Qualitative study on nutritional knowledge of primary-school children and mothers in Tehran

The nutritional education demands of primary-school children in Tehran were evaluated in a qualitative study, through 20 focus group discussions, 16 for children and 4 for mothers, among 128 children aged 6-11 years and 32 mothers in 8 primary schools in Tehran. Children knew about the advantages of different food groups, including helping digestion, growth and increasing intelligence. They obtained their knowledge mainly from their parents and television, as well as books, teachers and friends. Mothers thought the sources that had most effect on children's nutritional knowledge were television advertisements, parents and classmates. Most of the children claimed that they preferred to learn about nutrition from their parents and television, e.g. children's programmes and advertisements.