Background/Aims: This study aims to investigate the effect of parent-supported nutrition education on children's nutritional knowledge and eating behaviors. Materials and Methods: A total of one hundred and twenty one students from the third, fourth and fifth grades at a private school in Isparta, Turkey were selected for the study. The participating children were divided into two groups: one receiving parent-supported nutrition education, and the other receiving nutrition education targeted only at the children. A nutrition knowledge test was administered to both groups one week prior to the intervention and again following the completion of the education program. In order to evaluate changes in the children's eating behaviors, the Children’s Eating Behavior Questionnaire, whose validity and reliability were established by Yılmaz et al. (2011), was completed by the parents. Data were analyzed using the Wilcoxon Test, Man Whitney U Test and Multiple Linear Regression Analysis. Results: The increase in nutritional knowledge scores of children supported by their parents compared to before the education was significantly greater than that of children without support. At the end of the education; food enthusiasm, emotional overeating, passion for drinking and enthusiasm for satiety eating behavior scores reduced, while food selectivity eating behavior scores increased. The increase in higher nutritional information score is estimated to be less enthusiasm for satiety and food selectivity scores, whereas higher enjoying food scores for children in the group supported by parents. However, it was observed that the changes in eating behaviors were similar between children with parental support and children without parental support after the education. Conclusion: It was found that parent-supported nutrition education led to a greater improvement in children's nutritional knowledge compared to education provided without parental involvement. Furthermore, nutrition education was shown to be effective in promoting more positive eating behaviors among children. In particular, parental involvement in nutrition education was found to play a significant role in enhancing the effectiveness of the program, especially among primary school children.
Karadoğan et al. (Fri,) studied this question.