Effect of educational intervention program for parents on adolescents’nutritional behaviors in Isfahan in 2016

BACKGROUND: Family participation is an important element on nutritional education especially for students. Parents have a key role in instilling and understanding healthy eating habits, but yet the use of family participation strategies in the nutrition education was low. The aim of this study is determining the effect of parental educational intervention program for parents on adolescents’ nutritional behaviors in Isfahan, Iran in 2016. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was a kind of field trial that conducted on 63 girl teenagers from junior high schools of Isfahan in 2016 that were randomly divided into two groups of intervention and control. The data collection tool which was a researcher made questionnaire was completed in both groups before and 1 month after the intervention. The intervention included three training sessions for parents and giving educational compact disc and forwarding SMS. To analysis of data independent t-test and paired t-test were used. RESULTS: Paired t-test showed that in intervention group the average score of fruit (P = 0.03) and in control group the average score of vegetables (P < 0.05) were significant statistical difference, but in other aspects of nutritional behaviors was not a significant difference. Independent t-test showed that after intervention, mean scores nutritional behavior of adolescent girls in both groups had no significant differences. CONCLUSIONS: No significant difference was in the nutritional behaviors before and after the intervention. Hence, just educating the parents is not enough for achieving appropriate nutritional behaviors in the adolescents.