Nutrition Education Intervention Research Articles

Impact of Nutritional Education Intervention on Food Choice Motivations and Eating Behaviors Among Latin American University Students

ABSTRACT Background Nutritional interventions can help to develop healthy eating patterns during the transition to university, which is a critical transition for all college students. Purpose This research aims to analyze eating behaviors and food choices through sustainable nutritional education interventions with college students from a multinational university in Latin-America. Methods The nutritional intervention had eight sessions emphasizing lifestyle nutrition patterns. There was an intervention group (n = 85), and a control group (n = 80). This research evaluated the eating behaviors and food choice motivators before and after the intervention. Results The nutrition education interventions showed that the group under intervention improved, changing from unhealthy to moderately healthy habits, whereas the control groups remained in unhealthy eating behaviors. Food choice motivations slightly differ from the two groups after the intervention. Discussion The control group students reflected on their lack of awareness of good eating habits so that current trends could influence their food choices in social networks associated with the pandemic, economic factors, and supply. Translation to Health Education Practice The findings from this research highlight opportunities for Certified Health Education Specialists focused on project development and evaluation.

E-PROOF: E-intervention for protein intake and resistance training to optimize function: A study protocol.

Accounting for more than 60% of cancer survivors, older (≥65 years) cancer survivors have a 2- to 5-fold risk of physical function impairment, compared to cancer-free peers. One strategy to improve physical function is dietary and resistance training interventions, which improve muscle strength and mass by stimulating muscle protein synthesis. The E-PROOF (E-intervention for Protein Intake and Resistance Training to Optimize Function) study will examine the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of a 12-week randomized controlled trial of an online, tailored nutritional and resistance training education and counseling intervention to improve physical function and associated health outcomes (muscle strength, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), self-efficacy, and weight management). In this study, 70 older cancer survivors will be randomized to one of two groups: experimental (receiving remote behavioral counseling and evidence-based education and resources), and control (general survivorship education). We will examine the intervention effects on physical function, muscle strength, HRQoL, self-efficacy, weight, and waist circumference during a 12-week period between the experimental and control groups. Three months following the end of the intervention, we will conduct a follow-up assessment to measure physical function, muscle strength, and HRQoL. This study is the first synchronous, online protein-focused diet and resistance training intervention among older cancer survivors. This novel study advances science by promoting independent health behaviors among older cancer survivors to improve health outcomes, and provide foundational knowledge to further address this growing problem on a wider scale through online platforms.

Women’s Perception and Readiness regarding Adoption of A Healthy and Sustainable Diet: A Cross-Sectional Study in Enugu City, Nigeria

Background: There is little knowledge about healthy and sustainable diets (HSDs) in Africa. This study assesses women’s readiness to adopt HSDs and its associated factors in Enugu, Nigeria. Methods: This was a cross-sectional household survey in 2021, which assessed women’s (n =450) food choice motives, perceived benefit, and readiness to adopt HSDs. The diets were categorised as pre-contemplation and contemplation (PC/C), preparation and relapse (P/R), and action and maintenance (A/M) stages. Odds ratios (OR) were generated using multinomial logistic regression. Results: Almost 57% of the women perceived HSD to be of high benefit. About 19%, 21%, and 60% of the women were in the PC/C, P/R and A/M, respectively. Low perceived benefit (OR=4.30, 95%CI: 2.30-8.05, P<0.001), low health concern (OR=6.35, 95%CI: 2.53-15.93, P<0.001), low education (OR=2.75, 95%CI: 1.39-5.44, P=0.004), and age <35 years (OR=2.48, 95%CI: 1.02-6.07, P=0.046) predicted being in the PC/C stage. Low perceived benefit (OR=2.75, 95%CI: 1.63-4.63, P<0.001), low health concern (OR=5.35, 95% CI: 2.40-11.92, P<0.001), low level of education (OR=1.90, 95%CI: 1.05-3.42, P=0.033), and being poor (OR=2.90, 95%CI: 1.05-7.97, P=0.039) predicted being in the P/R stage. Being <35 (OR=0.50, 95%CI: 0.28-0.87, P=0.014) and having low taste consideration (OR=0.29, 95%CI: 0.12-0.72, P=0.008) predicted being in the A/M stage. Conclusions: Readiness to adopt HSDs needs to be improved in Enugu, Nigeria. For this purpose, respective nutrition education interventions might be implemented regarding progress in HSDs.

