Do Nutrition-related Knowledge and Attitudes Impact Food Handlers' Practices in the COVID-19 Pandemic? A Case Study in Banyumas, Indonesia.

Abstract

Objective: Knowledge, attitudes, and practices about nutrition and hygiene sanitation in food handlers are important to provide good quality snacks for school children. The objectives of this study were to analyze the relationship between knowledge and attitudes toward nutrition with hygiene sanitation practices of food handlers around elementary schools in Banyumas, Indonesia.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 150 food handlers representing urban and rural areas. The sampling method used was multistage sampling. Data on demographics, knowledge, attitudes, and practices were collected by a structured questionnaire and thorough interview with the subject.

Results: The study showed that out of the 150 subjects, 50.7% reported good nutritional knowledge, 82.7% reported good nutritional attitudes, and 75.3% reported good hygiene practices. The results showed that there was a relationship between knowledge, and attitudes, and attitudes and practices of food handlers (p <0.05) using the Spearman correlation test. There was no relationship between knowledge and practice of the subject (p >0.05).

Conclusion: There was a relationship between knowledge and attitude and between attitude and practice among food handlers. Continuous nutrition education and training should be organized to strengthen food handlers' knowledge, attitudes, and practices in areas that seem to be lacking.