Knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of nutrition among school teachers in Bangladesh: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background Teachers play a pivotal role in imparting nutritional knowledge to their students. This research aimed to evaluate the nutrition-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of selected Bangladeshi school teachers across the country. Methods A cross-sectional study was performed using a multistage sampling method. A pretested and structured questionnaire was used to collect data. Statistical analyses, including descriptive statistics, multiple regression analysis, and ANOVA tests, were performed to carry out the study. Results Among the 280 participants, only 9.9% were happy with their understanding of childhood nutrition requirements, around 54.2% were familiar with basic nutrition-related knowledge, and overall, 97.7% of participants had a positive attitude towards learning about nutrition-related knowledge focusing on the well-being of children. Moreover, only 38.7% had training in pediatric nutrition. Age, type of school, type of residence, professional training of school teachers, and the intent of having ever taken part or paying attention to nutrition-related knowledge significantly impacted the respondents’ nutrition knowledge score (p<0.05). Conclusion Adequate planning and intervention measures should be developed to improve teachers’ understanding, behavior, and practice that encourage the growth of optimal nutrition-related behavior among school-aged children to establish a healthy nation.