Enhancing Knowledge and Attitudes Through the 'Healthy Nutrition' Education Program

Increasing the Level of Knowledge and Reflecting on Attitudes With the "Healthy Nutrition" Training to the Individuals in the Nursing Home in Izmir Buca Social Life Campus

This study aims to assess the impact of a "Healthy Nutrition" education program on the knowledge and attitudes towards healthy eating among elderly individuals residing in a Social Life Campus. The study utilizes a Solomon four-group experimental design, involving participants divided into an experimental group and a control group. Participants were selected based on their ability to effectively participate in the education program, with no psychological or neurological illnesses

The study was conducted using an experimental method to examine the effect of healthy nutrition education on the nutritional awareness and attitudes of older adults residing in a social living home for the elderly (SLHO) within the Izmir Buca Social Life Campus. The study was conducted between 01 February 2023 and 01 June 2024.

The study was conducted among elderly residents aged 60 years and older, without psychiatric or neurological diseases. Participants were divided into experimental and control groups. The Solomon Four Group Design was utilized to compare the effects of the intervention, including pretest and posttest measurements to account for time-dependent changes.

Ethical approval for the study was obtained from the Izmir Democracy University Non-Interventional Clinical Research Ethics Committee, with the decision numbered 2023/02-13, dated 01/02/2023. All participants signed an informed consent form before the study commenced.

The "Healthy Nutrition" education program included two sessions lasting a total of 2 hours. The first session involved traditional presentation-based education, while the second session was an interactive question and answer session. Only the experimental group received this training.

Data collection involved:

Sociodemographic Data Form: Collected basic demographic information such as age, gender, and educational status.

Nutrition Knowledge Scale (NKS) and Healthy Nutrition Attitude Scale (HNAS): Used to measure participants' nutritional knowledge levels and attitudes. These scales were administered both before and after the educational intervention to assess the potential impact of the program.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Must be a resident at İzmir Buca Social Life Campus.
• Must be willing to participate voluntarily.
• Must not have any psychological or neurological disorders (e.g., dementia, Alzheimer's disease) that would prevent participation in the training.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Non-voluntary participation: Individuals who are not willing to participate voluntarily.
• Presence of psychological or neurological disorders (e.g., dementia, Alzheimer's disease) that would prevent participation in the training.