IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v18y2021i12p6462-d575151.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Effectiveness of an Innovative Sensory Approach to Improve Children’s Nutritional Choices

Author

Listed:
  • Domenico Meleleo

    (Social Promotion Association Lifestyle Studium, 76012 Camosa di Puglia, Italy
    Italian Society of Obesity, 56125 Pisa, Italy)

  • Giovanna Susca

    (Social Promotion Association Lifestyle Studium, 76012 Camosa di Puglia, Italy)

  • Valentina Andrulli Buccheri

    (Social Promotion Association Lifestyle Studium, 76012 Camosa di Puglia, Italy)

  • Giovanna Lamanna

    (Social Promotion Association Lifestyle Studium, 76012 Camosa di Puglia, Italy)

  • Liliana Cassano

    (Social Promotion Association Lifestyle Studium, 76012 Camosa di Puglia, Italy)

  • Valeria De Chirico

    (Social Promotion Association Lifestyle Studium, 76012 Camosa di Puglia, Italy)

  • Sergio Mustica

    (Laboratorio delle Idee s.r.l., 60044 Fabriano, Italy)

  • Margherita Caroli

    (Italian Society of Obesity, 56125 Pisa, Italy)

  • Nicola Bartolomeo

    (Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70124 Bari, Italy)

Abstract

A case-control study was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of the Edueat ® Method, through experiential workshops focused on the use of all 5 senses. In two different primary schools in the same city, questionnaires were administered in two months with a follow-up one year later. Participants: 119 children (age 8.2–9.0) chosen randomly; control group 66 (55.5%). Seven lessons of 2 h each were held in the schools by experts of the Edueat ® method and seven extra lessons by the teachers. The main outcome measures were the children’s changes in their approach and attitude towards their eating habits. The answers were grouped with factor analysis and summarized through scores. Repeated-measures analysis of variance was conducted in order to identify the relationships between scores and treatment over time. At the end of treatment, the intervention group showed a significant appreciation towards healthy foods (+4.15 vs. −0.05, p = 0.02) and a greater capacity in identifying foods which are very good for the health (+15.6 vs. +14.4, p = 0.02). In conclusion, the Edueat ® method was found to be particularly promising in transmitting knowledge of those foods which are healthy. Greater involvement of teachers and parents is crucial.

Suggested Citation

  • Domenico Meleleo & Giovanna Susca & Valentina Andrulli Buccheri & Giovanna Lamanna & Liliana Cassano & Valeria De Chirico & Sergio Mustica & Margherita Caroli & Nicola Bartolomeo, 2021. "Effectiveness of an Innovative Sensory Approach to Improve Children’s Nutritional Choices," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(12), pages 1-12, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:12:p:6462-:d:575151
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/12/6462/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/12/6462/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:12:p:6462-:d:575151. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.