Background: Adolescence is a critical period for establishing lifelong dietary habits (World Health Organization, 2018). School-based Nutrition Education (NE) is a key strategy for improving nutritional knowledge. However, the effectiveness of such education in low- and middle-income countries like South Africa, with its persistent double burden of malnutrition, requires continuous evaluation.
Objective: This study assessed the level and nature of nutrition knowledge among high school learners and explored its association with grade level, subject exposure, and food group awareness.
Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 60 Grade 10–12 learners (50% male, 50% female) from three schools in the Thabo Mofutsanyana District, South Africa. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire, capturing familiarity with core nutritional concepts and exposure to NE. Descriptive statistics (frequencies, percentages, means, standard deviations) and chi-square tests were used for analysis, framed within the Knowledge component of the Knowledge-Attitude-Practice (KAP) model.
Results: Learners demonstrated high familiarity with the benefits of fruits and vegetables (mean = 4.5 ± 0.7) and risks of excessive fat (mean = 4.2 ± 1.0), but significantly lower knowledge regarding the risks of high carbohydrate consumption (mean = 2.7 ± 1.4). While 83.3% reported receiving NE, exposure was highest in Grade 10 (35%) and primarily through Natural Science and Technology (45%) and Life Sciences (35%). Awareness was universal for fruits & vegetables (100%) but lower for carbohydrates (60%).
Conclusion: Learners possess uneven nutrition literacy, with identifiable gaps in understanding macronutrients like carbohydrates. NE delivery is fragmented across subjects and grades. To bridge the knowledge-practice gap, a more structured, comprehensive, and contextually relevant NE curriculum, potentially with standalone status, is recommended to empower adolescents to make informed dietary choices.

Authors:
Valentine Okwara, University of Free State, South Africa
Boitumelo Motleleng, University of Free State, South Africa

About the Presenter(s)
Dr Valentine Okwara is a Lecturer & Program director at faculty of Education, UFS, South Africa. STEAM/STEM education is his research niche. He is involved in teacher pedagogy research, with a team from 13 universities funded by the NECT South Africa

Connect on Linkedin
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-valentine-okwara-2625bb27

Connect on ResearchGate
https://www.researchGate.net/profiles/valentine_okwara

Additional website of interest
https://www.tintin.co.za

See this presentation on the full schedule – Thursday Schedule

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