A Comprehensive Analysis of Sports Nutrition Knowledge and Diet Diversity Among South Indian Athletes

Purpose. Athletes can benefit greatly from having knowledge about sports nutrition. However, there are limited studies on athletes' nutritional knowledge and dietary habits in South India. This study aims to assess the athletes' sports nutrition knowledge, analyse their dietary practices and attitudes, and the dietary diversity score. Material & Methods. A descriptive cross sectional study was conducted in selected areas of Chengalpattu district in Tamil Nadu. Eighty-five athletes aged 10-18 training in different sports academies were interviewed individually using a validated questionnaire to analyse their sports nutrition knowledge, attitude and dietary practices. Results. The results showed that only 4.7% of the athletes had adequate nutritional knowledge of over 60%. The mean overall knowledge score was 40.2%, with athletes being most knowledgeable about protein and its sources (mean score of 67.9%), but less aware of carbohydrate and fat sources and recommendations (mean score of 15.08% and 14.01%, respectively). The mean score for attitude and dietary practices were 64.4 and 59.5 respectively. A strong and positive correlation was found between the level of nutritional knowledge and attitude (p=0.0001). Additionally, we found that the occupation of parents and the monthly income of the family were significantly associated with the athletes' nutritional knowledge. Majority of athletes (74.1%) of the athletes had an adequate dietary diversity score (DDS) of ≥ 5, and 25.9% of the athletes had a DDS of ≤ 4. Conclusions. Nutritional educational interventions at the grass root level can potentially improve athletes' knowledge, dietary practices and sports performance in the future. It is crucial to identify and address knowledge gaps, and use technology to monitor and motivate athletes towards consistency in implementing their knowledge.

Gamification in nutrition education: the impact and the acceptance of digital game-based intervention for improving nutritional habits

AbstractAs school-based nutrition education interventions have become increasingly popular in recent years, they have proven effective in raising children awareness and responsibility toward good eating habits as well as improving their knowledge, skills, and attitudes. The aim of this work is to evaluate whether a gamification approach, using a digital application developed in AdobeXD, could be an appropriate strategy for increasing attention span toward nutrition education messages when compared to a classical didactic approach. The study involved 126 children aged 7 to 8 years, divided into control group (lesson with nutrition expert supported by slides) and intervention group (interactive lesson via application). A questionnaire was then administered to all participants to assess the knowledge they gained regarding basic nutrition education concepts. An additional questionnaire was distributed to the intervention group for the prototype digital evaluation based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) framework. The results show that the digital application has the potential to be an effective tool for producing significant improvements in nutrition knowledge. The greater rating on the usefulness of the content, rather than on other intrinsic features of the prototype, demonstrates that the use of a digital approach can play a key role in capturing new concepts of nutrition education.

A remotely-delivered pilot and feasibility program to promote physical and food literacy in adolescents with intellectual disabilities.

Youth with intellectual disabilities experience disparities in physical activity and diet quality. Physical and food literacy are hypothesised to support adoption of healthy lifestyles; however, few such interventions have been developed for this population. Participants with intellectual disabilities ages 12-16 years were recruited for a 12-week online sports skills and nutrition education intervention. Feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy were assessed by attendance, satisfaction, and pre-post measures of motor skills, perceived competence and motivation for physical activity, classifying foods, making healthy choices, and food consumption. Six teens participated in the program and attended 87.5% of the sessions. Satisfaction data suggested that the program was well-received by both teens and parents. Trends toward improvements on physical activity and nutrition outcome measures were observed. Preliminary data from this pilot study suggest that physical and food literacy in youth with intellectual disabilities can be improved, which in turn may contribute to the adoption of healthy lifestyles.

