Nutrition-Related Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (KAP) among Kindergarten Teachers in Chongqing, China: A Cross-Sectional Survey

• DOI: 10.3390/ijerph15040615
• Publication Date: 2018-03-29T09:26:37Z
• Authors: Hongyan Liu; Xianglong Xu; Dengyuan Liu; Yunshuang Rao; Cesar Reis; Manoj Sharma; Jun Yuan; Yao Chen; Yong Zhao
• Keywords: Adult; Male; 0301 basic medicine; China; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Adolescent; 4. Education; kindergarten teachers; nutrition; knowledge; attitude; behavior; China; Middle Aged; 16. Peace & justice; Article; Young Adult; 03 medical and health sciences; Cross-Sectional Studies; Child, Preschool; Surveys and Questionnaires; Humans; Female; School Teachers; Child; Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Health Education

Kindergarten teachers play an important role in providing kindergarten children with education on nutrition. However, few studies have been published on nutrition-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of Chinese kindergarten teachers. This study aimed to assess the nutrition-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of kindergarten teachers in Chongqing, China. Thus, a cross-sectional survey was conducted using a structured KAP model questionnaire administered to 222 kindergarten teachers, who were senior teachers from 80 kindergartens in 19 districts and 20 counties in Chongqing. Multiple regression analysis was used to analyze the influential factors. Among the participants, 54.2% were familiar with simple nutrition-related knowledge; only 9.9% of them were satisfied with their knowledge of childhood nutrition; and 97.7% of them had a positive attitude to learn nutrition-related knowledge. Only 38.7% of the participants had attended pediatric nutrition knowledge courses or training. Multiple regression analysis confirmed significant independent effects on the nutrition knowledge score (p < 0.0001) of respondents on age, type of residence, type of kindergarten, body mass index(BMI), professional training of kindergarten teachers, behavior of having ever participated in childhood nutrition education knowledge courses or training, and behavior of having ever paid attention to children’s nutrition knowledge. The model indicated that independent variables explained 45.4% (adjusted R2) of the variance found in the knowledge scores of respondents. While there were low levels of nutrition knowledge and training, it was still encouraging to note that there were positive attitudes towards acquiring nutrition-related knowledge among kindergarten teachers in Chongqing, China. These findings provide some implications that necessary training measures need to be carried out to improve the nutrition-related knowledge level among kindergarten teachers in China.