The Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices of Secondary High School Students Regarding Food Safety and Hygiene in Khorramdarreh, Iran

Background: The studies on children and adolescents provide the basic information for educational interventions such as the assessment of the knowledge of community health promotion. The present study aimed to evaluate the knowledge, attitude, and practices of secondary high school students regarding food safety and hygiene in Khorramdarreh, Zanjan, Iran. Methods: This crosssectional study was conducted on 640 secondary high school students during December 2014 December 2015. The participants were selected via cluster sampling, and data were collected using a researchermade questionnaire after assessing its validity and reliability. Data analysis was performed in SPSS version 16. Results: The mean scores of the knowledge, attitude, and practices of the students were 36.6 ±6.96 (moderate), 57.95 ±6.88 (favorable), and 40.59 ±5.80 (favorable), respectively. The lowest knowledge level of the students was observed in milk and egg hygiene (27%), meat hygiene (35%), effect of temperature on microorganisms (35%), and brucellosis-related aspects (7.33%). Conclusion: Although the students had a positive attitude toward food safety, they had inadequate knowledge of the effects on their practices. Therefore, it seems that training is essential in the food safety and hygiene fields for students and their parents.