Thesis (MNutr)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Objectives: To measure the impact on nutrition knowledge; to ascertain the opinions and practices related to nutrition and physical activity, tuck shop visits, and dietary quality of Grade 4 learners; as well as the perceptions on and acceptability of the ‗Fun Food Game‘ (FFG) as nutrition education tool as evaluated in selected Grade 4 learners and educators. Design: A before-after, experimental study with analytical components. Setting: A purposive sample of four schools in the City of Cape Town district of the Western Cape province. Schools A and B in a higher socio-economic area served as intervention school (HIS) and control school (HCS), whereas schools C and D were in a lower socio-economic area and served as intervention school (LIS) and control school (LCS). Subjects: Grade 4 English-speaking boys (n=85), girls (n=90) and Life Orientation educators (n=10). Methods: Pre-tested questionnaires were used to determine change in nutrition knowledge, opinions and practices, both related to nutrition and physical activities in a pre-and post-setting, as well as the perceptions on and acceptability of FFG as a nutrition education (NE) tool for Grade 4 learners and educators. A ‗Dietary Diversity Questionnaire‘ was used to establish the ‗Dietary Diversity Score‘ (DDS), and to note tuck shop visits. Questionnaires were pre-tested in a pilot study. Results: Increased nutrition knowledge and improved opinion on nutrition and physical activities were measured in all schools, but practices related to nutrition and physical activities as well as visits to the tuck shop showed mixed results. In the pre- and post-setting, a DDS of 5 was measured in the HIS and HCS, with a DDS of 5 in the pre- and 6 in the post-setting in the LIS and LCS. Fewer learners had a DDS<4 in the post-setting. Consumption of most food groups and eating breakfast were higher in the post-setting. Bringing lunch boxes to school scored lower in the intervention schools. More tuck shop visits were reported in the LIS and LCS. Most (80% n=8) educators indicated a strong need for NE for themselves. All educators indicated self-learning as a means of familiarising themselves with the content of NE. Sources of nutrition advice included magazines (90% n=9), the Internet (80% n=8) and textbooks (70% n=7). A strong need for NE was expressed by all educators; however, they stated that it should not increase their work load. Educators ‗strongly agreed‘ that the educational nutrition board game FFG can be classified as ‗Health Promotion‘. Overall, learners indicated that playing FFG was a positive experience. Conclusion: Playing FFG and/or having an increased awareness regarding nutrition and physical activities at schools could have had a positive impact on nutrition knowledge and behaviour that could have resulted in positive behaviour, but no definite conclusion can be made in this regard. Nutrition behaviour was more positively influenced in the lower socio-economic schools. Implementing the Health Promoting Schools concept, where Nutrition Education Programmes form part of a multi-component strategy, is recommended. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Doel: Om die impak van voedingskennis, opinies en praktyke verwant aan voeding en fisiese aktiwiteite, snoepiebesoeke asook dieetkwaliteit van Graad 4 leerders te bepaal, sowel as die persepsie en aanvaarbaarheid van ‗Fun Food Game‘ (FFG) as hulpmiddel in voedingsopleiding soos geëvalueer deur geselekteerde Graad 4 leerders en -onderwysers. Ontwerp: ‗n Voor-na, eksperimentele studie met analitiese komponente Omgewing: ‗n Doelbewuste groepskeuse van vier skole. Skole A en B in ‗n meer gegoede area het as intervensie skool (HIS) en kontrole skool (HCS) gedien, terwyl skole C en D in ‗n minder gegoede area as intervensie skool (LIS) en kontrole skool (LCS) gedien het in die Stad Kaapstad distrik van die Westelike Provinsie. Deelnemers: Graad 4 Engelssprekende seuns (n=85), dogters (n=95) en Lewensoriënteringsonderwysers (n=10) Metodes: Voorafgetoetsde vraelyste is gebruik om te bepaal of voedingskennis, opinies en praktyke beide verwant aan voeding en fisiese aktiwiteite, voor en na die studie verander het, asook die persepsie en aanvaarbaarheid van FFG as ‗n hulpmiddel in voedingsopleiding vir geselekteerde Graad 4 leerders en onderwysers. ‗n Dieetdiversiteit Vraelys (‗Dietary Diversity Questionnaire‘ – DDQ) is gebruik om ‗n Dieetdiversiteit Telling (‗Dietary Diversity Score‘ – DDS), sowel as snoepiebesoeke te bepaal. ‗n Loodsstudie is uitgevoer om die vraelyste te toets. Resultate: ‗n Toename in voedingkennis en verbeterde opinies oor voeding en fisiese aktiwiteite is in alle skole gevind, maar praktyke oor voeding en fisiese aktiwiteite, asook snoepiebesoeke het gemengde resultate getoon. In die voor- en na-toetsing is ‗n DDS van 5 in HIS en HCS bepaal, met ‗n DDS van 5 in die voor- en 6 in die na-toetsing in LIS en LCS. Minder leerders het ‗n DDS<4 in die na-toetsing gehad. Inname van die meeste voedselgroepe sowel as ontbyt het in die skole toegeneem. Die bring van kosblikke het in die intervensie skole verminder. Die hoogste frekwensie snoepiebesoeke kom voor by die LIS en LCS. Meeste (80% n=8) onderwysers het ‗n sterk behoefte aan voedingsopleiding vir hulself aangedui. Alle onderwysers dui aan dat die inhoud van voedingskennis deur selfleer verhoog word. Tydskrifte (90%, n=9), Internet (80%, n=8) en handboeke (70%, n=7) word as bronne van voedingsadvies beskryf. ‗n Sterk behoefte vir opvoedkundige voedingsopleiding is deur al die onderwysers aangedui, maar sonder dat dit hul werkslading moet verhoog. Die onderwysers is ―sterk oortuig‖ daarvan dat die opvoedkundige voedingsbordspeletjie FFG, as ―Gesondheidsbevordering‖ geklassifiseer kan word. In die algemeen het leerders dit baie positief ervaar om FFG te speel. Samevatting: Die speel van FFG en/of ‗n groter bewusmaking van voeding en fisiese aktiwiteit wat by die skole plaasgevind het, kon ‗n positiewe impak op voedingskennis en -gedrag gehad het, wat kon lei tot positiewe gedrag, maar geen definitiewe gevolgtrekking kan gemaak word in die verband nie. Voedingsgedrag in die mindergegoede skole is meer positief beïnvloed. Implimentering van die Gesondheidsbevorderende Skole konsep, waar Voedingsopleidingsprogramme deel vorm van ‗n multi-komponent strategie, word aanbeveel.

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements of the Masters of Applied Science in Food and Nutrition, Durban University of Technology, 2015. / AIM: The aim of the study was to identify the need, develop, implement and determine the effect of a Grade R Nutrition Education Programme (NEP) in order to make recommendations to the South African Department of Basic Education (DBE) to include an effective NEP in the pre-primary school education curriculum. OBJECTIVES: The objectives for this study is in two phases, The objective of the baseline study was to assess the need for nutrition education (NE) in Grade R in suburban areas of Durban and identify the most suitable nutrition education tools (NETs) for this age group. For the intervention study the objectives were 1) to develop a nutrition knowledge questionnaire (NKQ) to determine the existing nutrition knowledge of Grade R learners in suburban government and private schools in Durban, 2) to develop a nutrition education programme (NEP) for Grade R based on the South African Food-Based Dietary Guidelines (FBDGs) and the food groups, 3) to implement the NEP in Grade R in a government and private school, 4) to determine the effect of the NEP on the retention of FBDGs (Section one) and food group (Section two) knowledge, and 5) to compare the results between the control group (CG) and the government (EGG) and private (EPG) experimental school groups, and between genders. METHODS: A self-administered nutrition education needs questionnaire was completed by 20 Grade R teachers in Durban suburban schools. Nutrition education material was identified based on the results from the pilot study and a Nutrition education programme developed. The classroom-based intervention study involved 120 Grade R learners in three schools, two experimental schools: government (n=37) and private (n=40), with a control school (n=43), with 35 percent (n= 42) male and 65 percent (n=78) female participants, ranging in age from five to seven years. A validated questionnaire assessed baseline nutrition knowledge of these children. A qualified foundation phase teacher was trained to implement the NEP. The experimental school groups received eight one hour nutrition education (NE) lessons over an eight week period; the control group did not receive any NE. During the lesson firstly theory was covered then the children worked on the related fun activities in the Healthy Eating Activity Book (HEAB) and lastly involved in the nutrition educational games. These included a food group plate puzzles, a NEP board game, a card game and ‘My little story books’. A post-test determined the impact of the intervention. RESULTS: The baseline study confirmed the need for NE in Grade R and identified suitable NETs that were used in the intervention. At pre-test, the nutrition knowledge of Grade R children in the two experimental groups (EG) and one CG was very similar with knowledge of FBDGs greater than knowledge relating to the food groups. Both Grade R EGs showed a significant increase in knowledge for the whole test immediately after the intervention with the CG, achieving similar post-to pre-test results. The intervention had a significant impact on nutrition knowledge of Grade R children in both experimental schools (EGG p=0.004 and EPG p=0.001). The EPG were most knowledgeable regarding FBDGs with no significant difference in knowledge of the EGG. Food group knowledge in all schools was poor at baseline and the NEP resulted in the EGG obtaining the highest post-test results. Post-intervention for the whole test the EGG were marginally (0.80 percent) more knowledgeable than the EPG. The knowledge of boys and girls were very similar in pre-and post-test results. However, the boys were fractionally more knowledgeable than the girls in relation to the whole post-test. In Section two, relating to food group knowledge, girls were slightly more knowledgeable than boys although both genders lacked knowledge in relation to which foods belonged to a particular food group. CONCLUSION: The primary aim of formal NE was met as the statistical significance between the CG and experimental group post-test results was evident in the majority of Section one questions and in all questions in Section two. The NEP resulted in similar increase in knowledge of Grade R learners in the government and private experimental school groups in Durban. In addition, the boys and girls showed a minimal difference in nutrition knowledge.

Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements of the Master of Applied Science in Food and Nutrition, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2016. / Background: The occurrence of absenteeism observed at the Coastal KZN FET College is very large. However, absenteeism of this magnitude is not inconsistent with observations from other educational institutions and work places around the world. Generally, absenteeism is coupled to the absence of good health, the presence of one or more non-communicable disease and the paucity of physical exercise undertaken by the personnel. Absenteeism in the work place results in avoidable financial costs to the employer, the employee, and the country as a whole. The wealth of literature shows that health concerns concerning adults are diet related. Diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, obesity, cancer and other non-communicable diseases (NCD’s) are increasing at an alarming rate, daily. A double-burden plagues South Africa: on the one hand there is over-nutrition (an excessive consumption of nutrients); while on the other there is under-nutrition (an insufficient intake of nutrients by certain groups of individuals). Factors such as urbanisation, globalisation, physical inactivity and consumer financial buying power have a significant influence on these health concerns. Aim: The data gathered in this study will be used to develop nutrition wellness education material as a component of a wellness programme for staff members at the Swinton Campus of the KZN Coastal FET College in Mobeni. Methodology: A needs analysis was undertaken to determine whether nutrition wellness education material as a component of a wellness programme for the institution was appropriate. Three 24-hour recall questionnaires gathered from the staff, data on eating habits and nutrient intake were undertaken/collected. A food frequency questionnaire collected data on the frequency and variety of foods eaten. A health questionnaire gathered data on self-reported illnesses, consumption of alcohol, and smoking habits. The demographics of the group, living conditions, and amount of money earned and spent on food was assessed through a socio-demographic questionnaire. Anthropometric measurements assessed included blood pressure, waist circumference, BMI and Waist-to-height-ratio (WHtR). Results: The sample consisted of 138 participants of which 44% (n=61) were men and 56% (n=77) were women. Less than 50% of the respondents were food secure: only 65 persons (47.1%) in the sample always had money to purchase food. In this group 63.93% of the men and 71.43% of the woman were obese. Subsequently 86% of the women exceeded the waist cut-off point of 88cm while 16.39% of the men were above the 102cm cut-off point. Findings revealed that 42.62% of the men and 25.9% of the women had pre-hypertension while 8.20% of the men and 5.90% of the women were hypertensive. This study indicated that this group was nutrient deficient. The fruit and vegetable intake was between 134.44g - 175.69g per day for men and 124.00g - 183.30g per day for women. Energy, dietary fibre, vitamin A, vitamin D, calcium, magnesium and iodine were below the nutrient adequacy ratio. There were positive correlations between age and systolic blood pressure, waist circumference and systolic blood pressure, waist circumference and diastolic blood pressure and waist-to-height ratio and BMI. Conclusion: Central obesity and to a lesser extent hypertension as well as deficiencies in nutrients and minerals were present in this group. Although the participants indicated a good variety of food, the quality and quantities consumed were not adequate. A link between diet, physical activity and diseases of lifestyle has been demonstrated. A need for nutrition education as a component of the wellness programme is indicated. Nutrition education is important both within and outside the workplace. To make lifestyle changes it is essential that education and knowledge is made available. Behavioural habits including eating habits are principally learnt. If bad behaviour habits can be learnt, good behaviour habits can also be instilled. The proposed intervention is aimed at reducing the incidence of absenteeism and decreasing the presence of non-communicable diseases. It is important for staff members at a FET college to be present in the classroom so that education of quality can be conveyed to learners. Further, the good health of staff members facilitates the ability of teachers to perform their important task of educating young minds at all educational institutions. / M