Parents’ Knowledge Level About New Food Fear and Food Allergies

Year 2024, Volume: 34 Issue: 3, 342 - 350, 30.06.2024

Birsel Molu

https://doi.org/10.54005/geneltip.1425054

Abstract

Aim: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of food neophobia among parents of primary school-aged children, identify common allergenic foods in children, and assess parents' knowledge about food allergies.
Material and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out with parents of students attending public primary schools in a district of the Central Anatolia region in Türkiye during the spring semester of the 2022-2023 academic year. The study was conducted with 341 parents of students selected by a simple random sampling method. Data were collected using a survey method, including a researcher-prepared data collection form and the 'Fear of New Food Scale.' Data were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests. Pearson correlation analysis was utilized for examining correlation relationships.
Results: The majority of parents displayed moderate food neophobia (85.4%), with milk and dairy products, eggs, strawberries, and dyed sugar and chocolate being the most frequently reported allergenic foods for children. A significant proportion of parents (54.8%) lacked information about food allergies. The study reveals that as parents' knowledge of food allergy symptoms and prevention of allergic reactions increases, their burden as measured by the FNS score tends to decrease.
Conclusion: These findings have noteworthy implications for pediatric nursing practice, emphasizing the necessity for targeted interventions to educate parents about food allergies and promote safe practices in managing allergic reactions.

Keywords

Allergens, child, food neophobia, parents, primary school

Ebeveynlerin Yeni Besin Korkusu ve Besin Alerjileri Konusunda Bilgi Düzeyi

Abstract

Amaç: Bu çalışmanın amacı, ilkokul çağındaki çocukların ebeveynleri arasında gıda neofobisinin yaygınlığını araştırmak, çocuklarda yaygın alerjen gıdaları belirlemek ve ebeveynlerin gıda alerjileri hakkındaki bilgilerini değerlendirmektir.
Gereç ve Yöntemler: Tanımlayıcı kesitsel bir çalışma, 2022-2023 eğitim-öğretim yılı bahar döneminde Türkiye’nin İç Anadolu bölgesindeki bir ilçede bulunan devlet ilkokullarına devam eden öğrencilerin ebeveynleri ile gerçekleştirilmiştir. Çalışma, basit tesadüfi örnekleme yöntemiyle seçilen 341 öğrenci velisi ile yürütülmüştür. Veriler, araştırmacı tarafından hazırlanan veri toplama formu ve ‘Yeni Besin Korkusu Ölçeği’ni içeren bir anket yöntemi kullanılarak toplanmıştır. Veriler Kruskal-Wallis ve Mann-Whitney U testleri kullanılarak analiz edilmiştir. Korelasyon ilişkilerini incelemek için Pearson korelasyon analizi kullanılmıştır.
Bulgular: Ebeveynlerin çoğunluğu (%85,4) orta düzeyde gıda neofobisi sergilerken, süt ve süt ürünleri, yumurta, çilek ve boyalı şeker ve çikolata çocuklar için en sık bildirilen alerjen gıdalar olmuştur. Ebeveynlerin önemli bir kısmı (%54,8) gıda alerjileri hakkında bilgi sahibi değildir. Çalışma, ebeveynlerin gıda alerjisi semptomları ve alerjik reaksiyonların önlenmesi konusundaki bilgileri arttıkça, FNS skoru ile ölçülen yüklerinin azalma eğiliminde olduğunu ortaya koymaktadır.
Sonuç: Bu bulgular, ebeveynleri gıda alerjileri konusunda eğitmek ve alerjik reaksiyonları yönetmede güvenli uygulamaları teşvik etmek için hedeflenen müdahalelerin gerekliliğini vurgulayarak, pediatrik hemşirelik uygulamaları için kayda değer çıkarımlara sahiptir.

Keywords

Alerjenler, çocuk, gıda neofobisi, ebeveynler, ilkokul

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