Effectiveness of a Designed Dietary Educational Program on Maternal Nutritional Knowledge, Practices, and Anthropometric Outcomes of Their Children Under Five Years of Age | ||||
Port Said Scientific Journal of Nursing | ||||
Volume 12, Issue 2, June 2025, Page 58-88 PDF (602.5 K) | ||||
Document Type: Original Article | ||||
DOI: 10.21608/pssjn.2025.383480.1360 | ||||
![]() | ||||
Author | ||||
Nagwa Rizk Mohamed ![]() | ||||
Pediatric Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Port Said University, Port Said, Egypt. | ||||
Abstract | ||||
Background: Healthy nutrition is essential for a child's growth and development, as it can maintain general health and weight gain. Optimal physical condition is crucial at every phase of life, especially through infancy and childhood. Mothers are the primary caregivers for their children during their early years, and this care is influenced by their nutritional knowledge and practices. Aim: The study aimed to evaluate the effect of a designed dietary educational program on maternal nutritional knowledge, practices, and anthropometric outcomes of their children under five years of age. Subjects and Method: The study sample consisted of 314 mothers having 314 children below 5 years of age. A purposivesampling study was used. A quasi-experimental design was employed in this study at the outpatient pediatric clinics and pediatric inpatient department of Hurghada Hospital in the Red Sea Governorate, Egypt. The data were collected using three tools: a nutritional knowledge questionnaire, a maternal reported practices assessment tool, and the child’s anthropometric measurements. Results: Only a few of the mothers demonstrated good nutritional knowledge before the implementation of the program. However, after completing the program, this percentage increased to 32.5%. Before the program, around two-fifths of the mothers showed inadequate nutritional practices. In contrast, after the dietary program, nearly all mothers exhibited competence in their nutritional practices. Concerning children's anthropometric outcomes, the results showed a significant relation between children's length/height-for-age, weight-for-age, and body mass index for age, before and after the implementation of this program. Conclusion: Educational program significantly impacts a mother's nutritional knowledge and practices regarding their children. Moreover, children's length/height-for-age, weight-for-age, and BMI-for-age were positively affected by the dietary program. Recommendation: Implementation of a dietary program for mothers on children's nutrition at various ages and in different clinical settings to enhance overall benefits. And encourage mothers to regularly assess their children's anthropometric measurements to enhance their children’s physical growth. | ||||
Keywords | ||||
Anthropometric outcomes; Children under five years; dietary educational program; Maternal nutritional knowledge; practices | ||||
References | ||||
Abd-Alrazig, M., Dakeen, M., Ali, M., and Nasr, R. (2023); Mother’s Nutritional Knowledge and Practice towards Children under Two Years of Age and Its Impact on Their Health in Abuzaid Albuluk Pediatric Specialized Hospital in 2023. Food and Nutrition Sciences, 14, 746-776.doi.org/10.4236/fns.2023.148049.https://www.scirp.org/journal/paperinformation?paperid=127157
Abdulla, F., Abd El-Raouf, M., Rahman, A., Aldallal, R., Mohamed, M., Hossain, M. (2022); Prevalence and determinants of wasting among under-5 Egyptian children: Application of quantile regression. Food Science & Nutrition published by Wiley Periodicals, 4 November 2022, DOI: 10.1002/fsn3.3144. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/fsn3.3144
Aljohani, A., & Aljohani, M. (2020); The knowledge of mothers about children's malnutrition and associated factors. Age, 20(30), 31–40. –011. https://doi.org/10.24911/IJMDC.51-1541620358
Almoabadi R.H., Hanbazaza M.A. (2024); “Knowledge, attitude and purchasing behavior of Saudi mothers towards food additives and dietary pattern of preschool children." PeerJ 12:e18223. https://peerj.com/articles/18223/
Anato, A. (2022); Predictors of wasting among children under five years in largely food insecure area of north Wollo, Ethiopia: A cross-sectional study. Journal of Nutritional Science,11,e8. doi.org/10.1017/jns.2022.8. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-nutritional-science/article/predictors-of-wasting-among-children-underfive-years-in-largely-food-insecure-area-of-north-wollo-ethiopia-a-crosssectional-study/D61035D27521B1C5127CD2B676DCE10C
Ayed, M., Ali, F., Sayed, E. (2021); Effect of Mothers’ Nutritional Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices in Childcare on the Growth of Children. Egyptian Journal of Health Care, 2021 EJHC Vol. 12 No.2. https://ejhc.journals.ekb.eg/article_161003.html.
Bassam, S., E, and Nassar, H. M. (2021). Effect of Health Educational Program on Mothers' Knowledge and Practice for Children under Hemodialysis. Egyptian Journal of Health Care, 12(4), 1621-1630.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). BMI-for-age growth charts: Girls and boys, birth to 5 years (percentiles). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.cdc.gov/growthcharts/cdc-charts.htm
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2010); Use of the World Health Organization and CDC growth charts for children aged 0-59 months in the United States. MMWR Recomm. Rep.,59(9):115,2010.https://www.researchgate.net/publication/285013808_Use_of_World_Health_Organization_and_CDC_growth_charts_for_children_aged_059_months_in_the_United_States.
