In an Online Nutrition Education Program Delivered to University Students, Group Interaction was Key to Increasing Food Literacy

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21680/1982-1662.2022v5n35ID29170

Keywords:

Online Social Networking, Literacy, Sustainable Development, Higher Education, Social Group

Abstract

Our goal was to test an online nutrition education program delivered using social media platforms on the food literacy levels of university students. We experimented with students from universities in northeastern Brazil, organized into three groups: an intervention group (A), which accessed the program content on social media platforms and participated in online activities as a group; a positive control group (B), which only accessed the content of our program on social media platforms; and, finally, a negative control group (C). We applied to all groups a pre- and post-assessment questionnaire on food literacy self-perception. Within groups, the increase in food literacy score was significant only in group A (8.15 ± 13.98), demonstrating the effectiveness of our program. However, comparison among groups showed that accessing the content on social media platforms by itself had no effect on food literacy (group B: 4.88 ± 11.13 and C: 0.16 ± 5.88). Interaction in a small group was key to increasing food literacy. We hope our study can foster a better understanding of how online nutrition education programs are assessed, considering that metrics provided by social media platforms do not inform about educational outcomes.

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Author Biographies

Laura Brito Porciúncula, Nutrir Community Garden Laboratory (LabNutrir), Department of Nutrition, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil

Graduanda no curso de Nutrição da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte. Desde 2017, membro do Laboratório Horta Comunitária Nutrir, onde desenvolvo minhas atividades principais de ensino, pesquisa e extensão acadêmicas e enveredo minha formação na área de Nutrição focada em Biodiversidade, Segurança Alimentar e Nutricional e Sistemas Alimentares Sustentáveis. Institucionalmente, trabalho como monitora pelo segundo ano seguido no projeto (2019/2020) e, atualmente, desenvolvo pesquisa dentro do mesmo. As experiências e trabalhos desenvolvidos são voltados para construção de produtos e dados voltados para divulgação científica prática para população e dados de relevância para preencher lacunas a cerca de dietas sustentáveis, como a produção de fichas das plantas que estudamos. Para mais informações sobre o projeto: http://www.nutrir.ufrn.br. Interesse especial por: Biodiversidade Alimentar, Etnobotânica, Sistemas Alimentares e Políticas Públicas de Nutrição e Alimentação.

Joana Yasmin Melo de Araujo, Nutrir Community Garden Laboratory (LabNutrir), Department of Nutrition, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil.

Graduanda em Nutrição pela Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte. Tem experiência na área de Nutrição, com enfoque em biodiversidade, sistemas alimentares sustentáveis e políticas públicas voltadas para alimentação escolar.

Giuliana de Oliveira Lino, Nutrir Community Garden Laboratory (LabNutrir), Department of Nutrition, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil

Aluna do curso de Graduação em Nutrição pela UFRN. Possui experiência com Alimentação Coletiva (Restaurante Universitário 2018-2019) e Alimentação Escolar (NEI Cap/UFRN 2019 - 2020). É bolsista do Laboratório Horta Comunitária Nutrir e atua como voluntária em um Projeto de Pesquisa sobre Dimensões que influenciam a segurança alimentar e nutricional de povos indígenas.

Elias Jacob de Menezes Neto, Governace Laboratory (LabGov), Departament of Law, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil

Bacharel em Direito pela Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, mestre e doutor em Direito pela Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos. Tem experiência na área de Direito e inovação tecnológica, com ênfase em novas tecnologias da informação, atuando principalmente nos seguintes temas: jurimetria, ciência de dados no direito; transparência pública; inovação e desenvolvimento tecnológico; elaboração de aplicações de inteligência artificial para o direito. Professor efetivo da UFRN, integrando o quadro permanente do Programa de Pós-Graduação em Direito (Mestrado) e o Programa de Pós-Graduação em Tecnologia da Informação (Mestrado).

Sávio Gomes, Department of Nutrition, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Brazil.

Professor Adjunto do Departamento de Nutrição da Universidade Federal da Paraíba (UFPB). Doutor e Mestre em Saúde Coletiva pela Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do norte (UFRN) e Bacharel em Nutrição pela Universidade Federal de Campina Grande (UFCG). Pesquisador dos grupos Laboratório Horta Comunitária Nutrir (LabNutrir - UFRN/CNPq) e Laboratório de Pesquisa em Saúde (LAPS - UFPB/CNPq), com foco nos temas (1) diversidade sexual e de gênero, (2) consumo alimentar sustentável, (3) estudos epidemiológicos em alimentação e nutrição, e (4) educação alimentar e nutricional. Membro associado da Associação Brasileira de Saúde Coletiva (ABRASCO), compondo o GT de Saúde da População LGBTI+. 

Michelle Cristine Medeiros Jacob, Nutrir Community Garden Laboratory (LabNutrir), Department of Nutrition, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil

I am a nutritionist and professor at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte in the Nutrition Department. At UFRN, I also participate in the Nutrition and Social Sciences postgraduate programs. In addition, I am head of LabNutrir, the Nutrir Community Garden Laboratory, a space in which we develop research, extension, and teaching and learning activities guided through the biodiversity topic. We, the members of LabNutrir, believe that food systems need to be transformed in order to operate within planetary boundaries while providing healthy food for all and respecting all forms of culture and life. Therefore, our mission is to promote diets capable of fostering human and environmental health. As a researcher, I have been working on three main topics: (1) identification of wild foods (i.e., plants, mushrooms, meat) and traditional knowledge associated with them (e.g., food processing techniques); (2) analysis of diversity within diets and nutritional outcomes; (3) development and test of nutrition education programs focused on promoting sustainable diets. In 2021 the book "Culinária Selvagem" (Wild Culinary), written by LabNutrir members, was one of the five finalists in the "Prêmio Jabuti" (Jabuti Award), the most traditional and prestigious literary prize in Brazil. Since 2021 I have been a productivity fellow in CNPq, the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development in Brazil. Research topics: Food Systems, Biodiversity, Wild Foods, Food Security, Sustainable Diets, Ethnonutrition.

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Published

28-12-2022

How to Cite

BRITO PORCIÚNCULA, L.; MELO DE ARAUJO, J. Y. .; DE OLIVEIRA LINO, G. .; JACOB DE MENEZES NETO, E.; GOMES, S.; CRISTINE MEDEIROS JACOB, M. In an Online Nutrition Education Program Delivered to University Students, Group Interaction was Key to Increasing Food Literacy. Revista Inter-Legere, [S. l.], v. 5, n. 35, p. c29170, 2022. DOI: 10.21680/1982-1662.2022v5n35ID29170. Disponível em: https://periodicos.ufrn.br/interlegere/article/view/29170. Acesso em: 20 dec. 2024.

Issue

Vol. 5 No. 35 (2022): Inter-Legere

Section

ARTIGOS

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Copyright (c) 2022 Laura Brito Porciúncula, Joana Yasmin Melo de Araujo, Giuliana de Oliveira Lino, Elias Jacob de Menezes Neto, Sávio Gomes, Michelle Cristine Medeiros Jacob

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