3. RESULTS

All five teams evaluated changes in the children’s knowledge of the topics covered. The NIN team noted a considerable improvement in the mean knowledge of the teachers in the experimental group who attended the teacher training workshops (Table 3).

Table 3: Mean knowledge scores of teachers regarding FMFH before and after training

The mean knowledge scores of children in the experimental and control groups did not differ significantly before the intervention. However, the differences between the two groups were significantly higher after the intervention (Table 4).

Table 4: Mean knowledge scores of children before and after FMFH lessons

The results of the second post-intervention test were not significantly lower⁹ compared to the mean scores of the first post-intervention test.¹⁰ In the Mumbai project, the percentage of children’s response to various statements in the post-intervention questionnaire indicated a favourable impact of the FMFH initiative (Table 5).

A favourable impact was also seen among auxiliary staff involved in the nutrition education. The Delhi team assessed the dietary habits of the school children before starting the FMFH lessons.

Table 5: Responses of students before and after FMFH lessons

It was found that government (low-income) school children were eating far less than the basic requirement. About 60 percent of children from the low income urban settlements were not having breakfast at all.

Children eating the midday meal provided by the school were either skipping breakfast at home or not bringing packed lunch to school. Several children did not have breakfast because their working mothers were not at home to feed them when they were getting ready for school.

The pre-intervention scores for teachers and children in Delhi indicated a very limited knowledge of nutrition and food security issues among both groups. A few teachers with an educational background in Home Science were aware of the issues but needed additional inputs to translate the theoretical into practical knowledge.

A comparison of the pre- and post-intervention scores of the teachers found an improvement in their nutritional knowledge and practices (Tables 6 and 7). It was noted that class VII students did better than those in classes V and IX.

Table 6: Gain in knowledge of teachers from 10 schools

Differences were also observed between the types of schools, with poor responses in schools lacking proper facilities and where students did not get proper teacher attention or where teachers were not motivated.

In St Gregorius School, Mumbai, feedback from the children showed that FMFH lessons had made them more aware of the problem of global hunger and the right of every person to food and nutrition (Table 5). The FMFH lessons also enabled the school to make the children aware of their own dietary patterns.

Table 7: Average gain in knowledge of students in ten schools

When questioned before the start of the FMFH lessons, it was found that the school children either had a very light breakfast or did not eat anything in the morning. They had fried snacks or potato crisps for lunch. Dinner was usually a heavy meal or pizza. In general, the children liked having fast food, soft drinks and did not like vegetables.

A positive outcome of the intervention was that more that 80 percent of the children said they wanted to learn more about a healthy diet. Many students said that good nutrition should become a way of life and be practised from childhood.

The Dangoria Charitable Trust, Hyderabad worked with three rural high schools. Teachers guided the school children in preparing charts, models, games and other exhibits showing local food varieties with their nutritional importance, balanced diets as well as the distribution of hunger in the world. Charts were also provided by the National Institute of Nutrition, Food and Nutrition Board. A mobile exhibition on nutrition and food insecurity issues was organized by the Indian Women Scientists’ Association towards the end of the intervention.

Children volunteers explained the charts to visitors. Local teaching staff from the national Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) programme teachers took part in the exhibition to which children and parents from other private schools were invited. More than 1700 children came to the exhibition.

At the end of the FMFH initiative, a quiz was conducted among a sample of children in the three schools (Table 8). It showed that children had become more aware of malnutrition and what should be done to prevent it.

Table 8: Performance of children in the FMFH quiz (percentage scores)

It was noted that the awareness level of the students depended on the participation of the teachers in the initiative. For example, in one of the schools, only one teacher had the entire responsibility for the FMFH lessons. This compromised the teacher’s ability to devote sufficient time to the lessons.

An evaluation of the nutritional status of the children found that their diet was less than adequate in the case of pulses, vegetables and animal products. The children’s responses to questions on the “what”, “who” and “why” of hunger are shown in Tables 9 to 11.

Table 9: Rural children’s response to: “Who suffers from hunger and malnutrition?” (Multiple responses)

a – Value in parenthesis indicates number of respondents - both classes combined

The Kolkota team did a qualitative evaluation both with the school children and the slum communities where the children live. The teachers were also asked if it was difficult for the school children to understand the FMFH lessons.

Table 10: Rural children’s response to: “What should be done to ensure that every one has a balanced diet?” (Multiple responses)

a – Value in parenthesis indicates number of respondents - both classes combined

The teachers’ feedback indicated that primary school pupils found it difficult to understand how children can help to end hunger. The parents of the school children took active part in the group discussions and were also invited to join in the preparation of

Table 11: Rural children’s response to: “What can affect food production in the country?” (Multiple responses)

a - Value in parenthesis indicates number of respondents - both classes combined

various food recipes. The group discussions helped the FMFH teams to clarify issues linked to nutritious food, food safety and domestic food hygiene. Parents shared their food preparation skills with the team.

⁹(mean ± s.d = 12.45 ± 2.89)

¹⁰(mean ± s.d = 12.31±3.14)