[Nutrition and food safety and influence factors for lower grade pupils in 2 counties in West China].

OBJECTIVE

To explore the knowledge of, attitude to and practice in nutrition and food safety, the influence factors, and to provide reference for relevant health education programs.

METHODS

A total of 510 randomly selected students from Grade 1 to 3 randomly selected were surveyed by a nutrition and food safety questionnaire in Huize of Yunnan Province and Zhen'an of Shaanxi Province. Multiple-linear regression was used to analyze the influence factors of nutrition and food safety.

RESULTS

The correct answer rate on nutrition and food safety knowledge of the pupils from Grade 1 to 3 was 74.4%. Nutrition and food safety knowledge score was 11.16±2.51, but only 7.8% of the students correctly answered "How much water should we drink every day". Students who agreed that it is necessary to learn nutrition and food safety knowledge in school accounted for 78.6% and 73.9%, respectively. At least half of the students showed correct behaviors in 7 aspects. The students who ate beans and meat daily or regularly accounted for 28.4% and 34.9%, but only 9.2% of the students drank more than 7 cups of water daily. The multiple-linear regression showed that the major influence factors were the area, grade, status of lodge and singleton.

CONCLUSION

Education is needed for students to form better dietary habits, especially those in low grades, non-singleton, and in board schools.