Effectiveness of The Food Guide Pyramid As A Nutrition Education Tool for School-Aged Children

Abstract

LEARNING OUTCOME: To determine the effectiveness of the Food Guide Pyramid as a nutrition education tool for school-aged children and their parents. This study was performed to examine the effectiveness of the Food Guide Pyramid as a nutrition education tool for school-aged children. The sample consisted of 57 students in the fifth, seventh, and eighth grade classes at St. Bernard Elementary School. The instruments for this study consisted of a pre- and post-test, a 24-hour food recall survey, and a personal data form. The data collection process included administration of the pre-test and the initial food recall survey after a two and four week interim, respectively. A nutritional lecture on the Food Guide Pyramid was presented immediately following the pre-test and the initial food recall survey. The data collected was analyzed using the Statistical Analysis System (SAS) program. The results revealed marked improvements in test scores following nutrition education. However, for all food groups, no significant changes in food intake were observed before and after nutrition education. A large percentage of students of consumed less than the recommended minimum number of servings from a majority of the food groups of the Food Guide Pyramid. A majority of the students did not meet the recommended number of servings for the vegetable, fruit, meat, and “other” group with a particularly high percentage of students consuming inadequate servings of fruits and vegetables.