NUTRITION SCHOOL GARDEN: AN EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING APPROACH FOR NUTRITION EDUCATION OF HIGH SCHOOL CHILDREN (13-15 YEARS)
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Date
2015-07-10
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UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES GKVK, BENGALURU
Abstract
Nutrition garden is an effective tool to improve the quality of food consumed and is a
better strategy to prevent and combat micronutrient malnutrition in the community. The present
study was undertaken to educate the high school children about nutrition using nutrition garden as
a practical approach. Two hundred children in the age group of 13-15 years were involved in the
intervention programme along with their parents and school teachers to make it more effective.
Socio-economic status, nutritional status of children and nutrition knowledge of the children,
teachers and parents were assessed before and after intervention. The results revealed that the
intake of macro and micronutrient was below the RDA in school children. According to
Waterlow’s classification 62 per cent of girls and 40 per cent of boys had lower body weight
(wasted) and majority of them were anaemic. Socio-economic factors and dietary intake had
positive correlation with anthropometric measurements. Nutrition education given to the subjects
using teaching aids enhanced the nutrition knowledge of the children, parents and teachers
significantly (p < 0.05). Development of nutrition garden in the school premises changed the
attitude of the children towards fruits and vegetables and influenced their food choices. The
subjects perceived nutrition garden as more beneficial, feasible and helps to improve dietary
practices. Nutrition education combined with nutrition garden is more effective. Hence, educating
children at early stages of life about nutrition promotes healthy practices and there by helps to
improve health and nutritional status of the community.
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