Chadha, V., & Warady, B. A. (2022). Chapter 34 - Nutritional management of children with kidney disease. In J. D. Kopple, S. G. Massry, K. Kalantar-Zadeh, & D. Fouque (Eds.), Nutritional Management of Renal Disease (Fourth Edition) (Fourth Edi, pp. 629–657). Academic Press. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-818540-7.00030-6
Eidan, A., and Shawq, A. (2024). Effect of a Nutritional Education Program on Mother Knowledge Regarding Their Children Nutritional Status. Journal of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Cancer Research, 9(5), 522–531. https://doi.org/10.30699/jogcr.9.5.522.
Ergün, S., Bozdemir, B. (2023); The effect of nutritional attitudes of mothers as health care professionals on their children’s eating behaviors. Revista de Nutricao 36: e230028 DOI10.1590/1678-9865202336E230028. https://www.scielo.br/j/rn/a/Q6GjHP9DrBp95VmKSMFRdWk/
Faeq M. A., Taresh J. A., Ismaeel Q. K. (2023); Knowledge of Mothers about Children Nutrition under Five Years in Babylon City, Iraq University of Thi-Qar Journal of Science (UTJsci).DOI:10.32792/utq/utjsci/v10i1(SI).989. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/370409861_Knowledge_of_Mothers_about_Children_Nutrition_under_Five_Years_in_Babylon_City_Iraq
Fatema, S. (2023); A Study of Mothers’ Knowledge and Practices on Children’s Feeding and Nutrition in the Early Years. Publication No: 21355010., Master Thesis, BRAC Institute of Educational Development. BRAC University. https://dspace.bracu.ac.bd:8443/xmlui/bitstream/handle/10361/23272/21355010_BIED.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y.
Fatima, N., Ijaz, F., Aziz, A., Yasin, M., Muhammad, A., and Aftab, R. (2024); “Maternal Nutritional Knowledge and Nutritional Outcome of Children: A Cross-Sectional Study from a Developing Country.” Global Journal of Medical, Pharmaceutical, and Biomedical Update, vol. 19, 28 Nov. 2024, p. 12, gjmpbu.org/maternal-nutritional-knowledge-and-nutritional-outcome-of-children-a-cross-sectional-study-from-a-developing-country/, https://doi.org/10.25259/gjmpbu_3_2024
Forh, G., Apprey, C., Frimpomaa, N. (2022); Agyapong Nutritional knowledge and practices of mothers/caregivers and its impact on the nutritional status of children 6–59 months in Sefwi Wiawso Municipality, Western-North Region, Ghana. Heliyon Journal, 2022, Volume 8, Issue 12e12330. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36590498/
Genalle, T. (2022). Socioeconomic feature on child feeding, as a determinant factor of nutritional status of children: the case of rural community at Dilla-Zuria district of Gede’o Zone, Southern Ethiopia. https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-2348583/v1
Global Nutrition Report (2018). The burden of malnutrition, global nutrition report. www.globalnutritionreport.org. 135 Factors Associated with Inequality in Undernutrition
Kumara, S., Kumari, R., & Singh, U. (2020). Impact of Mother Nutritional Knowledge on their Child Nutritional Health Status. International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences, 9, 255-260.
Kusrini, I., Laksono, AD. (2020); Regional Disparities of Stunted Toddler in Indonesia. Indian J Forensic Med Toxicol. 2020;14[3]:1916–20. DOI: https://doi.org/10.31227/osf.io/6zqdc
Lombamo, G., Henry, C., and Zello, G. (2024); A Nutrition Education Intervention Positively Affects the Diet–Health-Related Practices and Nutritional Status of Mothers and Children in a Pulse-Growing Community in Halaba, South Ethiopia. Children, 11(11), 1400; https://doi.org/10.3390/children11111400
Manzour, A., Assalya, R., and Faramawy, A. (2019) Maternal Knowledge and Practice Regarding Children’s Nutrition and Impact on Growth of their Children in Sixth of October City, Cairo. The Egyptian Journal of Community Medicine Vol. 37 No. 2 April 2019. https://ejcm.journals.ekb.eg/article_30919.html
National Center for Health Statistics in collaboration with the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (2000). https://www.cdc.gov/growthcharts/
Nsiah-Asamoah, C., Kingsley, KAP., Intiful, FD. (2019); Nutritional counselling interactions between health workers and caregivers of children under two years: observations at selected child welfare clinics in Ghana. BMC Health Services Research 19:817 DOI 10.1186/s12913-019-4692-y. https://bmchealthservres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12913-019-4692-y
Pinto, P., Aranha, P., Lobo, M. (2023). Correlation of Mother’s Knowledge on Child Nutrition, Feeding Practices and Nutritional Status of Children in Karnataka, India: A Cross-sectional Study. Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research. 2023 Nov, Vol-17(11): OC05-OC12. DOI: 10.7860/JCDR/2023/64983.18661.
