Document Type : original article

Authors

1 Department of Community Medicine, School of Medicine, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran. Cardiovascular Research Center, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran.

2 MA in primary education, Primary education teacher in Sarayan city, Ferdows, Iran.

3 Education Development Center, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran.

10.22038/ijp.2023.74345.5354

Abstract

Background and aim: Childhood is a sensitive and important period in life. Childhood is a key period in the formation of people's nutritional habits throughout life. Proper nutrition in teenage students can affect the quality and quantity of their growth. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of the health literacy training program on the nutritional behaviors among children in Iran.

Method: In this study, which was carried out using a semi-experimental method, 30 children were selected by purposive sampling and divided into two groups (15 intervention group and 15 control group). The intervention group received 8 sessions of nutritional health literacy training and the control group did not receive any training. Data were collected using Children's Eating Behavior Questionnaire (CEBQ) (Wardle et al., 2001). Data analysis was performed using SPSS 25 software and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA).

Results: The implementation of the health literacy training program improved the nutritional behaviors of sixth-grade male students of Ferdows (P=0.001, F=6.57). This improvement was associatedwith reducing the average scores of the negative dimensions of nutritional behaviors (response to food, complaining, emotional overeating, emotional undereating, and the desire for drinks) and increasing the average scores of the positive dimensions (enjoying food, responding to satiety and eating slowly) (p<0.05).

Conclusion: According to the results of the research, health literacy program training can be used to improve the dimensions of children's nutritional behaviors along with other treatment options.

Keywords: nutritional behaviors, health literacy, Children, students.

Keywords