Class size as a determinant factor in dietary changes in nursing students / El tamaño de la clase como factor determinante en los cambios dietéticos en estudiantes de enfermería
The aim of this study is to assess the impact of a nutritioncourse on dietary changes among undergraduate nursing students, taking into account the size of the class group.
Methodology:
A pre-post quasi-experimental study with a within-subject design was conducted, measuring the baseline period (T0-T1) and intervention period (T1-T2). The educational intervention focused on providing basic nutritional knowledge about nutrients, balanced diets and the Mediterranean Diet within a Faculty of Medicine and Nursing. Participants included first-year undergraduate nursing students, divided into three groups based on class size large group (n = 101), medium group (n = 70) and small group (n = 22). The frequency of recommended food group consumption for main, daily, weekly and occasional meals, as well as adherence to the Mediterranean Diet was analyzed.
Findings:
Only the small class group demonstrated a significant improvement in dietary quality following the educational intervention (p < 0.05), with increased consumption of fruits (p < 0.05), nuts (p < 0.001), and oily fish (p < 0.05).