Abstract
Lack of nutrition knowledge may contribute to poor dietary practices. Schools are an ideal environment to address this issue and to start the process of nutrition education. Therefore, teachers should be equipped with adequate nutrition knowledge. This study was designed to evaluate the level of general nutrition knowledge and demographic variations in knowledge in a sample of students attending the College of Basic Education in Kuwait. A cross-sectional study was conducted using a modified and validated revised version of the General Nutrition Knowledge Questionnaire (GNKQ-R) for UK adults. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to determine the association between various factors and nutrition knowledge score. A total of five hundred and ninety-seven students completed the questionnaire. Most respondents (84.1%) had a poor level of nutrition knowledge using original Bloom's cutoff points. Sex, BMI, cooking habits, and who is responsible for preparing food in the household were the main determinants of nutrition knowledge score at p < 0.05. The mean score of the students was 40.06 ± 9.89 out of 84 points. Females scored significantly higher than males, at 41.10 ± 9.29 and 38.72 ± 10.48, respectively (p = 0.007). Students with a BMI of ≥30 achieved significantly greater scores (mean 42.30 ± 9.41) than those who were underweight, normal, or overweight (p < 0.001). Students who stated that they always cook their own food achieved significantly greater scores (mean 43.69 ± 9.58) than those who did not (p = 0.025). Students who stated that they depend on the housekeeper for food preparation achieved significantly lower scores (mean 38.86 ± 10.13) than those who prepare their own food or depend on their relatives to prepare food (p = 0.042). Poor nutrition knowledge was found among prospective teachers studying in the College of Basic Education. This must be rectified for the effective implementation of nutrition education programs in schools.
Highlights
Poor health behaviour has previously been observed among the Kuwaiti population as a result of rapid modernization which has led to a nutrition transition [1,2,3]. is puts the population at significant risk of developing overweight and obesity
A cross-sectional study was carried out among undergraduate students studying at the College of Basic Education (CBE) in Kuwait from September 2019 to October 2019. e study was reviewed and approved by the Scientific Ethics Committee at the Public Authority for Applied Education and Training, Kuwait Public Authority Applied Education and Training (PAAET), Kuwait. e study was conducted according to the guidelines laid down in the Declaration of Helsinki, and all procedures involving participants were conducted after obtaining agreement
9.2% reported having children. e mean Body mass index (BMI) was 25.5 ± 5.9 kg/m2, which is indicative of the overweight category according to the definition of the World Health Organization (WHO)
Summary
Poor health behaviour has previously been observed among the Kuwaiti population as a result of rapid modernization which has led to a nutrition transition [1,2,3]. is puts the population at significant risk of developing overweight and obesity. Is puts the population at significant risk of developing overweight and obesity. According to the 2018 Kuwait Nutrition Surveillance System, there is an alarmingly high prevalence of being overweight and obese among the Kuwaiti population. Developing healthy eating practices and encouraging physical activity from the early stages of life has a significant impact on children’s current and future health [8]. Ere are many determinants of food choice, one of them being nutrition knowledge. Lack of nutrition knowledge and lack of awareness of the important role of a balanced diet may contribute to poor dietary practices [9]. Some studies suggest that nutrition knowledge has the potential to improve food choices and eating habits [9,10,11,12].
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