Relationships Between Nutrition-Related Knowledge, Self-Efficacy, and Behavior for Fifth Grade Students

Abstract

To determine and compare the relationships between nutrition-related knowledge, self-efficacy, and behavior among students from low and high income schools in a Midwestern metro area. A previously validated survey was administered among 58 fifth grade students from randomly selected low income schools and 135 from randomly selected high income schools. The survey instrument measured nutrition-related knowledge, self-efficacy, and behavior factors. A t-test was used to assess differences between low income and high income groups. Linear regression analysis was used to determine the relationships between knowledge, self-efficacy, and behavior, and how they predicted each other. Results demonstrated no significant differences in most of the variables for knowledge, behavior, and self-efficacy between the two groups. The low income group had lower summary scores for knowledge (P=0.001) and behavior (P=0.051) compared to the high income group. Both self-efficacy (β=0.44, P=0.000) and knowledge (β=0.22, P=0.001) strongly predicted behavior; however, only self-efficacy remained significant in the low income group (self-efficacy, β=0.52, P=0.000; knowledge, β=0.07, P=0.590). Findings demonstrate a significant disparity in nutrition knowledge and behavior predictors between students surveyed from low and high income schools. Results suggest that increased facilitation to improve children’s self-efficacy may be necessary for behavior change, particularly among low income students. Future research should be conducted to determine if these results are reproducible in a larger sample.