-value= <0.001), slightly significant for attitude (p-value= 0.097) and not significant for practice (p-value=0.413), means after delivering the workshop the knowledge of the students was improved for improving behavior patterns related to food choices and dietary intake. According to food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), fruit and milk consumption also increased from 22.6% to 33.9% whereas raw vegetable consumption increased from 8.3% at baseline to 19.6%. Conclusion: In order to raise the health indicators of the adolescent girls in Pakistan, nutrition education is plays important role in shaping their perceptions and behaviors towards healthy eating choices. More research should be conducted on school-based interventions with longer intervention periods for higher sustainability.