Prasetyo, Y. B., Permatasari, P., & Susanti, H. D. (2023). The effect of mothers’ nutritional education and knowledge on children’s nutritional status: a systematic review. International Journal of Child Care and Education Policy, 17(1), 11.
Raji, I. A., Abubakar, A. U., Bello, M. M., Ezenwoko, A. Z., Suleiman, Z. B., Gada, A. A., Auwal, B. U., & Kaoje, A. U. (2020). Knowledge of Factors Contributing to Child Malnutrition among Mothers of Under-five Children in Sokoto Metropolis,Nigeria. Journal of Community Medicine and Primary Health Care, 32(2), 17–26). DOI: 10.4314/jcmphc.v32i2.2. https://www.ajol.info/index.php/jcmphc/article/view/199163 .
Ratala, D., Rai, S., Joshi, P., Shrestha, A., Sarki, M. (2024); “Study of Nutritional Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice among Parents of Young Children in Public and Private Schools in Rural Nepal.” Public Administration Research, vol. 13, no. 1, 18 Mar. 2024, p. 32, https://doi.org/10.5539/par.v13n1p32
Ravikumar, D., Spyreli, E., Woodside, J., McKinley, M., Kelly, C. (2022); Parental perceptions of the food environment and their influence on food decisions among lowincome families: a rapid review of qualitative evidence. BMC Public Health 22:9 DOI 10.1186/s12889-021-12414-z.https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-021-12414-z
Rolf, K., Cebulak, T., Kmiecik, K. (2024). Dietary habits of early school-aged children and nutritional knowledge of their parents. Roczniki Państwowego Zakładu Higieny / Annals of the National Institute of Hygiene, 75(4), 349-358. https://doi.org/10.32394/rpzh/202099
Seran, S., & Sengkoen, Y. (2024). Socio-economic status and family nutrition influence on stunting among children under five in thebelu district east nusa tenggara province. Jurnal Biometrika Dan Kependudukan, 13(2), 183–191. https://doi.org/10.20473/jbk.v13i2.2024.183-191.
Setia, A., Shagti, I., Boro, R., Adi, A., Saleh, A., Sanjiwany P. (2020). The effect of family-based nutrition education on the intention of changes in knowledge, attitude, behavior of pregnant women and mothers with toddlers in preventing stunting in Puskesmas Batakte, Kupang Regency, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia Working Area. Pakistan Journal of Medical & Health Sciences 14(3):1001–1004. https://pjmhsonline.com/2020/july-sep/1001.pdf.
Siagian, C., and Halisitijayani, M. (2015); “Original Research Article Mothers Knowledge on Balanced Nutrition to Nutritional Status of Children in Puskesmas (Public Health Center) in the District of Pancoran, Southern Jakarta 2014.” Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci, vol. 4, no. 7, 2015, pp. 815–826, https://resources.acutemalnutrition.org/Carmen-M-Siagian-and-Merry-Halisitijayani.pdf
Sirasa, F., Mitchell, L., Silva, R., Harris, N. (2020); Factors influencing the food choices of urban Sri Lankan preschool children: Focus groups with parents and caregivers. Appetite, 2020, Volume 150, 104649. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32142823/
UNICEF, WHO, World Bank (2023). Levels and trends in child malnutrition: Key findings of the 2023 Edition of the Joint Child Malnutrition Estimates. Geneva WHO. 2023. [Cited 2023 November 1] Available from: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240073791
United Nations Second report on the world nutrition situation (2017). Global and regional results Geneva: Administrative Committee on Coordination/Subcommittee on Nutrition, , Volume I: 1-112.
Wahyuntari, E., Dewi, R. (2021); Nutritional Status of Children under Five in Public Health Care Girimulyo II Kulon Progo. Universitas ‘Aisyiyah Yogyakarta, Indonesia. P J M H S Vol. 15, NO. 2. https://pjmhsonline.com/2021/feb/559.pdf
World Health Organization [WHO] (2025). WHO child growth standards: Length/height-for-age, weight-for-age, weight-for-length, weight-for-height and body mass index-for-age: Methods and development. World Health Organization. Child growth standards.
World Health Organization [WHO] (2023). The Global Health Observatory: Explore a world of health data. [Accessed 2023 November 13] Available https://www.who.int/data/gho/data/indicators/indicator-details/GHO/gho-jme- from country children-aged-5-years-underweight-(-weight-for-age--2-sd).
World Health Organization [WHO] (2021). Malnutrition. [Accessed 2023 November 13] Available from: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/malnutrition | ||||
Statistics Article View: 113 PDF Download: 74 |
||||