Nutrition education : a case study at Mohlabetsi High School
type: CreativeWork
description: The case study explored the knowledge and understanding of nutritional issues by Mohlabetsi Senior Secondary School grade 12 learners. The information was collected through a test that was administered to the learners under test conditions. The test consisted of multiple choice type questions, short answer questions and definition of terms. Analysis of the results were limited to multiple choices questions because they cover a wide portion of the syllabus, and the definition of terms because they could help the researcher determine whether the learners are learning with understanding or not. The second tool used in the research was a hands on-activity where the subjects determined their Body Metabolic Indices to deterrnine their nutritional status. The results of the study showed that the learners harbour misconceptions about nutrition issues. For instance, the subjects had problems in defining a list of given terms relating to types of nutrition. The terms referred to different options of feeding. In defining terms the subjects combined words they had heard or used phrases which did not respond to the question asked or did not make sense. Language problems were prominent in the answers the subjects gave. One example was for a subject to define malnutrition as "the impairment of the diet from the body". Only 35% of the students obtained marks above 50 in the multiple choice questions. The low scores could also be attributed to poor comprehension of the language of instructions that is not their mother tongue. In terms of the nutritional status of the subjects, weight problems already exist in some of them. Because of the highly active lives of teenagers one does not anticipate weight problems among youth. There were 14.54% students with BMI above 30, that is, subjects that were overmass. Other subjects (9.10%) were obese. If these students do not loose mass and carry their present mass to adulthood, they are at risk. These subjects are an insurance liability and lik…
abstract: The case study explored the knowledge and understanding of nutritional issues by Mohlabetsi Senior Secondary School grade 12 learners. The information was collected through a test that was administered to the learners under test conditions. The test consisted of multiple choice type questions, short answer questions and definition of terms. Analysis of the results were limited to multiple choices questions because they cover a wide portion of the syllabus, and the definition of terms because they could help the researcher determine whether the learners are learning with understanding or not. The second tool used in the research was a hands on-activity where the subjects determined their Body Metabolic Indices to deterrnine their nutritional status. The results of the study showed that the learners harbour misconceptions about nutrition issues. For instance, the subjects had problems in defining a list of given terms relating to types of nutrition. The terms referred to different options of feeding. In defining terms the subjects combined words they had heard or used phrases which did not respond to the question asked or did not make sense. Language problems were prominent in the answers the subjects gave. One example was for a subject to define malnutrition as "the impairment of the diet from the body". Only 35% of the students obtained marks above 50 in the multiple choice questions. The low scores could also be attributed to poor comprehension of the language of instructions that is not their mother tongue. In terms of the nutritional status of the subjects, weight problems already exist in some of them. Because of the highly active lives of teenagers one does not anticipate weight problems among youth. There were 14.54% students with BMI above 30, that is, subjects that were overmass. Other subjects (9.10%) were obese. If these students do not loose mass and carry their present mass to adulthood, they are at risk. These subjects are an insurance liability and lik…
author: Sihlangu, Paulinah Thembeni Mashopane
keywords: Nutrition--South Africa--Dennilton--Case studies, Health education--South Africa--Dennilton--Case studies, Food habits--South Africa--Dennilton--Case studies
license: https://devspace.unizulu.ac.za/bitstreams/a04b79ae-e003-4034-8288-c230f53754f4/download
date published: 2004
date modified: 2026-07-24T06:16:53Z
provider: University of Zululand
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: University of Zululand