How Important is Nutrition Education?

Submitted by Loring A. Windblad on March 2, 2010

Know How Important Is Nutrition Education

Educating people about nutrition and promoting health education is a must for people across age groups and gender. Malnutrition, deficiencies in essential minerals and vitamins, excessive weight and diet related disorders are prevalent across the world, both in developed and developing countries. It is important that people know how to make the best use of their food resources and ensure nutritional benefit, whether food is scarce or in abundant supply. For adequate nourishment to take place people must be well aware of the kind of foods that constitute a good diet for overall health, access to adequate and quality food supplies as well as the ability and motivation to make right decisions with regards to food choices.

Education and consumer awareness groups across the world have devised and planned policies and programs that are used in furthering the perception of people with regards to diets that encourage health and raise their knowledge of nutrition. These policies and programs in each country aim to:

Act upon public knowledge and encourage access to a range of quality foods.
Heighten overall information and knowledge about nutrition in specific foods.
Persuade public actions, traits, dispositions and opinions.
Build personal abilities and use to incentivize people to develop healthy eating habits.

The first step in nutrition education begins in schools, as children are believed to be adult consumers of tomorrow.

The classroom can be looked at as a vital tool in contributing towards achieving food security and nutritional welfare. Since every child develops eating habits at an early stage, schools can play a crucial role in the promotion of healthy food habits as well as a good ground for imparting knowledge about food selection and healthy dietary patterns.

Some of the activities that can be taught in school include gardening, knowledge of food processing, visit to a food factory or market, understanding food hygiene safety and food preparation. It is essential to address diet related health issues through nutrition education in school.

Substantial research has been conducted over the years to determine the right strategies in improving the nutritional health of children and reducing the risk of chronic ailments and obesity. Scientific research indicates that nutrition education is extremely important as it inculcates healthy eating habits in children.

These are some of the practices that are considered to be particularly useful:

Address particular traits, mannerisms, and practices
Concentrate on the pursuits and impulses of the target audience
Dedicate adequate time to solving specific problems
Present consistent, lucid, and clearly directed programs
Engage multiple factors using a social ecological path
Successive education underlining skill building and involvement of the family members.