The Status of Food and Nutrition Literacy and its determinants among Elementary School students in Egypt: community nursing-led design

• Published in: BMC nursing 2024-10, Vol.23 (1), p.708-10, Article 708
• Main Authors: Amin, Shaimaa Mohamed, Dreidi, Mutaz, Ghallab, Eman, Morsy Mohamed, Shadia Ramadan, Alrimawi, Intima
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Analysis; Determinants; Egypt; Elementary school; Elementary school students; Food and nutrition; Food labeling; Food literacy; Health aspects; Health literacy; Literacy; Literacy programs; Nursing; Nutrition literacy; Students
• ISSN: 1472-6955; 1472-6955
• DOI: 10.1186/s12912-024-02342-9

To assess food and nutrition literacy status and its determinants among elementary school students in El-Beheira Governorate, Egypt. Developing strategies to enhance food and nutrition literacy necessitates a deeper understanding of the food and nutrition literacy situation among elementary school students and associated factors. A cross-sectional descriptive research design was adopted. A final sample of 400 primary school students (aged 6-12 years) at Itay El Barud public elementary schools in El-Beheira Governorate were administered (1) a socio-demographic characteristics and anthropometric measurements questionnaire developed by the researchers, and (2) the Food and Nutrition Literacy Scale. The derived data were analyzed using descriptive and non-parametric tests. The majority (61%) of students had low food and nutrition literacy scores. The results have shown that overall socio-demographic variables were significant in predicting understanding food and nutrition information, nutritional health knowledge, interactive functional and nutritional literacy, critical food and nutritional literacy, and food labeling. The study reveals that elementary school students in Egypt have poor knowledge and skills in food and nutrition literacy, largely due to a lack of nutrition education and family awareness. Factors like residential location, income, and education level also contribute to this disparity. To improve nutrition literacy among students, a nursing approach involving community stakeholders and school nurses is recommended. This includes integrating nutrition-related topics into the school curriculum, organizing workshops, and conducting age-appropriate health education sessions. Active engagement between community health and school nurses is crucial for raising awareness about healthy nutritional choices. These findings hold an important impact on the education system and those designing curricula, emphasizing the need for significant incorporation of knowledge and skills related to food and nutrition within schools. Compliance with the STROBE checklist for cross-sectional studies was maintained throughout the research. No Patient or Public Contribution.