Effectiveness of an educational intervention on knowledge regarding rainbow nutrition among mothers of school-age children in Kanyakumari district

Introduction: Adequate nutrition during school age is essential for growth, cognitive development, and immunity. Fruits and vegetables provide essential nutrients, while the concept of “eating the rainbow” encourages dietary variety through different food colors. Mothers play a vital role in ensuring healthy food choices for children. This study assessed the effectiveness of an educational intervention on mothers’ knowledge regarding rainbow nutrition.Materials and Methods: A quantitative, pre-experimental one-group pretest-posttest design was adopted. Thirty mothers of school-age children from Harbor Street, Chinnamuttom, Kanyakumari, were selected using convenience sampling. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire and a structured knowledge assessment questionnaire. Post-test assessment was conducted on the seventh day following the intervention. Data were analyzed using frequency, percentage, and paired t-test.Results: Most participants were aged 21–25 years (76.6%), Christian (66.6%), belonged to nuclear families (96.6%), and had one child (80.0%). In the pretest, 3.4% had adequate knowledge, 80.0% had moderate knowledge, and 16.6% had inadequate knowledge. Following the intervention, 66.6% achieved adequate knowledge and 33.4% had moderate knowledge, with no participants in the inadequate category. The mean knowledge score increased from 13.00 ± 2.69 to 21.76 ± 2.51. The reported paired t-value was 75.7785 (p < 0.05), indicating a statistically significant improvement.Conclusion: The educational intervention improved mothers’ knowledge regarding rainbow nutrition. Community-based nutrition education can strengthen maternal knowledge and promote healthy dietary practices among school-age children.