LEARNING PACKAGE IMPACT ON SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN'S KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICE REGARDING WELL BALANCED NUTRITION

Background: A vital component of development and health is nutrition. Improved newborn, child, and mother wellbeing, healthy immune systems, protected pregnancy and delivery, a decreased danger of non-communicable diseases and longer life is connected to better nutrition. The research study was planned to appraise the efficacy of learning intervention on knowledge and practice in school age children regarding well balanced nutrition. Material & Methods: A quantitative pre experimental research design adopted to carry out the study. Vidhya Niketan School, Sec-4, Udaipur was selected as setting for the research. A totality of 120 Sample chosen via simple random sampling technique based on inclusion criteria. Research tool was formulated with extensive review of related literature, discussion with subject’s experts and guide. The time period employed in data collection was planned as 4 weeks. Questionnaire technique was implemented to gather data. Result: In pre – test majority of participant 92.5% scored inadequate knowledge and 7.5% scored moderate knowledge in pre test whereas in post test, 87.5% scored moderate level of knowledge and 12.5% scored good level of knowledge concerning meaning of balanced nutrition. The enhancement was significant with higher calculated paired’T’ test value of 24.9 than table value (2.02 at df 39,p- .0001). Among our study respondent, 95% scored poor practice and 5% scored fair practice in pre test whereas in post test, 80% scored fair practice and 20% scored good practice regarding importance of balanced nutrition. The enhancement was significant with higher calculated paired’T’ test value of 20.15 than table value (2.02 at df 39,p- .0001). Further study explored a positive correlation of 0.51 amid knowledge in pre test and pre test practice scores. Our study analysis showed significant associations (p<0.05) between pre-test knowledge and age, family type, parents’ education, father’s occupation, and previous knowledge exposure; and between practice and age, food habits, parents’ education, and mother’s occupation among school-age children. Conclusion: The study verified that structured teaching appreciably enhanced knowledge and practices on the subject of balanced nutrition amid school-age children. Considerable improvements were seen in knowledge and practice scores as well as positive correlation linking them.