Study on the Correlation Between the Dietary Habits of Mothers and Their Preschoolers and the Mother's Need for Nutritional Education for Preschoolers

ABSTRACT

This study was conducted to investigate the dietary habits and practices of mothers and their children from 3 to 6 years of age as well as the mother's attitudes about nutrition education. This study focused mainly on two areas: 1) the dietary habits and actual dietary practices of mothers and their children and 2) a mother's perception and need for nutrition education. The results of the regression analysis showed that there was a significant relationship between the dietary habits of mothers and their children's (p<0.05). There was statistical significance in total food frequency intake and the food frequency intake between the mothers and children (r=0.829, p<0.01). The results of the regression analysis showed that the mother's dietary attitude (meal regularity, meal tempo) could positively influence their children's dietary attitude (p<0.01). The mothers showed a high interest in nutrition education; 81.6% of mothers tried to apply nutrition information to their actual dietary life, 77.6% of them recognized the need of nutrition education on preschoolers' dietary life and health, and 75.2% of them wanted to participate in nutrition education program(s) for their children. The percent of mothers that wanted to be offered lectures, food practices and hand-outs were 36.9%, 18.4%, 15.5%, respectively. The combined results of this study showed that mothers sincerely recognize the need for nutrition education and they have a high and deep interest in nutrition education.