Influence of a Nutrition Education Program on Parental Nutrition Knowledge, Dietary Habits, and Nutritional Status in Schoolchildren with Excess Weight.

Introduction

Childhood obesity represents a major public health priority, and parent-focused educational interventions have been proposed as a strategy to improve dietary habits and prevent excess weight among schoolchildren. However, evidence regarding their impact on behavioral and anthropometric outcomes remains heterogeneous, particularly in Latin American settings.

Objective

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of a parent-oriented nutrition education program on parental nutrition knowledge, dietary habits, and the nutritional status of schoolchildren with excess weight.

Methods

A randomized controlled experimental study was conducted in a public educational institution in Peru. From a total population of 411 schoolchildren, a population-based screening was performed to identify those with excess weight; of the 198 children assessed, 64 met the inclusion criteria and were randomly assigned (1:1) to an intervention group or a control group. The educational program consisted of theoretical sessions, practical workshops, and home-based reinforcement over a three-month period. Outcomes included parental nutrition knowledge, children's dietary habits, and body mass index-for-age Z-score according to sex. Longitudinal analyses were performed using linear mixed-effects regression models.

Results

The intervention group showed a significant increase in parental nutrition knowledge compared with the control group (β = 5.65; 95% CI: 2.25-9.06; p = 0.002). No significant effects of the program were observed on dietary habits or BMI-for-age Z-score (p > 0.05).

Conclusions

The nutrition education program significantly improved parental nutrition knowledge but did not lead to short-term changes in dietary habits or nutritional status among schoolchildren. These findings highlight the need for longer-term and multicomponent interventions to achieve meaningful behavioral and anthropometric changes.