Thesis (MNutr (Human Nutrition))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / PROJECT AIM The aim of this qualitative cross-sectional descriptive study was to test the comprehensibility of the preliminary Food-Based Dietary Guidelines for healthy children aged 1-7 years. Objectives included assessing exposure to Food-Based Dietary Guidelines, assessing comprehension of the proposed Paediatric Food-Based Dietary Guidelines (perceptions, interpretation and understanding of terminology, concepts and descriptions), and assessing whether the guidelines can be used in meal planning. METHOD The proposed study was submitted to the Committee for Human Research, Faculty of Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, and was subsequently approved. Focus group discussions were used to collect data. The discussions were facilitated by the investigator in either English or Afrikaans, according to a predetermined discussion guideline. Mothers with children aged 1-7 years old voluntarily participated in the study. With permission from the Department of Education, mothers were contacted via randomly chosen pre-primary schools, crèches and playgroups. Focus groups were formed on the basis of language and socio-economic status (SES), using randomly selected suburbs to represent lower, middle and upper SES groups. Sixteen focus groups were conducted: 2 pilot groups, 1 English and 1 Afrikaans lower SES, 3 English and 3 Afrikaans middle SES groups, and 3 English and 3 Afrikaans upper SES groups. RESULTS A total of 76 mothers participated in the study. On the whole, the mothers understood the proposed Paediatric Food-Based Dietary Guidelines as intended by the Paediatric Working Group. The rationale behind the guidelines was not always known, but grasped once explained. No substantial differences were found between English and Afrikaans data. Differences were found between SES groups, with the highly educated upper SES groups having a better understanding of the nutritional information than the other groups. In all groups, mothers suggested that slight changes be made to the wording of the guidelines, and that examples and additional information be given along with each of the guidelines. Overall they agreed that the proposed guidelines might prove to be useful. CONCLUSION The proposed Paediatric Food-Based Dietary Guidelines were well received by the mothers in the focus groups. The target population which would most benefit from these guidelines would be the less educated, lower SES groups, as more highly educated mothers seem to already have greater exposure to nutritional information. This study shows that once the guidelines have been modified, they may be used as a comprehensive guide for nutritional education.

DEd (Curriculum Studies) / Department of Curriculum Studies / The focus of this study was to investigate the sustainability of teaching Consumer Studies as a school subject. The study was conducted in Vhembe District schools. The main purpose of the study was to establish the extent of the challenges affecting the sustainability of teaching Consumer Studies and to develop the necessary measures to address them. Consumer Studies is in a struggle for legitimacy as a school subject, despite its recognition and designation by the Department of Education. The study argued that Consumer Studies as a school subject is a tool for creating a sustainable future for learners. The nature of the study demanded for the adoption of a qualitative research design. Purposeful sampling procedure was used to select the population for the study. 42 secondary schools which offered Consumer Studies in all the circuits of the Vhembe District were purposefully selected. Participants constituted of school principals, heads of departments and Consumer Studies teachers of the sampled schools. Interviews, Observation and Document analysis were used as strategies for data collection. Data was analyzed thematically. The study revealed that Consumer Studies as a school subject was gradually downgraded and was not given the value that it deserves by the relevant authorities. This was evident as five out of the fifteen sampled schools were in the process of excluding the subject from the curricular. The study also revealed that the school subject Consumer Studies was not promoted as a viable career option for learners. The subject was regarded as an elective in the curricular of most schools selected for the study. It was recommended that the value of Consumer Studies be considered in order to avoid its elimination while other learning areas were added into the system and given compulsory status as well. The study further recommends the promotion of Consumer Studies as a viable career option for learners at secondary schools. The study suggested a model for sustaining the teaching of Consumer Studies at secondary schools. / NRF