Nutritional knowledge, nutritional status and associated factors among pregnant adolescents in the West Arsi Zone, central Ethiopia

When pregnancy occur among teenagers; there is a competition for nutrients between the still-growing adolescent mother and her fetus. Pregnant adolescents’ nutrition issues are not addressed well and changes are too slow in Ethiopia. This study aimed to study, nutrition knowledge, nutritional status and associated factors among pregnant adolescents in West Arsi , central Ethiopia. We conducted a cross-sectional study of 426 pregnant adolescents between January 1 and January 25, 2023. Data were collected using kobo collect and analyzed using SPSS version 25. We performed linear regression to identify independent predictors of nutritional status and multivariable logistic regression analyses to identify nutritional knowledge. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals were estimated to show the strength of the association. Magnitude of good nutrition knowledge was 23.7%, 95% CI (21.4–25.3%), and the odds of having good nutrition knowledge was 7.5 times higher among participants whose education level was above college compared with illiterate participants [(AOR = 7.5, 95% CI = (5.27–9.38)],the odds of having good nutrition knowledge was 8 times higher among adolescent who had ANC visits, [(AOR = 8, 95% CI = (3.63–13.85)], and the odds of having good nutrition knowledge was 5 times higher among adolescents who received nutrition education [(AOR = 5, 95% CI = (3.67- 13.53)]. Receiving nutrition education (β = 0.25, P = 0.002) and good nutrition knowledge (β = 0.08, P < 0.001) were positively associated with nutritional status; however, food insecurity (β = − 0.93, P < 0.001) was negatively associated with nutritional status. The nutrition knowledge of pregnant adolescents was suboptimal; educational status, ANC visits and nutrition education were associated with good nutrition knowledge, whereas food insecurity, low nutrition knowledge, and not receiving nutrition education were predictors of poor nutritional status. Nutritional education interventions, increasing utilization of ANC, and interventions for improving food security are strongly recommended.

Impact of a Nutrition Education Intervention on Knowledge, Healthy Eating Index, and Biochemical Profile in a Rural Community in Peru.

Non-communicable diseases in adults and anemia in children represent a major global public health problem, with multiple causes including poor dietary quality. However, nutrition education interventions can empower individuals to make appropriate dietary changes. To evaluate the impact of a nutritional education intervention on nutrition knowledge (NK), healthy eating index (HEI), and biochemical profile in families in the community in Peru. A pre-experimental study was conducted in the community of Sinchicuy, located on the banks of the Amazon River, Iquitos, Peru. Nutrition education was provided over a 16-week period to a total of 61 heads of household (23 children under 5 years of age and 23 older adults). Fasting glucose and hemoglobin (Hb) concentration analyses were also carried out before and after the intervention. After the intervention, a significant improvement in the NK score was observed, increasing by 90% (p < 0.001). Additionally, the average HEI scores experienced a significant increase, rising by approximately 11.4% (p < 0.001). In children under 5 years of age, the Hb level showed a significant increase of 5.1% (p = 0.017). However, no statistically significant difference in glucose concentration was observed in older adults after the intervention. The findings of this study indicated a positive impact on NK, HEI, and Hb in heads of households, older adults, and children under five in a rural community where there is limited access to basic services.

