AN ACTION RESEARCH ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF HEALTHY NUTRITIONAL HABITS IN PRESCHOOL STUDENTS

Authors

  • İlker Kösterelioğlu Professor, Dr., Department of Curriculum, Instruction and Teaching, Faculty of Education, Amasya University, Türkiye
  • Emel Çelik Yalçın Teacher, Ministry of Education, City of Amasya, Türkiye

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.46827/ejes.v12i11.6321

Keywords:

preschool, nutrition, nutrition habits, action research, consumption preferences

Abstract

The preschool is a very important period for developing nutritional habits in adulthood. They start coming to school after acquiring certain nutritional habits. When new preschool children were observed in the feeding environment, it was observed that they avoided eating certain foods. For this reason, it was decided to conduct an action research on students' nutrition habits. The research questions What are children's food choices and eating preferences at the beginning of the semester?” and “How did students' nutrition habits change after the implementation?” were answered. The study is an action research conducted to find a solution to a problem encountered by a teacher in her lessons. The participants of the study consisted of 14 students attending a kindergarten in Amasya city centre. The data were obtained through observation forms prepared for teachers and parents to determine the food preferences of preschool students at the beginning and end of the semester. Students' preference variables for the 54 foods offered to students at the school were determined before and after the intervention. According to the findings obtained from teacher observations and parents' observations, it was concluded that children's preferences for 54 foods were effective in their positive and high-level consumption preferences. The least preferred foods at the beginning of the semester were mostly vegetables (parsley, leek, vegetable soup, green lentils, broccoli, eggplant, cauliflower, spinach). The frequency of consumption preference was high in 46 of the 54 foods offered on the school menu (f=12, f=13, and f=14).

 

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Author Biographies

  • İlker Kösterelioğlu, Professor, Dr., Department of Curriculum, Instruction and Teaching, Faculty of Education, Amasya University, Türkiye

    Prof. Dr. İlker Kösterelioğlu is a faculty member in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at Amasya University's Faculty of Education. He conducts academic research in the areas of curriculum, teacher training, active learning methods, and educational policy development. He has participated in national and international research projects and has published numerous publications in these areas.

    Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=tr&as_sdt=0%2C5&q=ilker+k%C3%B6sterelioglu&btnG=&oq=

    ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1785-7003

  • Emel Çelik Yalçın, Teacher, Ministry of Education, City of Amasya, Türkiye

    Emel Çelik Yalçın is a school principal at a kindergarten in Amasya, Türkiye. She is also a preschool teacher. She was working as a teacher at the time of the study. She is a teacher who is willing to participate in various activities and projects for her professional development.

    ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0001-0520-469X

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Published

2025-10-14

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Vol. 12 No. 11 (2025)

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