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Research for a Masters of Public Health by a recent Curtin University of Technology graduate has proved beneficial for WA health organisations who are addressing nutrition in schools.
Katherine Bathgate’s research was focused on food eaten at school. She talked with parents and carers of children in pre-school to grade two from nine Perth primary schools to determine the impact of socioeconomic status and other factors on school food selection by parents.
The data showed that for many reasons some children were less likely to have fruit and vegetable choices in their lunch box. She also found that the resources available to parents needed to be more target specific.
Ms Bathgate, who is also a Lecturer in Nutrition at Curtin, explained some of the common confusion surrounding proper nutrition for children.
“I approached the schools as a student and a mother facing the same problems and challenges as everyone else who wants to give their children healthy and nutritional lunches,” Ms Bathgate said.
“I interviewed over fifty parents from a diverse range of backgrounds and found there was still general confusion about what nutritional foods should be included in the lunch box and the issue of food safety such as keeping the food cold enough for consumption.”
“I empathise with other parents and face the same choices and information overload that they do when it comes to feeding my children.”
“But as parents today, we are becoming increasingly aware of providing whole, nutritious foods and staying away from the range of pre-packaged, but convenient, foods that tempt us from the supermarket shelf.”
Ms Bathgate said completing her Masters was hard work but extremely satisfying. As mother of two with another on the way, she said her subject was not only topical but also relevant to her as a mother of primary school age children.
Editor's Note: Original news release can be found here.
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