The Effect of Training Nutritional Behavior to Mothers on the Growth of Toddlers in Gonbad Kindergartens in 2019

Abstract

Introduction: Toddler age is a critical stage for the development and health of children. In this period, the eating behaviors and tendency to food are acquired, which is directly affected by the family and child interaction with their living environment and family. This study aimed to determine the effect of training nutritional behavior on the mothers on the growth of Toddlers in Gonbad kindergartens.
Materials and Methods: This experimental study was performed based on pretest and posttest with test and control groups on 90 mothers of 12-36 months old children of Gonbad City kindergartens, Golestan province, using simple random sampling in 2019. In the test group, training nutritional behaviors were performed during eight 60-min sessions. Before intervention and two months after, the information was collected using a demographic questionnaire from both groups. The height and weight of children during this period were measured using standard instruments of “digital balance and meter” and recorded. Next, the information was introduced into SPSS 25 and analyzed at the significance level of 0.05.
Results: The weight before intervention in the test and control groups was 11.69±2.27 and 12.08±2.09, respectively. The weight before the intervention did not show any significant events between the two groups (p=0.4). The weight after the intervention in the test and control groups was 12.43±2.32 and 12.54±2.5, respectively, which again did not show any significant difference (p=0.9). ANCOVA test by eliminating the effect of pretest showed a significant difference. The height before the intervention in the test and control groups was 85.42±8.5 and 85.22±7.47 respectively. The height before the intervention did not show any significant difference between the two groups (p=0.86). The height after the intervention in the test and control groups was 87.88±8.8 and 87.95±7.46, respectively, which again showed no significant difference (p=0.95). ANCOVA test by removing the pretest effect did not show any significant difference either. In other words, the training did not affect the height of children.
Conclusion: With an increase in the awareness of mothers about the nutritional behaviors of Toddlers, the way mothers treat children during eating has improved. Further, it results in proper nutrition and the desired growth of the child. Thus, through training mothers, the nutritional behaviors and growth of Toddlers improve.