The effect of nutrition education on knowledge, nutrients intake, and physical activity of children with overweight and obesity at elementary school in Jakarta Indonesia

Background: Obesity is one of the triple burden malnutrition in Indonesia, alongside undernutrition that increasing over the years. The study was done to evaluate the effect of four weeks nutrition education intervention among children with overweight and obesity. Methods: This study was a cluster randomized control trial in two elementary school in Jakarta. SD Kramat Pela 07 were selected as a control and SD Kramat Pela 09 as an intervention group. Intervention on school children were conducted for four weeks. Samples were students who were selected with the criteria of having overweight and obesity. An education through video was delivered from the teachers consecutively to the students every week. Nutrition knowledge was collected with a Google-form questionnaire that consist of 15 questions. Nutrient intake was collected with 24-hour recalls before and after the intervention. Results: A significant increase of nutrition knowledge on both group after the intervention (p&lt;0.05). There was a significant change of fiber intake (p&lt;0.05) after four weeks of intervention. The average duration of physical activity for respondents showed an increase in the intervention group, but it was not statistically significant (p&gt;0.05). Conclusions: After four weeks intervention, nutrition education improved the knowledge, nutrients intake, and physical activity among school children with overweight and obesity. We recommend the school authorities to enhance the capacity and capabilities of teachers in fostering efforts to improve the health and nutrition of students through school-based learning. Additionally, the consumption of fiber is considered an indicator of healthy food quality in controlling overweight and obesity.

Effect of nutrition education intervention on nutrition knowledge, attitude, and diet quality among school-going adolescents: a quasi-experimental study

BackgroundNutrition education is being used to encourage school adolescents to adopt healthy eating habits. To the best of our knowledge, very little study has been undertaken in Nepal to examine the effectiveness of nutrition education programs. This study aimed to assess the effect of nutrition education on nutritional knowledge, attitude, and diet quality among school-going adolescents in selected private schools in Nepal.MethodsA quasi-experimental study was conducted among 226 students aged 12 − 19 years of two selected private schools in Banepa municipality of Nepal. Students (n = 113) from the first school were assigned to intervention and the same number of students from the second school were enrolled in the study as the control. Over 12 weeks, students in the intervention group received one hour of nutrition education in the form of mini-lectures and interactive discussions, whilst students in the control group received no education. The student’s two-sample t-test was used to compare two groups and to assess the effectiveness of the nutrition education program.ResultsBetween the intervention and control group, the magnitude of difference in knowledge score was 1.80 (95% CI: 1.11 − 2.49), emotional eating was 0.98 (95% CI: 0.42 − 1.54), uncontrolled eating was 3.60 (95% CI: 2.10 − 5.09), and cognitive restraint of eating was 2.26 (95% CI: 1.51 − 3.01).ConclusionsA tailored health education intervention was found to be effective in increase nutritional knowledge and attitude among school-going adolescents. Adopting nutrition education interventions as part of public health school intervention builds positive knowledge, attitudes, and healthy eating habits in school-going adolescents.

The Assessment of Nutrition Knowledge in ROTC Cadets

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to measure the nutrition knowledge of Army ROTC cadets before and after the implementation of nutrition education sessions presented by a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN), while observing the effectiveness of nutrition intervention on this population.Methods: Army ROTC cadets (n=33; 19+1 years old) from a southeastern university participated in a 9-week study in which they completed a nutrition knowledge survey pre- and post- implementation of six nutrition education sessions. General nutrition knowledge (GNK) and sports nutrition knowledge (SNK) were measured via the Abridged Nutrition for Sport Knowledge Questionnaire (ANSKQ).Results: General, sports, and total nutrition knowledge (TNK) improved significantly between pre-survey and post-survey scores (p &lt; .001; p &lt; .01; p &lt; .001, respectively). Independent samples t-test showed large t-score values (GNK t = -3.559; SNK t = -2.794; TNK t = -3.776), indicating a strong difference between the three groups. Army ROTC cadet ANSKQ scores significantly improved GNK from adequate to good, SNK from poor to adequate, and TNK from poor to adequate.Conclusions: The results of this study indicate nutrition knowledge is poor in ROTC cadets, but may improve from nutrition education interventions presented by an RDN.

A Systematic Review of School-Based Nutrition Interventions for Promoting Healthy Dietary Practices and Lifestyle Among School Children and Adolescents.

