title: Is a Nutrition Education Intervention Associated with a Higher Intake of Fruit and Vegetables and Improved Nutritional Knowledge among Housewives in Mauritius?
abstract: The purpose of the study was to assess the determinants of nutrition behaviors and body mass index and determine the impact of a nutrition education intervention (NEI) among Mauritian housewives. A pretest-posttest design was used assessing Nutrition Knowledge (NK), Nutrition Attitudes, Fruit and Vegetable Intake (FVI), body mass index (BMI). Two hundred Mauritian housewives were recruited. The NEI was in the form of a lecture and lasted for twenty minutes. Statistical tests performed revealed that the mean NK score at baseline was 65.8 ± 6.92 and a significant increase of +17.1 at post-test and +16.1 at follow-up was observed. Determinants of NK were age, presence of elderly people, and BMI. Mean nutrition attitude score at baseline was 2.37 ± 0.22 with significant increase of +0.2 (post-test) and +0.17 at follow-up. Age, level of education, presence of elders, and NK were linked to a positive attitude. FVI was predicted by age, income, presence of elders, NK, and nutrition attitudes. Baseline FVI was 4.77 ± 1.11 which increased significantly (p< 0.001) to 4.98 ± 1.13 at post-test and 5.03 ± 1.20 at follow up. NEI had a positive impact suggesting the benefits of such intervention in the promotion of healthy nutrition behaviors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Mauritius, Réduit, Moka 80837, Mauritius. komeela_2905@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Komeela
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cannoosamy
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Mauritius, Réduit, Moka 80837, Mauritius. dhandevi.pem@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Dhandevi
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pem
authors.affiliation: Marine & Ocean Science, Fisheries & Mariculture, University of Mauritius, Réduit, Moka 80837, Mauritius. shyamb@uom.ac.mu.
authors.forename: Suress
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bhagwant
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Mauritius, Réduit, Moka 80837, Mauritius. r.jeewon@uom.ac.mu.
authors.forename: Rajesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jeewon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015930:Diet Records; D004034:Diet Surveys; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008436:Mauritius; D008875:Middle Aged; D018673:Nutrition Policy; D014675:Vegetables
keywords: attitude; body mass index; fruit and vegetable; nutrition knowledge