Thesis (MNutr)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Background: Omega-3 fatty acids and supplementation is very topical, attracting
both public and interest from the industry. Findings from various research studies led
a number of authorities to encourage the general population to consume more
omega-3. This is the first study of its kind to be conducted in this population.
Objective: To determine the current knowledge and trends of omega-3 (n-3)
supplementation in parents of children at public primary schools in the City of Cape
Town.
Design: An observational and analytical and descriptive and cross-sectional study
was performed.
Methods: Purposive sampling was used to select a minimum of 150 parents from
the six (6) randomly selected public primary schools. The schools were then divided
into three different living standard measure (LSM) groups. The research
questionnaire was made available at the Parent Teachers meetings where all
parents had the option to complete the questionnaire anonymously at the meeting.
Results: Six hundred and fifty seven (n=657) parents, mostly mothers, with a mean
age of 37 years, completed and returned the questionnaires. The mean monthly
income (p=0.00, SD=2.63) and the education level (p=0.00, SD=1.37) differed
significantly between each of the three LSM groups. Prior to the study, 80.1% of
parents (n=526) had heard of omega-3 supplements and overall knowledge of
omega-3 was significantly better in this group (p=0.00) when compared to the group
that had not heard of omega-3 previously. The overall mean omega-3 knowledge
score for the three LSM groups (n=657) was 71%. The high and low LSM groups
differed significantly in terms of omega-3 knowledge (p=0.02), but not statistically
significantly once adjusted for income and education level (p=0.75). The main
sources of information, where all parents (n=526) indicated having heard of omega-3
supplements, was from television (n = 230, 35%), books (n= 220, 33.5%) and the
health worker (n=199, 30.3%).
A total of 38.5% (n=253) of parents indicated that they gave their children omega-3
supplements. The overall omega-3 knowledge was significantly better (p=0.00) in
parents who gave their children omega-3 supplements than the group that did not
give supplements to their children. Income and the education level differed between
all three LSM groups for those giving their children omega-3 supplements, but these variables did not influence the choice to give omega-3 supplements. Doctors (n=58,
22.9%) and the parents’ own decision (n=60, 23.7%) to supplement were the most
favoured sources of recommendation indicated overall. Most parents indicated that
the omega-3 supplement they administered was from a marine source (n=105,
41.5%). Only 35.2% (n=89) of parents giving omega-3 supplements indicated they
knew the dose they were administering. Most of the children (n=90) were taking 500
mg omega-3 supplements daily.
Conclusions and Recommendations: Statistically significant differences existed
between the three LSM groups regarding various aspects of omega-3 knowledge
and the sources from which parents had been informed and those who gave their
children omega-3 supplements. Recommendations include education and public
health programs supplying information to parents on omega-3 supplementation, as
well as on omega-3 in the children’s diets. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Agtergrond: Omega-3 vetsure en supplementasie is ‘n baie aktuele onderwerp, wat
beide die belangstelling van die publiek en industrie betrek. Bevindinge van verskeie
navorsingstudies het daartoe gelei dat verskeie instansies die algemene publiek
aanmoedig om meer omega-3 in te neem. Dit is die eerste studie van sy soort wat in
dié populasie groep gedoen is.
Doelwit: Om die huidige kennis en tendensies/neigings in omega-3(n-3)
supplementasie in ouers van kinders by publieke laerskole in die stad Kaapstad te
bepaal.
Ontwerp:’n Waarnemende- en en analitiese en beskrywende- dwarsdeursnitstudie
is gedoen.
Metode: Daar is gebruik gemaak van ‘n doelgerigte steekproefneming om ‘n
minimum van 150 ouers uit ses (6) ewekansig geseleteerde publieke laerskole van
uit te kies. Die skole is in drie verskillende lewenstandaardgroepe (LSM) verdeel. Die
navorsingsvraelys is by ‘n Ouer-Onderwyservergadering beskikbaar gestel en alle
ouers het ‘n geleentheid gehad om die vraelys anoniem by die vergadering te
voltooi.
Resultate: Seshonderd sewe-en-vyftig (n=657) ouers, meestel moeders, met ‘n
gemiddelde ouderdom van 37 jaar, het die vraelyste voltooi en teruggegee. Die
gemiddelde maandlikse inkomste (p=0.00, SD=2.63) en vlak van opvoeding (p=0.00,
SD=1.37) het noemensvaardig tussen elk van die drie LSM groepe verskil. Voor die
studie het 80.1% van die ouers (n=526) al van omega-3 supplemente gehoor en die
algehele kennis van die groep was beduidend beter (p=0.00) as die groep wat
voorheen nie van omega-3 gehoor het nie. Die gemiddelde algehele omega-3
kennistelling vir die drie LSM groepe was 71%. Die hoë en lae LSM groepe het
beduidend ten opsigte van omega-3 kennis (p=0.02) verskil, maar nie statisties-
beduidend wanneer dit vir inkomste en opvoedingsvlak (p=0.75) aangepas is nie.
Die hoofbronne van inligting waar al die ouers (n=526) wat aangedui het dat hulle
van omega-3 supplementasie gehoor het, was deur televisie (n=230, 35%), boeke
(n=220, 33.5%) en die gesondheidswerker (n=199, 30.3%). ‘n Totaal van 38.5%
(n=253) ouers het aangedui dat hulle hul kinders omega-3 supplemente gee. Die
algehele omega-3 kennis van ouers wie hulle kinders omega-3 supplemente gee
was statisties beduidend beter (p=0.00) in vergelyking met die groep wat nie supplemente vir hulle kinders gee nie. Die inkomste en opvoedingsvlak het verskil
tussen all drie LSM groepe wat hulle kinders omega-3 supplementasie gegee het,
maar hierdie veranderlikes het nie die keuse om omega-3 supplemente te gee
beïnvloed nie. Mediese dokters (n=58, 22.9%) en die ouer se eie besluit (n=60
23.7%) om te supplementeer, was die gunsteling bronne van aanbeveling in die
algemeen. Die meeste ouers het aangedui dat die omega-3 supplement wat hulle
gegee het van ‘n visbron afkomstig (n=105, 41.5%) is. Net 35.2% (n=89) van die
ouers wat omega-3 supplemente gee het aangedui dat hulle die dosis kenwat hulle
gee. Meeste van die kinders (n=90) het 500mg omega-3 supplemente daagliks
gekry.
Gevolgtrekking en aanbevelings: Statistiese beduidende verskille is tussen die
drie LSM groepe ten opsigte van verskeie aspekte van omega-3 kennis en bronne
waaruit ouers ingelig is, sowel as die ouers wie hulle kinders omega-3 supplemente
gegee het, gevind. Aanbevelings sluit opvoeding en publieke
gesondheidsprogramme in, wat inligting aan ouers sal verskaf oor omega-3
supplementasie sowel as omega-3 in die kinders se diëte.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/80078 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Pentz-Kluyts, Megan |
| Contributors | Marais, Debbie, Smuts, Cornelius Mattheus, Nel, Daniel G., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Dept. of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences. Human Nutrition. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 109 p. : ill |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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