Influence of educational interventions on knowledge about food and nutrition of adolescents in a public school

Eating habits of adolescents have been marked by high consumption of foods rich in fat, sodium and simple sugars which, together with a sedentary lifestyle, are directly related to the incidence of obesity and other chronic non-communicable diseases both among adolescents and in adulthood. This scenario highlights the urgent need to adopt food and nutrition education (FNE) programs. Thus, the scope of this study was to identify the eating habits and subsequently evaluate the degree of knowledge about food and nutrition of adolescents, intervene with EAN actions, applying two separate educational resources (lecture and quiz-type game) and compare the effectiveness of both in the educational process. The study included 59 adolescents between 13 and 16 years of age, enrolled in two classes of the eighth grade of a public school in the city of Lavras in the State of Minas Gerais. Results revealed the prevalence of inadequate dietary patterns marked by the high consumption of foods rich in simple sugars and fats. Both the application of the game and the lecture were effective in increasing the level of knowledge among adolescents and, when compared, there was no significant difference methods between them.