Abstract:

Purpose: This research is designed to determine the impact of nutritional education given to high school students on their eating habits, nutritional knowledge and physical activity levels. Individuals and Method: The research was conducted on high school 2nd grade students aged 14-17 registered in the course of the 2017-2018 academic year at the Special Education College. Students who accepted to participate in the study were trained on healthy nutrition 4 times a month in October and November 2017. At the end of the pre-training, post-training and two-month waiting period, the study forms on eating habits, food consumption records (3 days) and physical activity records were applied to students 3 times in total. Results: The percentage of total energy from protein and fat increased after 2 months of waiting, the percentage from carbohydrates decreased, the daily cholesterol intake increased after training and 2 months of waiting (p<0.05). According to the Nutrition Guide of Turkey, the average daily intake of vitamin A, vitamin E, niacin, vitamin B12 and C and sodium and phosphorus, the recommended intake of tiamin and folate and potassium, calcium, magnesium and iron is below the recommended intake. According to the pre-educational period, the average nutritional knowledge score of students after education and 2 months after waiting has increased (p<0.05). There was no significant change in the level of physical activity of the students compared to the end of the training and after 2 months of waiting (p>0.05). The study found that the nutritional training provided to students has made a significant increase in the nutritional level of knowledge but has not had the desired effect on the nutritional habits. It is believed that it would be more useful to repeat the training that will be given to be more effective and behavioral change, by spreading more frequent intervals, throughout the training-learning period.

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