Evidence for many years has supported that well-managed nutrition education
programmes can, at relatively low cost, bring about behaviour changes that contribute to
improved nutritional well-being (14;37). For instance, studies in the United States have
documented that carefully designed and implemented comprehensive health education curricula
can prevent certain adverse health behaviours, including dietary patterns that cause disease (3;6).
Students in behaviourally based health and nutrition education programmes have shown
significant favourable changes in blood cholesterol, blood pressure and body fat. Thus, a focus
on behaviour is considered a key determinant in the success of nutrition education programmes
(6).