NUTRITION TRAINING (PVO CARE)

RECOMMENDS COMPLETION OF A FINAL REPORT ON PROJECT INCLUDE A DESCRIPTION OF SURVEY METHODOLOGY USED IN DETERMINING THE HEIGHT-WEIGHT-AGE RATIOS AND AN ASSESSMENT OF THEVALIDITY OF THIS METHODOLGOY FOR FUTURE NUTRITION SURVEYS INHAITI. PROJECT TO PROVIDE PRACTICAL EDUCATION IN NUTRITION, SCHOOL GARDENING AND HYGIENE FOR PRIMARY SCHOOL STUDENTS, THEIR TEACHERS AND PARENTS REACHED 129000 SCHOOL CHILDREN OF WHICH 12000 WERE ENROLLED IN 90 CARE-SUPERVISED SCHOOLS. THESE CHILDREN PARTICIPATED IN 2 SURVEYS (AT BEGINNING AND END OF PROJECT) WHICH MEASURED HEIGHT-WEIGHT-AGE RATIOS, FOOD HABITS, NUTRITIONAL AWARENESS. OF 90 SCHOOLS, 73 RECEIVED PL 480 FOOD. 17 SCHOOLS NOT PARTICIPATING IN THE PL-480 PROGRAM SERVED AS CONTROL TO MEASURE IMPORTANCE OF PL-480 FOOD IN DIET OF SCHOOLCHILDREN. DURING 2-YEAR PROJECT, CARE NUTRITIONIST CONDUCTED 4 NUTRITION SEMINARS ATTENDED BY 430 PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS. NUTRITION IS NOW A PERMANENT PART OF THE SUMMER SESSION CURRICULUM FOR PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS AND ALSO ADOPTED ON ANATIONAL LEVEL. EACH SCHOOL HAD A VEGETABLE GARDEN. HYGIENIC INSTRUCTION COVERED THE BOILING OF DRINKING WATER, CONSTRUCTION OF LATRINES. FAMILY PLANNING CLINIC LISTS PROVIDED FORTHOSE INTERESTED. PROBLEMS OF LOGISTICS AND INSUFFICIENT PERSONNEL CUT SURVEYS FROM 3 TO 2. INSUFFICIENT FOOD AND MONEYHAMPERS NUTRITION PROJECTS. HARMFUL DIETARY PRACTICES OF CHILDREN AND THEIR PARENTS REMAINED UNCHANGED. FOR NUTRITIONAL-PATTERNS-CHANGE, PARENTS MUST RECEIVE INSTRUCTION IN NUTRITION. IF THE PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHER IS TO WIN HAITIANS OVER TO BETTER NUTRITION PRACTICES, SHE MUST LIVE IN THE COMMUNITY. THE IMPORTANCE OF PL-480 FOOD TO PRIMARY EDUCATION BECAME EVIDENT DURING THE COURSE OF THE PROJECT. SCHOOL ENROLLMENT IS APPARENTLY HIGHER IN THOSE SCHOOLS WHICH RECEIVE PL-480 FOOD. CHILDREN STAY IN SCHOOL LONGER; THEY ARE, ON THE WHOLE, BETTER STUDENTS. NUTRITION EDUCATION FOR TEACHERS INCREASES THE CHILD"S AWARENESS OF NUTRITION, BUT THE EFFECT ON THE NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF CHILDREN IS NEGLIGIBLE.