Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Original Communication
  • Published:

Impact of nutrition counselling on nutrition knowledge and nutrient intake of 7- to 9-y-old children in an atherosclerosis prevention project

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 58, pages 162–172 (2004)Cite this article

A Corrigendum to this article was published on 26 February 2004

Abstract

Objective: To assess the impact of nutrition counselling given to 7.5- to 9-y-old children and their parents on children's nutrition knowledge and nutrient intakes.

Design and subjects: The study children are participants in a prospective, randomised STRIP study (Special Turku Coronary Risk Factor Intervention Project for Children), whose aim was to decrease the intakes of saturated fat and cholesterol while increasing the intake of unsaturated fat in the intervention children from the age of 7 months onwards. Nutrition counselling was given only to the parents until the child's age of 7 y. Nutrition knowledge and nutrient intakes (total energy, total fat, saturated fat, unsaturated fat and sodium) were studied in a time-restricted cohort of 47, 7-y-old intervention and 51 control children. Thereafter, nutrition counselling was given both to the children and parents. Children's nutrition knowledge and nutrient intakes were measured again at the age of 9 y.

Results: Biannual nutrition counselling given to the intervention children and the parents maintained the differences in saturated fatty acid intake attained during the intervention given to the parents alone (11.5 vs 13.3 E% (percent of energy intake), at the age of 7 y, P<0.01; 11.1 vs 13.4 E% at the age of 9 y, respectively; P<0.01). The intervention children used more polyunsaturated fatty acids at the age of 9 y than the control children (5.7 vs 5.1 E%, P=0.05). At 7 y, the intervention and control children had similar nutrition knowledge scores (total knowledge score 12.9 vs 12.0, respectively, P=0.13). After 1.5 y of nutrition intervention, at 9 y, the intervention children's nutrition knowledge was higher than that of the controls (total nutrition score 16.5 vs 13.2, respectively, P<0.001) and the ability to explain the reasons for their picture choices in the nutrition knowledge test had increased.

Conclusion: This study showed that only a relatively short period of counselling with low input is needed to increase in children's nutrition knowledge and ability to explain nutrition-related subjects if advice has first been given to the parents and if the parents have received reinforcement and concrete help with parent–child communication after their children have been involved in the counselling. The differences attained in nutrient intake could also be maintained.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Anliker JA, Laus MJ, Samonds KW & Beal VA (1990): Parental messages and the nutrition awareness of preschool children. J. Nutr. Educ. 22, 24–29.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baranowski T, Cullen KW & Baranowski J (1999): Psychosocial correlates of dietary intake: advancing dietary intervention. Annu. Rev. Nutr. 19, 17–40.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Contento I (1981): Children's thinking about food and eating—a Piagetian-based study. J. Nutr. Educ. 13, S86–S90.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Contento IR, Manning AD & Shannon B . (1992): Research perspective on school-based nutrition education. J. Nutr. Educ. 24, 247–260.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cullen KW, Baranowski T, Rittenberry L & Olivera N (2000): Social–environmental influences on children's diets: result from focus groups with African-, Euro- and Mexican-American children and their parents. Health. Educ. Res. 15, 581–590.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • DISC Collaborative Research Group (1995): Efficacy and safety of lowering dietary intake of fat and cholesterol in children with elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. The Dietary Intervention Study in Children (DISC). J. Am. Med. Assoc. 273, 1429–1435.

