The Effect of Educational Methods on Nutritional Knowledge and Practice of Elementary Students about Snacks

Background and Objective: low-value junk food consumption due to the large amount of salt, fat and sugar, prepare chronic diseases (heart diseases - cardiovascular, obesity, and hypertension) in adult age. This study has been designed to investigate the effect of health education methods on studentschr('۳۹') knowledge and practice of nutrition in junk food consumption. Materials and Methods: This quasi-experimental study was carried out on ۶۱۸ (the fifth grade) elementary school students in regions ۱ and ۲ schools of Sanandaj in ۱۳۹۱-۱۳۹۰ academic year. ۲۴۶ students were in the film show group, ۲۰۴ students in lecture group and ۱۶۸ students in control group. In film group, a film was showed ۴۵ minutes for students. In lecture group, in order to follow similarity a text of the same content which showed in the film prepared and presented for ۴۵-minutes by health expert. Students in the control group did not receive any training. Knowledge and practice of students was measured by questionnaires which included demographic questions, Knowledge questions and practice questions. Results: The sample age was ۱۰ to ۱۲ years with average ۱۱.۰۷ ± .۵۸.۴۶ percent of the population were female and ۵۴ percent were male. The results showed that Knowledge and practice on junk food consumption in three groups after training had a significant difference (P = ۰.۰۰۰۱), also in lecture and show film groups before and after intervention there was a significant difference (p = ۰.۰۰۰۱). The Knowledge and practice of the control group was not significant before and after training. Conclusion: The results showed the positive effect of indirect educational methods (showing film) on practice on junk food consumption and also revealed that the impact of showing film is greater than the lecture.