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This research aims to examine dietary habits and knowledge of functional foods among Greek primary school children and their parents.

March 21, 2026Open Access

Eating Habits, Knowledge and Perceptions of Functional Foods Among Primary School Students in Greece: Pilot Remote Educational Intervention Involving Children and Their Parents

Key Points

This research aims to examine dietary habits and knowledge of functional foods among Greek primary school children and their parents.
Conducted a cross-sectional study with 374 children and 159 parents in urban and rural areas.
Administered questionnaires to children on dietary habits, functional foods knowledge, and Mediterranean Diet adherence.
Gathered parental data on sociodemographic information, BMI, dietary habits, and functional foods perceptions.
Delivered a one-month asynchronous nutrition education program through pre-recorded videos.
Analyzed data using descriptive statistics, t-tests, ANOVA, and chi-square tests.
Children exhibited moderate adherence to the Mediterranean Diet with high fast food and sugary drink consumption.
Knowledge of functional foods among children was low, showing a gap between what they perceived and what they actually understood.
Parental knowledge of functional foods was varied, with higher understanding noted in parents of normal-weight children.
Positive associations existed between the dietary quality of children and their parents, as well as their physical activity levels.
The asynchronous intervention received a positive rating, although notable attrition during sessions limited evaluation of its effectiveness.

Abstract

Background: Parental knowledge and perceptions towards Functional Foods (FFs) play a critical role in shaping children’s dietary behaviors. This study aimed to investigate dietary habits, FFs knowledge and perceptions among Greek primary school children and their parents and to evaluate the feasibility of a one-month pilot asynchronous nutrition education program. Methods: A cross-sectional study included 374 children aged 9–11 years and 159 parents from urban (Thessaloniki) and rural (Lemnos) areas. Children completed questionnaires on dietary habits, FFs knowledge and Mediterranean Diet (MD) adherence (KIDMED score), while parents provided sociodemographic information, BMI, dietary habits, FFs knowledge and perceptions. A pilot asynchronous nutrition education intervention was delivered via pre-recorded videos on FFs, the MD, portion sizes and food label interpretation, with participation tracked and program evaluation conducted among parents. Data was analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics (version 28). Descriptive statistics were calculated, group differences were assessed with t-tests and ANOVA and associations between variables were examined using chi-square tests and Pearson correlations (p < 0.06). Results: Children showed moderate MD adherence, frequent fast-food and soft drinks consumption and low FF knowledge, with a substantial gap between perceived and actual understanding. Parental FF knowledge was uneven, higher among normal-weight participants and largely limited to fortified products. Positive associations were found between children’s and parents’ diet quality and natural FF consumption, as well as between parental and child physical activity. The asynchronous intervention was positively rated; substantial attrition was observed across sessions and follow-up, which limited the ability to assess the intervention’s effects on behavioral change. Conclusions: This study highlights critical gaps in FFs knowledge among families and demonstrates that asynchronous, family-based nutrition education is feasible but challenged by engagement attrition. Targeted interventions are needed to clarify FF concepts and promote healthier family dietary behaviors.

Eating Habits, Knowledge and Perceptions of Functional Foods Among Primary School Students in Greece: Pilot Remote Educational Intervention Involving Children and Their Parents

Key Points

Abstract

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