  • Engell D, Bordi P, Borja M, Lambert C & Rolls B . (1998): Effects of information about fat content on food preferences in pre-adolescent children. Appetite 30, 269–282.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hakala P, Mariniemi J, Knuts L-R, Kumpulainen J, Tahvonen R & Plaami S (1996): Calculated vs analysed nutrient composition of weight reduction diets. Food. Chem. 57, 71–75.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Koblinsky SA, Guthrie JF & Lynch L (1992): Evaluation of a nutrition education program for Head Start parents. J. Nutr. Educ. 24, 4–12.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Koivisto Hursti U-K & Sjödén P-O (1997): Changing food habits in children and adolescents. Experiences from intervention studies. Scand. J. Nutr. 41, 102–110.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lagström H, Jokinen E, Seppänen R, Rönnemaa T, Viikari J, Välimäki I, Venetoklis J, Myyrinmaa A, Niinikoski H, Lapinleimu H & Simell O (1997): Nutrient intakes by young children in a prospective randomised trial of a low-saturated fat, low-cholesterol diet. The STRIP baby project. Arch. Pediatr. Adolesc. Med. 151, 181–188.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lagström H, Seppänen R, Jokinen E, Rönnemaa T, Salminen M, Tuominen J, Viikari J & Simell O (1999): Nutrient intakes and cholesterol values of the parents in a prospective randomised child-targeted coronary heart disease risk factor intervention trial-the STRIP project. Eur. J. Clin. Nutr. 53, 654–661.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lagström H, Seppänen R, Jokinen E, Salminen M & Simell O (2001): The impact of child-targeted dietary counselling of parents on food (milk) preferences of preschool-aged children in the STRIP project. Scand. J. Nutr. 45, 51–56.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lapinleimu H, Viikari J, Jokinen E, Salo P, Routi T, Leino A, Rönnemaa T, Seppänen R, Välimäki I & Simell O (1995): Prospective randomised trial in 1062 infants of diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol. Lancet 345, 471–476.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lee TR, Schvaneveldt JD & Sorenson AW (1984): Nutritional understanding of preschool children taught in the home or a child development laboratory. Home Econ. Res. J. 13, 52–60.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lyttle L & Achterberg C (1995): Changing the diet of America's children: what works and why? J. Nutr. Educ. 27, 250–260.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Melnik TA, Rhoades SJ, Wales KR, Cowell C & Wolfe WS (1998): Food consumption patterns of elementary schoolchildren in New York City. J. Am. Diet. Assoc. 98, 159–164.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Michela JL, Contento IR & Center for Health Promotion Columbia University Teachers College (1986): Cognitive, motivational, social, and environmental influences on children's food choices. Health Psychol. 5, 209–230.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nader PR, Sallis JF, Patterson TL, Abramson IS, Rupp JW, Senn KL, Atkins CJ, Roppe BE, Morris JA, Wallace JP & Vega WA (1989): A family approach to cardiovascular risk reduction: results from The San Diego Family Health Project. Health Educ. Q. 16, 229–244.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nader PR, Sellers DE, Johnson CC, Perry CL, Stone EJ, Cook K, Bebchuk J & Luepker RV (1996): The effect of adult participation in a school-based family intervention to improve children's diet and physical activity: The child and adolescent trial for cardiovascular health. Prev. Med. 25, 455–464.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Niinikoski H, Viikari J, Rönnemaa T, Lapinleimu H, Jokinen E, Salo P, Seppänen R, Leino A, Tuominen J, Välimäki I & Simell O (1996): Prospective randomised trial of low-saturated-fat, low-cholesterol diet during the first 3 years of life. The STRIP baby project. Circulation 94, 1386–1393.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Perry CL, Luepker RV, Murray DM, Kurth C, Mullis R, Crockett S & Jacobs DR (1988): Parent involvement with children's health promotion: The Minnesota Home Team. Am. J. Publ. Health. 78, 1156–1160.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rask-Nissilä L, Jokinen E, Rönnemaa T, Viikari J, Tammi A, Niinikoski H, Seppänen R, Tuominen J & Simell O (2000): Prospective, randomised, infancy-onset trial of the effects of a low-saturated-fat, low-cholesterol diet on serum lipids and lipoproteins before school age. The Special Turku Coronary Risk Factor Intervention Project (STRIP). Circulation 102, 1477–1483.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Resnicow K & Reinhardt J (1991): What do children know about fat, fibre, and cholesterol? A survey of 5,116 primary and secondary school students. J. Nutr. Educ. 23, 65–71.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Räsänen M, Niinikoski H, Keskinen S, Tuominen J, Simell O, Viikari J & Rönnemaa T (2001): Nutrition knowledge and food intake of seven-year-old children in an atherosclerosis prevention project with onset in infancy: the impact of child-targeted nutrition counselling given to the parents. Eur. J. Clin. Nutr. 55, 260–267.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shannon BM, Tershakovec AM, Martel JK, Achterberg CL, Cortner JA, Smiciklas-Wright HS, Stallings VA & Stolley PD (1994): Reduction of elevated LDL-cholesterol levels of 4- to 10- year-old children through home-based dietary education. Pediatrics 94, 923–927.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Singleton JC, Achterberg CL & Shannon BM (1992): Role of food and nutrition in the health perceptions of young children. J. Am. Diet. Assoc. 92, 67–70.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tershakovec AM, Shannon BM, Achterberg CL, McKenzie JM, Martel JK, Smiciklas-Wright H, Pammer SE & Cortner JA (1998): One-year follow-up of nutrition education for hypercholesterolemic children. Am. J. Publ. Health 88, 258–261

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by grants from The Finnish Cultural Foundation and its Regional Funds of Varsinais-Suomi and Pirkanmaa; Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation; Funds of Turku University; Academy of Finland; Juho Vainio Foundation; Sigrid Juselius Foundation; Emil Aaltonen Foundation; Yrjö Jahnsson Foundation; Ministry of Social Affairs and Health; Chymos Ltd; Raisio Research Foundation; and Van den Bergh Foods Company.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Tampere School of Public Health, University of Tampere, Finland

    M Räsänen, S Keskinen, H Niinikoski, T Heino, O Simell, T Rönnemaa, H Helenius & J Viikari

Authors
  1. M Räsänen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. S Keskinen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. H Niinikoski
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. T Heino
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. O Simell
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. T Rönnemaa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. H Helenius
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. J Viikari
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to M Räsänen.

Appendices

Appendix 1

Nutrition counselling of the intervention families between child's age of 7 and 9 y is given in Table 5.

Table 5 Table a1
Full size table

Appendix 2

Questions used in the figure-based nutrition knowledge test are given in Table 6.

Table 6 Table a2
Full size table

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Räsänen, M., Keskinen, S., Niinikoski, H. et al. Impact of nutrition counselling on nutrition knowledge and nutrient intake of 7- to 9-y-old children in an atherosclerosis prevention project. Eur J Clin Nutr 58, 162–172 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601763

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601763

Keywords

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links