The effect of nutrition education on the snack food behavior of public elementary school children in Costa Rica

The snacking behaviors of students and the effect of a nutrition education unit (NEU) on third graders in Costa Rica were investigated. After a pilot phase, eight schools from San Jose were randomly selected. School sodas (snack bars or stores) were described using nonparticipant-observation techniques. The survey sample (N = 105) consisted of soda managers and teachers and students from grades three and six who were interviewed. Third graders also completed 24-hour food recalls.;Chips, carbonated beverages, cookies, fruits, and confectionery were the most frequently consumed snacks at the sodas. Third graders were more likely to bring a snack bag from home to school than sixth graders. The diet of third graders was high in total fat, saturated fat, sugar, caffeine, and low in fiber. Snacks from the soda contributed one-third of the daily sugar intake.;Thereafter, a four-session NEU on "choosing nutritious snacks at the soda" was developed. The NEU included demonstrations, skits, slides, games, stories, oath, and certificate of completion. It was tested with 109 third graders at two purposively-selected schools in San Jose. Students were randomly selected and assigned to groups following Solomon's three group experimental design. Groups were equivalent in size, age, gender composition, academic performance, and socioeconomic status. Written exam scores and food coupon purchases were used as the two pre- and-posttest methods.;The differences in mean exam scores between groups were highly statistically significant at posttest (F = 46.15, p ;These findings suggest that a four-session NEU may have a meaningful and positive short-term effect on the snack food behaviors of third graders. The results further indicate that the school soda can function as an influential learning lab and as a nutritional alternative to meeting the RDAs of elementary students in Costa Rica.