مقالات رزومه زهرا نامخواه

Children and adolescents in the Middle East and North Africa region (MENA) represent a crucial target population for nutritional interventions. This group is particularly susceptible to making unhealthy food choices, potentially leading to long-term consequences on their growth, and overall well-being. The objective of our systematic review is to determin the effectiveness of food and nutrition literacy interventions in influencing the dietary choices of children and adolescents in the MENA region.

We conducted a systematic review following the PRISMA guideline for reporting. The Search using words such as food consumption, nutrition literacy, Middle East and North Africa and its English synonyms in PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science databases until May 1402. 257 articles were reviewed based on inclusion and exclusion criteria, and relevant information was recorded for each article. 257 articles were reviewed. After removing duplicates, titles and abstracts, and then the full text and comprehensive explanation of the working method according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, review and related information were recorded for each article. Finally, 10 articles were selected and reviewed

The studies under review showed that interventions aimed at improving nutrition knowledge had a positive impact on nutrition-related outcomes and helped combat nutrition-related health issues. In addition, the common themes were improving nutrition knowledge, increasing awareness of the benefits and drawbacks of different foods, promoting positive changes in eating habits, addressing nutrient deficiencies, managing weight and body composition, utilizing theoretical frameworks, and evaluating the effectiveness of school-based interventions.

This review highlights the significance of nutrition education in enhancing food intake and weight management. It is recommended that future interventions be targeted towards schools and families, while utilizing behavior change models to maximize their effectiveness in improving the nutritional health of children and adolescents in the Mena region.

Understanding the affecting factors on healthy dietary choices in children and adolescents is within the significant challenges in the public health domain. Regarding substantial effects of appropriate nutrition during childhood and adolescence on growth and development, these challenges include an exceptional importance. This study was carried out with a social marketing approach to investigate relationships between the social marketing theories and dietary consumption patterns in children and adolescents.

This systematic review was carried out based on the PRISMA guidelines. A comprehensive consistent search was carried out in three databases of PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science up to April 2023. Only English-language articles were reviewed. To prevent omission of relevant studies, manual searches were carried out for the reference lists of studies and associated reviews. A total of 247 articles were reviewed.

This study identified ten intervention articles of experimental and quasi-experimental nature, using a social marketing approach in the domain of food choice in children and adolescents. These studies were carried out in various regions and countries worldwide. The reviewed studies indicated that social marketing strategies included positive effects on eating behaviors, health, physical activities and children's preferences. Television advertisements have shown negative effects on dietary behaviors and health, whereas school-based nutrition education programs and social marketing initiatives included the potentials to improve children's dietary habits.

Based on the findings of the present study, use of social marketing techniques can increase physical activities and contribute to promoting healthier food choices and well-being. Additionally, cartoon characters in marketing include positive effects on children's dietary preferences. Therefore, use of this model is recommended for the enhancement of health-oriented activities.