Comparison of Nutritional Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices between Urban and Rural Secondary School Students: A Cross-Sectional Study in Sabah, East Malaysia

Mohammad Halim Jeinie and Rhanye Mac Guad and Marion M. Hetherington and Gan, Siew Hua and Yin, Nwe Aung and Wu, Yuan Seng and Constance Liew Sat Lin and Ramlah George @ Mohd. Rosli and Waidah Sawatan and Norazmir Md Nor and Nang Kham Oo Leik and Mohd Nazri Mohd Daud and Shutie Fazila Guad (2021) Comparison of Nutritional Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices between Urban and Rural Secondary School Students: A Cross-Sectional Study in Sabah, East Malaysia. Foods, 10 (2037). pp. 1-15. ISSN 2304-8158

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URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/10/9/2037

Abstract

Nutritional knowledge, attitudes and practice (KAP) may guide healthy meal choices. Here, nutritional KAP was compared across school students in Sabah based on locality and gender. A cross-sectional survey of students aged 15–19 years was conducted using multistage sampling. Nutritional KAP was measured via questionnaire. Anthropometric measures of weight and height were taken in person to calculate body mass index (BMI). Among the 994 participants, 80% were urban and 60% were female (mean age 16.5 ± 0.6 yr). Most were of Kadazan-Dusun (23%) ethnicity. Measured height for age Z score (HAZ) and BMI for age Z score (BAZ) differed between urban and rural students (−1.2 ± 0.8 versus −1.5 ± 0.7 for HAZ; p < 0.001; 0.2 ± 1.4 versus −0.1 ± 1.3; p = 0.02, respectively). No difference in nutritional knowledge was found, although urban students prioritized having a healthy/balanced diet (59.55% versus 48.50%, p = 0.03) and ate daily breakfast (57.4% versus 10.2%, p < 0.001) compared to rural. Females scored higher on nutritional knowledge than males (18.9 ± 2.8 vs. 18.1 ± 3.4, respectively, p = 0.0001), yet males selected more healthy/balanced foods (63.3% versus 53.3%, p = 0.041). The gap remains between nutritional KAP and translating this to healthy eating among adolescents, related to locality and gender.

Item Type:	Article
Keyword:	Knowledge , Attitude , Practice , Nutrition , Urban , Rural , Sabah students
Subjects:	L Education > LB Theory and practice of education > LB5-3640 Theory and practice of education > LB1603-1696.6 Secondary education. High schools T Technology > TX Home economics > TX1-1110 Home economics > TX341-641 Nutrition. Foods and food supply
Department:	FACULTY > Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition
Depositing User:	SITI AZIZAH BINTI IDRIS -
Date Deposited:	20 Oct 2022 09:17
Last Modified:	20 Oct 2022 09:17
URI:	https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/34502

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