An Assessment of Nutrition Education in Primary Schools and its Effect on Students Dietary Behaviors and Body Mass Index in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Objectives: School-based nutrition education can provide children with the knowledge and skills to improve their dietary attitudes and behaviors. This study aimed to assess nutrition education provided to students by schools and its effects on their dietary behaviors and body weight. Methods: A multistage-stratified cross-sectional survey was conducted among elementary schools (N= 10) which were randomly selected in 2013, Saudi Arabia. 725 children were recruited in this study. A pre-tested questionnaire was administered and descriptive as well as binary logistic regression analyses were performed to demonstrate the findings. Results: Systematic school-based nutrition education program was not provided in all of the visited schools; also, there was no nutrition coordinator available in any of the surveyed schools. Only 55.8%, 11.6% and 17% of the total students stated they have been taught by school about healthy nutrition/diets, healthy methods of gaining weight and losing weight, respectively. Being taught about food safety topics and how to prepare healthy meals were reported by 31% and 24.4% of the students, respectively. Family (64%) and media (59%) were the most sources of nutrition information for children, followed by school and friends. The majority of students (96%) stated they need nutrition education programs in schools. Regression analysis showed that being taught in schools about healthy nutrition was only associated with children age (OR= 1.1, 95% CI: 1.0 – 1.2, p= 0.039). No differences were detected between the group who stated being taught about healthy nutrition and who stated not being taught concerning their dietary behaviors and BMI. Conclusions: Schools were found to be not functioning efficiently in providing nutrition education for students. There is a great need to establish school-based nutrition education including school nutrition coordinators in Saudi Arabia.