Effects of School-Based Nutrition Education on Dietary Habits of Primary School Pupils in Aba, Abia State

Establishing healthy dietary habits during childhood creates the foundation for lifelong nutritional wellbeing and chronic disease prevention. This study evaluates the effects of a school-based nutrition education programme on the dietary habits of primary school pupils in Aba, Abia State, South East Nigeria. A quasi-experimental pre-test post-test design with a control group was employed, with 240 pupils from four primary schools assigned to experimental and control groups. The eight-week nutrition education intervention delivered participatory lessons covering food groups, balanced meals, importance of breakfast, healthy snacking, and personal food hygiene, supplemented by visual aids and food demonstrations. Dietary habits were assessed using a validated dietary habits questionnaire adapted for primary school age groups, administered before and after the intervention. Findings reveal statistically significant improvements in breakfast consumption frequency, fruit and vegetable intake, and reduction in high-sugar snack consumption among experimental group pupils. Improvement magnitudes are greatest among pupils aged 9 to 11 years. Parental endorsement of healthy dietary changes is reported by 63 percent of experimental group participants, suggesting positive spillover to the home environment. The control group demonstrates no significant dietary habit changes over the same period. Recommendations include incorporating structured nutrition education into the primary school curriculum, training teachers in participatory nutrition education, and establishing school gardens as supplementary hands-on nutrition learning tools. Keywords: nutrition education, dietary habits, primary school pupils, Aba, Abia State