Childhood malnutrition is one of the foremost community health problems in the world, particularly in developing countries like India. This current review was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of various school-centered nutrition interventions/intervention programs developed in recent years, and their impact on the nutritional status, dietary habits, food preferences, lifestyle, and dietary behaviors in relation to diet, as well as physical activities for school children, especially adolescents. This review included studies found in the PubMed/Medline, SCOPUS, and Web of Science (WOS) databases, published from July 2017 to 2023. They were analyzed for eligibility criteria defined for this study, including school children and adolescents, school-based nutrition interventions/strategies/policies/initiatives, nutritional status, physical activity, dietary habits, and lifestyle. The Risk of Bias assessment was conducted using Review Manager version 5.4. Among 1776 potentially related studies, 108 met the eligibility criteria. Following this review, 62 studies were identified as eligible for this study, in which 38 intervention programs were discussed. A total of 13 studies were considered comprehensive and multi-component, 15 were nutrition education interventions, six were identified as physical activity interventions, and four focused on lifestyle and dietary behavior-related interventions. Another 24 of the 62 studies reviewed (approximately 39%) were either original articles, review articles, or articles pertaining to nutritional program guidelines, protocols, and/or reports. These studies uncovered a possible relationship between a decrease in BMI and school children's engagement in diet and/or physical activity. Results also suggest that these programs can be effective, although evidence for the long-term sustainability of changes in BMI was less evident and not fully substantiated/supported. Most of these findings are based on self-reported program data and may consist of biases linked to recall, selection of participants, and the desire to report favorable final measures (physical activity, lifestyle, and dietary habits). This study has the potential for use in public health programs devoted to healthy nutrition behavior and lifestyle practices. This research was primarily conducted by clinical researchers and did not receive any standardized institutional or organization-derived grant funding and support.

The effect of nutritional education based on the health action process approach (HAPA) on the pregnancy outcomes among malnourished pregnant mothers

ObjectiveTo examine the effectiveness of nutritional education based on the health action process approach (HAPA) on pregnancy outcomes among malnourished pregnant mothers utilizing nutritional support.MethodsIn a randomized controlled trial, 234 malnourished pregnant women under nutritional support from the fourth month of pregnancy participated. Participants were randomly allocated in study groups by the balance block randomization method. Data were collected using a socio-demographic and pregnancy outcomes checklist as well as self-devised questionnaire assessing the constructs of the HAPA model before and three months after the educational intervention. The framework of the educational intervention was based on the constructs of the HAPA and included three one-hour training sessions through lectures, group discussions, ‘question and answer’ sessions, and the use of educational tools. Data were analyzed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and SPSS software.ResultsPregnancy outcomes including optimal weight gain during pregnancy (p = 0.47), neonate’s birth weight (p = 0.58), gestational age at delivery (p = 0.83), type of delivery (p = 0.48) gestational anemia (p = 0.22), diabetes (p = 0.59) and hypertension (p = 0.29) were not significantly different in the intervention and control groups. The results showed that the educational intervention produced a significant increase in the total score (24 points) in the intervention group. Improvement of scores in the intervention group compared to the control was observed in all of the model constructs except outcome expectation (0.68 decrease). The educational intervention in the present study had a large measure of effect in total (SMD: 2.69, partial eta2: 0.664).ConclusionA nutritional education intervention based on the HAPA model for malnourished pregnant women increased behavioral intention and planning for action to have better nutritional behavior. However, the intervention did not change the pregnancy outcomes significantly.Practice implicationsNutritional education based on the HAPA model can be used to improve nutritional behaviors of malnourished pregnant women.

