Cardiorespiratory Research Unit and Departments of Pediatrics and Education

Abstract

In the prospective STRIP project 1062 children were randomised to an intervention group (n=540;low-saturated-fat, low-cholesterol diet) or to a control group (n=522; unrestricted diet) at 7 month of age. Intervention families received at 5- to 6-month intervals individualized nutritional counseling based on 4-day food records of the child`s diet aiming at reduction of child`s saturated fat, cholesterol and salt intake. Counseling aimed at changing children`s diet but was given to the parents. Nutrition knowledge of 70 consecutive intervention and control children was analysed at the seven years of age. Knowledge was measured using a self-developed picture identification test, which contained 21 questions each based on 2-3 pictures of food alternatives. The questions delt with food`s contents of fat (six questions) or salt (five questions) of heart healthyness of the food (ten questions). Children were asked to explain their choices in eight questions. The intervention children had more correct answers in heart healthyness questions (rank sum) than the control children (p=0.050), but fat and salt questions showed no differences. Intervention children`s explanations for their choices were more accurate (correct explanation for the correct answer) than those of the control children in two of the eight open-ended questions (skim milk vs. 1% milk vs. 1.5% milk, p=0.0015, butter vs rapeseed oil, p=0.016). In conclusion, nutritional counselling of 7-month to 7-year-old children through their parents affected only slightly children’s nutrition knowledge at 7 years of age.

Keywords

Nutrition knowledge, Children, Intervention, Atherosclerosis

Contact

Räsänen Minna

Institution

Cardiorespiratory Research Unit and Departments of Pediatrics and Education

Postaddress

University of Turku, Kiinamyllynkatu 10

Postcode

FIN-20520

City

Turku

Country

Finland

E-mail

minna.rasanen@utu.fi

Phone

+ 358 2 333 7477

Fax

+ 358 2 233 1126