Title of article :
Determinants of Preparing Healthy Breakfast and Snacks for School Children by Mothers
Author/Authors :
Rakhshanderou, Sakineh Environmental and Occupational Hazards Control Research Center - School of Public Health and Safety - Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran , Gaffari, Mohtashame Environmental and Occupational Hazards Control Research Center - School of Public Health and Safety - Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran , Pooresmaeildorosteh, Ameneh Department of Public Health - School of Public Health and Safety - Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Abstract :
Introduction: An unhealthy breakfast and the consumption of low-value meals
among students are associated with adverse health consequences and chronic
diseases in adulthood. The main purpose of this study was to identify the
determinants of preparing healthy breakfast and snacks for school children by
mothers in the city of Islamshahr.
Methods: 320 boys and girls were selected by cluster random sampling and
their mothers were invited to participate in the study. Data were collected using
the researcher-made questionnaire that included demographic characteristics,
questions were related to knowledge, attitude, perceived benefits, perceived
barriers and behavior. The reliability was assessed through the test-retest
method, and in order to assess internal consistency, Chronbach’s alpha
coefficient was used. Data were analyzed by SPSS 16 software, and Descriptive
statistics (Percent & Frequency), Multiple regression and Kendall’s tau-b
correlation tests were used.
Results: Based on the findings of this study, none of the demographic
characteristics had a significant correlation with the behavior of the mother's
healthy breakfast and meal (p>0.05) and among variables, knowledge (p<0.001,
B=0.40) and perceived barriers (p<0.001, B=0.33) were strong and positive
predictors of preparing breakfast and healthy snacks by mothers. Knowledge
and perceived barriers predict %28 of variance in mothers’ behavior in
preparing breakfast and healthy snacks (p<0.001, R= 0.527, R2=0.278).
Conclusion: It is better to put more emphasis on the strategies to promote the
knowledge of mothers and reduce their perceived barriers in designing
nutritional interventions aiming to prepare breakfast and healthy snacks for
children.
Keywords :
Mothers , Children , Healthy snacks , Healthy breakfast
Journal title :
Journal of Community Health Research