Effect of nutrition education on improving dietary diversity of children aged 6–23 months in Horo district, Oromia region, Ethiopia

BackgroundUnmet minimum dietary diversity (MDD) feeding practices in poor nations place children at high risk of undernutrition and its related effects, which are far-reaching and difficult to correct later in life. ObjectiveThis study aimed to assess the effect of maternal nutrition education and another determinant on the dietary diversity of children aged 6–23 months. MethodsA community-based cluster randomized trial study design was conducted from July 2019 to January 2020 in the Horo district. Twenty-three kebeles were assigned to two clusters. From two clusters, two kebeles were selected by simple random sampling. Two kebeles were assigned as intervention (150) and control (150) groups by the lottery method, at the end of the line as intervention (139) and control (137) groups. Simple random sampling techniques were used to select the study subjects. The nutrition education intervention, which lasted three months and consisted of eight sessions, was given to the intervention group, which was made up of mothers and other caregivers of children aged 6–23 months.Data entry into Epi-data and analysis were done using IBM SPSS version 26 computer software. At a 95% confidence level, values with P ≤ 0.05 were considered statistically significant. B-ivariable and multivariable conditional fixed-effect logistic regression analyses were done to identify the determinants of the dietary diversity score. Variables with a p-value of less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant. The crude odds ratio (COR) and adjusted odds ratio (AOR) were used to describe the strength and direction of the association. ResultThe result was that the proportion of children with a good dietary diversity score was 52 (34.7%) and 40 (26.7%) in the control group and intervention groups at baseline, respectively. Household food security [AOR = 4.06, 95% CI: (2.45, 6.73] and being in the intervention group [AOR = 1.90, 95% CI: (1.10, 3.29] were both positive predictors of the dietary diversity score, while maternal age (35–45 years) was a negative predictor. ConclusionAt baseline, a high proportion of children aged 6–23 months did not receive the World Health Organization's minimum dietary diversity recommendation for both groups. The consumption of animal sources and vitamin-A-rich fruits and vegetables was poor among both groups. At the end of the day, after nutrition education, the dietary diversity score improved in the intervention groups but not in the control groups. New strategies and programs should be made at all levels to improve childhood nutritional status. This includes providing nutrition education for mothers aged between 35 and 45 years old.

Can information intervention improve dietary quality? Evidence from a randomized controlled trial in rural China

Nutrition education interventions are widely used globally but with mixed results. We conducted a randomized controlled trial to examine the effects of a nutrition education and a precise message (awareness-raising) intervention on nutrition knowledge and dietary quality of households in rural China. Treatment groups first received a lecture on the Chinese Food Guide Pagoda, and then all family members were measured for height and weight and informed of household overweight status. We analyzed 358 households before and after this intervention. Participants in the treatment group increased their dietary knowledge by 6% and improved their dietary quality by 8% after the intervention. The intervention effects were stronger for households with more than 25% and 50% of overweight people. Our study provides evidence that an intervention based on general nutrition information and delivery of a precise message to households can effectively improve dietary quality. Our findings inform the food policy debate on whether nutrition information interventions are effective. Furthermore, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to evaluate the effectiveness of a nutrition information intervention to improve dietary quality in rural China.

Impact of nutrition education intervention on food consumption pattern of rural adolescent girls

Impact of nutrition education intervention on food consumption pattern of rural adolescent girls

Development and validation of D-PATH website to improve hypertension management among hypertensive patients in Malaysia.

This study aimed at developing and validating a web application on hypertension management called the D-PATH website. The website development involved three stages: content analysis, web development, and validation. The model of Internet Intervention was used to guide the development of the website, in addition to other learning and multimedia theories. The content was developed based on literature reviews and clinical guidelines on hypertension. Then, thirteen experts evaluated the website using Fuzzy Delphi Technique. The website was successfully developed and contains six learning units. Thirteen experts rated the website based on content themes, presentation, interactivity, and instructional strategies. All experts reached a consensus that the web is acceptable to be used for nutrition education intervention. D-PATH is a valid web-based educational tool ready to be used to help disseminate information on dietary and physical activity to manage hypertension. This web application was suitable for sharing information on dietary and physical activity recommendations for hypertension patients.

Educational Nutritional Intervention Program for Adolescents Based on Social Cognitive Theory: Pilot Study of a Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial.

