An evaluation of knowledge and current trends of omega-3 (n-3) supplementation in parents of children at public primary schools in the City of Cape Town

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Background:Omega-3 fattyacidsandsupplementationis verytopical,attractingboth public and interest from the industry. Findings from various research studies led anumberofauthoritiestoencouragethegeneralpopulationtoconsumemore omega-3. This is the first study of its kind to be conducted in this population.Objective:Todetermine thecurrentknowledgeandtrendsofomega-3(n-3) supplementation in parents of children at public primary schools in the City of Cape Town.Design:Anobservational andanalyticaland descriptiveandcross-sectionalstudy was performed.Methods:Purposivesampling was used toselect a minimum of 150 parentsfrom the six (6) randomly selected public primary schools. The schools were then divided intothreedifferentlivingstandardmeasure(LSM)groups. Theresearch questionnairewasmadeavailableattheParentTeachersmeetingswhereall parents had the option to complete the questionnaire anonymously at the meeting. Results: Six hundred and fifty seven (n=657) parents, mostly mothers, with a mean ageof37years,completedandreturnedthequestionnaires. Themeanmonthly income(p=0.00,SD=2.63)andtheeducationlevel(p=0.00,SD=1.37)differed significantlybetweeneachofthethreeLSMgroups. Priortothestudy,80.1% of parents(n=526)hadheardofomega-3supplementsandoverallknowledgeof omega-3 was significantly better in this group (p=0.00) when compared to the group thathadnotheardof omega-3previously. Theoverallmeanomega-3knowledge scoreforthe three LSM groups(n=657)was71%. Thehighand low LSM groups differed significantlyintermsofomega-3knowledge (p=0.02),butnotstatistically significantlyonceadjustedforincomeandeducationlevel (p=0.75). Themain sources of information, where all parents (n=526) indicated having heard of omega-3 supplements, wasfromtelevision(n=230,35%),books(n=220, 33.5%)andthe health worker (n=199, 30.3%).A total of 38.5% (n=253) of parents indicated that they gave their children omega-3 supplements.Theoverallomega-3knowledgewassignificantlybetter(p=0.00)in parentswhogave theirchildren omega-3supplementsthanthegroupthatdidnot give supplements to their children. Income and the education level differed between all three LSM groups for those giving their children omega-3 supplements, but these variables did not influence the choice to give omega-3 supplements. Doctors (n=58, 22.9%) and the parents' own decision (n=60, 23.7%) to supplement were the most favouredsourcesof recommendation indicated overall. Mostparents indicatedthat theomega-3supplementtheyadministeredwasfromamarinesource(n=105, 41.5%). Only 35.2% (n=89)ofparentsgiving omega-3 supplements indicatedthey knew the dose they were administering. Most of the children (n=90) were taking 500 mg omega-3 supplements daily.ConclusionsandRecommendations:Statisticallysignificantdifferencesexistedbetweenthethree LSMgroups regardingvariousaspectsofomega-3 knowledgeand thesourcesfromwhichparents had been informed and thosewho gave their childrenomega-3 supplements.Recommendationsincludeeducationandpublic health programs supplying informationto parentson omega-3supplementation,as well as on omega-3 in the children's diets.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University