The Role of School Nutrition Policy in the Prevention of Dental Caries and Obesity in Public Primary School Children, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Background: School wellness programs aim to provide children with the knowledge and skills they need to make favorable lifestyle choices. The aim of this research was to provide further evidence on the impact of Saudi nutrition policy in schools on dental caries and obesity among public primary school children in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Methods: A mixed-method approach was used to address the aim of this thesis. This included a cross-sectional study in which a random selection of public primary schools from Riyadh were assessed using a checklist to determine their adherence to the Ministry of Education school canteen guidelines. This was followed by an assessment of dental caries and overweight/obesity of students in schools who had either average adherence or poor adherence to the guidelines set by the Ministry of Education. In addition, structured questionnaires were used to evaluate children's dental health, as well as the nutritional knowledge, attitudes, and practices of teachers and parents, along with parenting style. The mixed method approach also included a qualitative study, using a semi-structured interview with headteachers and teachers to gather their insights into the school canteen guidelines in public primary schools. Results: The results indicated that school canteens were either average or poor in their alignment with the guidelines set by the Ministry of Education. The study found no evidence of a difference in the severity, prevalence of dental caries, or the prevalence of overweight/obesity with adherence to the Ministry of Education school canteen guidelines. Teachers were found to be limited in their nutritional knowledge, and no evidence was found between nutritional knowledge and sociodemographic factors. For parents, the predominant parenting style was authoritative, and their nutritional knowledge was also found to be limited and showed evidence of a relationship with their education level and family income. However, no evidence was found for the relationship between parenting style or parents' nutritional knowledge with their children's dental caries experience. Conclusion: This study found no evidence of an impact of school nutritional policy on dental caries and overweight/obesity in public primary schools in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. However, due to the level of school canteen compliance being either ‘poor’ or ‘average’ and none being found ‘good,’ a clear conclusion cannot be reached.