The eating habits of adolescents are often inadequate, with high consumption of unhealthy foods and low consumption of healthy foods. It is necessary to design and implement effective interventions to improve eating habits at this age and evaluate their feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness. The use of theories for behavior change in health interventions favors the adoption of healthy behaviors. Due to this, the objective was set to determine the feasibility, acceptability, and effect on food consumption of a new educational nutritional intervention program for adolescents based on the Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) and supported by the Trans-theoretical Model (TTM) and identify areas of improvement in study design and intervention for future larger-scale studies. A pilot study of a cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted in adolescents of both sexes, 12 to 15 years of age, students from a public secondary school in Tonala, Jalisco, Mexico. The results show that a nutritional education intervention for adolescents, based on SCT and supported by the TTM, is feasible, acceptable, and with positive results in the modification of the consumption of ultra-processed foods, vegetables/fruits, and water. This pilot study identified some aspects that could be improved to enhance the effectiveness of the interventions in future studies.

Development and implementation of a nutrition education programme for school-going adolescents in the context of double burden of malnutrition: a narrative essay.

The early prevention of non-communicable diseases in Cameroon schools program was initiated in 2018 to address the alarming trend of obesity among adolescents through a nutrition education intervention aimed at increasing knowledge on nutrition and the benefits of healthy eating and physical activity. The program included: school surveys to document eating habits and health-risky behaviors in students, the development of a training curriculum, training and sensitization sessions for school staff, school vendors and students, and advocacy meetings with parliamentarians and mayors. We carried out a quasi-experimental study to assess the effect of the intervention on the student's knowledge and eating behavior three months after the training sessions. We compared the knowledge of a sample of students from five schools that were part of the program (IG) to that of students that were not (CG). The mean (±SD) score was 14.4/20 (±2.1) and 9.7/20 (±2.7) for IG and CG, respectively (p<0.001). Those who scored above 12/20 accounted for 89.8% of IG vs 23.8% of CG (p<0.001). Other significant achievements of this program are the amendment of the National School Hygiene Policy to include compulsory training in food hygiene and nutrition education for school canteen vendors and the integration of nutrition education sensitization sessions into the routine activities of school healthcare. The study showed that a well-structured multi-sectoral nutritional education program could be the bedrock to improve healthy nutrition among adolescents, thereby serving as a vehicle for non-communicable disease prevention.

Tobacco cessation in patients with multiple chronic conditions: nutritional strategies as an additional tool in treatment.

To evaluate the impacts of a nutritional education intervention for patients with multiple chronic conditions during smoking cessation. The non-probabilistic sample comprised 18 adults and seniors of both sexes recruited from a smoking cessation treatment group. At the beginning of treatment, smoking history, degree of dependence, and stage of motivation were assessed. Degree of craving was evaluated weekly for the 1st month. Anthropometric and biochemical assessments were conducted at baseline, at 1 month, and at 3 months. Dietary intake was assessed with the "How is your diet?" questionnaire. The nutritional intervention was delivered in three sessions. The themes covered were energy balance and physical activity, healthy eating, and the importance of fruit and vegetables in the diet. Statistical analysis was conducted with the Shapiro Wilk test of normality, the paired t test, and the Wilcoxon or Mann-Whitney U tests (significance ≤ 0.05). Most people (55.6%) in the intervention group had a high degree of smoking dependence, while the frequency in the control group was 22.2%. Degree of craving decreased significantly after 1 month of treatment (p = 0.017). After 3 months, both groups had a positive variation in mean body weight, although below 3%. In both groups, the average percentage of weight gain was less than 3%, suggesting that delivery of the nutritional education sessions and the nutritionist's use of the protocol proposed by the Instituto Nacional de Câncer (INCA) helped to control weight gain. Blood glucose and homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) both increased significantly in the intervention group (p = 0.15 and p = 0.50, respectively). Greater proximity and more frequent intervention by a nutritionist assists and encourages healthy eating practices during the smoking cessation process, which can benefit individuals' control of chronic diseases over the long term.