Edith Montenegro’s research while affiliated with University of the Andes, Chile and other places

Background: The objective of this study was to assess dietary behavior among sixth- to eighth-grade students to inform the delivery and content of nutrition education. Methods: This was a qualitative study through focus groups. Subjects were 57 adolescents 10-14 years old, 30 males and 27 females distributed in six groups. To compare group responses, transcriptions were coded using the original question guide. The information was analyzed using the content analysis technique. Results: The main findings showed that adolescents knew dietary guidelines, but they consumed non-healthy food. They liked to cook but preferred fast food preparations. They increased fast food consumption on weekends and with friends. In utilization of Information Communication Technologies (ICT), all students had access to technology through mobile phones, tablets and computers and were open to have an interactive program with personal information about diet and behavior. Conclusions: Adolescents dietary behavior is not healthy and can be changed with interactive programs considering participation, personal information and utilizing ICT.

Background: The objective of this study was to assess dietary behavior among sixth- to eighth-grade students to inform the delivery and content of nutrition education. Methods: This was a qualitative study through focus groups. Subjects were 57 adolescents 10-14 years old, 30 males and 27 females distributed in six groups. To compare group responses, transcriptions were coded using the original question guide. The information was analyzed using the content analysis technique. Results: The main findings showed that adolescents knew dietary guidelines, but they consumed non-healthy food. They liked to cook but preferred fast food preparations. They increased fast food consumption on weekends and with friends. In utilization of Information Communication Technologies (ICT), all students had access to technology through mobile phones, tablets and computers and were open to have an interactive program with personal information about diet and behavior. Conclusions: Adolescents dietary behavior is not healthy and can be changed with interactive programs considering participation, personal information and utilizing ICT. Keywords: adolescents, community health promotion, dietary behavior, qualitative methods, focus groups

Background: The objective of this study was to assess dietary behavior among sixth- to eighth-grade students to inform the delivery and content of nutrition education. Methods: This was a qualitative study through focus groups. Subjects were 57 adolescents 10-14 years old, 30 males and 27 females distributed in six groups. To compare group responses, transcriptions were coded using the original question guide. The information was analyzed using the content analysis technique. Results: The main findings showed that adolescents knew dietary guidelines, but they consumed non-healthy food. They liked to cook but preferred fast food preparations. They increased fast food consumption on weekends and with friends. In utilization of Information Communication Technologies (ICT), all students had access to technology through mobile phones, tablets and computers and were open to have an interactive program with personal information about diet and behavior. Conclusions: Adolescents dietary behavior is not healthy and can be changed with interactive programs considering participation, personal information and utilizing ICT. Keywords: adolescents, community health promotion, dietary behavior, qualitative methods, focus groups

Background: The objective was to assess dietary behavior among sixth to eighth-grade students to inform the delivery and content of nutrition education. Methods: This is a qualitative study through focus groups. Subjects were 57 adolescents 10-14 years old, 30 males and 27 females distributed in six groups. To compare group responses, transcriptions were coded using the original question guide. The information was analyzed using the content analysis technique. Results: The main findings showed that adolescents knew dietary guidelines recommendations, but they consumed non-healthy food. They liked to cook but preferred fast food preparations. They increased fast food consumption on weekends and with friends. In utilization of Information Communication Technologies, all students had access to technology trough mobile phones, tablets and computers and were open to have an interactive program with personal information about diet and behavior. Conclusions: It is important to know adolescents’ dietary behavior to prevent obesity designing education intervention programs. Keywords: adolescents, community health promotion, dietary behavior, qualitative methods, focus groups

The objective of this study is to describe the process and results of a three-year project designed to create a nutrition education intervention model that promotes healthy dietary habits among teachers, students and their families. The methodology consisted in surveys, focus groups and Delphi method to assess teachers', students' and parents' dietary habits, followed by an intervention for parents, and a participative nutritional education intervention with information and communication technologies applied to teachers, with the purpose to transfer nutritional knowledge and habits to school children and their families. Qualitative results were measured in all the phases of the project with positive results, and quantitative results demonstrated significant changes in food knowledge and healthy dietary habits in parents, teachers and students, compared with the control groups, without changes in students' nutritional status during the short period of the intervention. With the results, an integral school nutrition education model in healthy eating was developed with children, parents, teachers and support for school management. This model should be applied in the educational sector to address the problem of unhealthy diet and childhood obesity that affects Chile and the world.

The objective of the study was to assess the impact of a nutrition education program for teachers to improve food knowledge, food consumption and the nutritional status of their pre basic and basic students. A quasi-experimental study was carried out, with a pre-post evaluation of food knowledge, food consumption and nutritional status. The sample was 25 teachers and 465 students in Los Andes, with 352 students as control group in San Felipe. The nutrition intervention consisted in 9 interactive workshops for teachers during 5 months, transferring the information to the students. In the experimental group there was a significant improvement in food knowledge and a decrease in non-healthy food consumption in students, compared with the control group, without changes in nutritional status. In conclusion, the intervention in teachers improved food knowledge and healthy food consumption in students. As a consequence of the short period of intervention, the nutritional status did not change. If these strategies are maintained over time and incorporated to the school curricula could achieve more significant results, in particular if parents are incorporated in school nutrition education programs.

Objective: To assess the impact of a nutrition education program for teachers in the nutritional status, food knowledge and food consumption of their pre basic and basic students, and in the controls. Materials and methods: A nutrition education intervention was conducted in pre basic and basic teachers in a school year, with a pre-post evaluation of their students, compared with a control group. Subjects were 817 students (389 men and 428 women) from pre kindergarten to the second grade. The 465 students of the intervened group were distributed in two schools (Liceo 1 = 283; Liceo 2 = 182) and 352 in the control school. The nutrition intervention consisted in 9 interactive workshops for teachers with the utilization of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). The pre post evaluation consisted in a nutritional status assessment, and a food and nutrition survey with questions related with food knowledge and food consumption, at the beginning and at the end of the school year. Results: There were no significant differences in nutritional status between the beginning and the end of the intervention. In one of the experimental schools (Liceo 2) there was a significant decrease in obesity, in women and in the age-group 7-9 years. In the experimental group there was a significant improvement in food knowledge and a decrease in non-healthy food consumption. In the control group, consumption of non-healthy food was stable, with a decrease in fruits and vegetables consumption. Conclusions: As it was demonstrated in similar studies, a short interactive nutrition education intervention with utilization of ICT in pre basic and basic teachers can produce positive changes in nutritional status of their students, improving food knowledge and healthy food consumption and decreasing non-healthy food consumption, compared with the control group. However, a strategy to incorporate parents in school nutrition education programs is still a pending issue.