![]() | Only 14 pages are availabe for public view |
Abstract Obesity in preschool period is a public health problem caused when the intake of calories and food exceeds the expenditures and lack of exercise. The most significant health consequences of obesity in preschool period are cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and musculoskeletal disorders that affect child quality of life. Pediatric nurses provide weight related health information to the mothers and school nurses using research evidence in designing health promotion program for families. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of an educational program on mothers’ knowledge and their nutritional habits about obesity among their preschool children. A quasi experimental design was used in carrying out the study. The study was conducted at six nursery schools (3 private & 3 governmental) at Mansoura City. The study subjects included a convenience sample of 120 obese child and their mothers recruited over 6 month period. Data were collected by using three tools, child assessment sheet for the preschool child, interview questionnaire for mothers’ knowledge and their nutritional habits about obesity and mothers’ checklists for measuring preschool childs’ weight and height to calculate BMI. The study results revealed that there were statistically significant differences between the studied children anthropometric measurements before & post 3 months of the program implementation as well as there were statistically significant relations between the studied mothers’ total knowledge and their total habits post 3 months of the program implementation. The study concluded that there was a positive effect of the educational program in improving mothers’ knowledge & nutritional habits regarding their preschool children obesity. The study recommended regular and continuous health educational programs are essential for improving the mothers’ knowledge and habits regarding preschool obesity. |