Development of Food and Nutritional Management Model Using Mother’s Food Guideline, Nathawee-sao Sub-District, Songkhla Province

Abstract

This participatory action research aimed to develop a model of food and nutritional management using a mother’s food guideline which included clean and safe food, good nutrition, and made with love in conjunction with a communication strategy to adjust health behaviors and communication in collaboration with all networks of communities. Research had 2 phases namely, Phase 1: Preparation, a study of the current situation and nutritional problems, for this phase, data were collected from mother representatives at the family level including 4 age groups; preschool-aged children, school-aged children, pregnant women, and older adults with a total of 160 families. Participants were selected using the purposive sampling method. Data were collected through questionnaires, interviews, and observations. Phase 2: Developing consisted of the analysis of nutritional status problems, developing food and nutritional management model, implementation and reflection. Co-researchers included administrators and members of sub-district administration organizations, a village headman, registered nurses, village health volunteers, administrators of elementary schools, teachers, and representatives of parents, pregnant women, and older adults, with a total of 58. Focus group discussions, interviews, and observations were used for data collection which was taken for 1 year from October 2018 to September 2019. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and using content analysis for qualitative data. 

Research results revealed that a model of food and nutritional management using a mother s’ food guideline could be categorized into 5 activities according to a circle of participatory action research including 1) building situation perception and awareness of nutrition problems in communities, 2) managing community environment to facilitate nutritional behavior, 3) starting a new trend of family dining, 4) development of leaders of mother’s food, and 5) pushing mother's food issue into a local development plan.

The model of nutritional management using the mother's food guideline was a result of strengthening community action and developing the personal skills of Ban Lamlong community. This is an important approach to sustainable nutrition and health management.