Knowledge, attitudes and practices of school children with regards to beans.

Abstract

The present study identifies

knowledge, attitudes and practices with regards to beans in

school children attending third and fourth grades. An

additional test about attitudes was carried out with school

children of first, second and third grades. The study was

conduced in 1998 in Sabanilla de Montes de Oca, an urban

community of Costa Rica. The study was part of an initial

assessment done before developing an educational Campaign

aimed at increasing bean consumption. Qualitative and

quantitative methodologies were used for this purpose. The

study found that children had basic knowledge of the

nutritional value of beans, and that most of them liked beans.

However, almost 10% of the children refused to eat them, and

this attitude was found to be stronger as their age increased.

The study also identified other barriers that limit bean

consumption in school children, many of whom were

influenced by negative attitudes of adults, or because this

food was not available at home. This information was

important in the planning of the previously mentioned

educational Campaign, in which children had been selected

as an interactive group because of their close contact with

their mothers.