Effect of digital storytelling on nutrition knowledge and dietary self efficacy among adolescents in Puducherry India a quasi experimental study

Adolescence is a critical developmental stage marked by rapid physical, cognitive, social, and emotional changes, as well as the transition from childhood to adulthood. During this period, dietary behaviours and eating habits undergo significant changes, influenced by multiple factors. This study examined the pedagogical value of digital storytelling and its impact on student learning, particularly in promoting nutrition and healthy eating practices. The primary objective was to assess the effectiveness of digital storytelling on adolescents’ knowledge and dietary self-efficacy related to food and healthy eating habits. A quantitative, quasi-experimental research design was adopted. A total of 240 adolescents, with 120 allocated to the experimental group and 120 to the control group. Knowledge and dietary self-efficacy were measured using structured questionnaires. For the experimental group, three digital stories developed by the researcher covering a balanced diet, the importance of fruits and vegetables, and the adverse effects of junk food were presented on alternate days over one week. The post-test assessment was conducted 30 days after the intervention to evaluate short-term retention and early behavioural changes beyond immediate exposure effects. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics; as Shapiro-Wilk testing indicated non-normal distributions, Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used for within-group comparisons and Mann-Whitney U tests for between-group comparisons. Findings revealed that the experimental group demonstrated significantly higher post-test knowledge (16.1 ± 1.34 vs. 10.12 ± 2.70) and dietary self-efficacy scores (33.92 ± 4.43 vs. 17.60 ± 4.26) than the control group (both p < 0.001). Digital storytelling proved to be an effective educational strategy for enhancing knowledge and dietary self-efficacy regarding healthy eating habits among adolescents.