An Investigation of Children’s Understanding of Food and Nutrition

• In Event: Roundtable Session 6
  In Roundtable Session: Partnerships in Health and Education

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the influences of age, family socio-economic status (SES), and parents’ food knowledge on preschool, kindergarten, and second grade children’s conceptual understanding of food. Fifty-two American parent-child dyads, 17 preschool, 17 kindergarten, and 18 second graders, with different SES family backgrounds participated. Parents completed a survey, and children were interviewed by a research assistant at their school sites. The results indicated significant age influence on children’s conceptual understanding of food. Children in second grader had significant better understanding of food and nutrition, and the connection between food and body compared to preschool children. There were no significant influences from SES and parents’ food knowledge.

Authors

• Tingting Xu, Stephen F. Austin State University

• Ithel Jones, Florida State University