Factors influencing Nutritional Needs of Children with Disabilities in United Arab Emirates: Special Education Teachers vs Parents: NUTRITION AND CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES

Ashraf Moustafa; Maxwell Peprah Opoku; Thara Alkhateri; Noora Anwahi; Wadima Al Dhaheri; Aisha Alsuwaidi

doi:10.20372/dcidj.722

Factors influencing Nutritional Needs of Children with Disabilities in United Arab Emirates: Special Education Teachers vs Parents

NUTRITION AND CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES

Authors

Dr Ashraf Moustafa https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6730-4680
Dr Maxwell Peprah Opoku https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7620-0007
Ms Thara Alkhateri Special Education Department, United Arab Emirates University, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates.
Ms Noora Anwahi
Ms Wadima Al Dhaheri
Ms Aisha Alsuwaidi

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.20372/dcidj.722

Keywords:

nutrition, Parents, special education teachers, policy, United Arab Emirates

Abstract

Aims: Children with disabilities are likely to have poor eating habits, resulting in being underweight or overweight. The United Nations in the Sustainable Development Goals, has strongly encouraged countries to promote good eating habits among children. However, studies on ways to effectively promote the nutritional needs of children with disabilities are quite limited. Using a health literacy model by Nutbeam as a framework, this study attempted to develop insights into the factors which may impact the understanding and practice of stakeholders about the nutritional needs of children with disabilities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Methods: The revised Food and Nutritional Literacy Scale was used to collect data from 149 parents and special education teachers. The survey data collected from parents and special education teachers were analysed by computing the mean and subjecting them to t-test and one- and two-way analysis of variances.

Results: The results showed ambivalence of parents and teachers on knowledge and practical skills to promote good eating habits among children with disabilities. Moreover, variables such as age, participant type, nationality, gender, and awareness of nutritional policy were found to influence awareness about nutritional needs of children with disabilities.

Conclusion and implications: The study concludes with a recommendation to policymakers in the UAE to expedite public education and the importance of professional development in the area of safe and good nutrition for children with disabilities by key stakeholders.

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Published

2024-01-29

How to Cite

Moustafa A, Opoku MP, Alkhateri T, Anwahi N, Al Dhaheri W, Alsuwaidi A. Factors influencing Nutritional Needs of Children with Disabilities in United Arab Emirates: Special Education Teachers vs Parents: NUTRITION AND CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES . DCIDJ [Internet]. 2024 Jan. 29 [cited 2024 Oct. 6];34(3):147-61. Available from: https://dcidj.uog.edu.et/index.php/up-j-dcbrid/article/view/722

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Issue

Vol. 34 No. 3 (2023): Autumn Issue 2023

Section

Original Research Articles

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DCIDJ has been moved from Liliane Foundation to the University of Gondar

July 31, 2023

We are pleased to inform you that the Disability, CBR, and Inclusive Development Journal (DCIDJ) has moved from the Liliane Foundation (https://dcidj.org) to the University of Gondar (https://dcidj.uog.edu.et). The University of Gondar is the only university that owns the CBR Program in Ethiopia. The CBR program was established in 2005 in partnership with Light for the World and Save the Children to alleviate various problems faced by persons with disabilities due to lack of access to rehabilitation services and community awareness. The University of Gondar (Ethiopia) and Queen’s University (Canada), supported by the Mastercard Foundation, have developed a 10-year partnership to advance inclusive higher education for young people with disabilities, develop new occupational therapy programs, and advance research for inclusive education and community-based rehabilitation in Africa. Hence, the University of Gondar is an excellent fit to manage the journal as it has extensive experience in the field of disability, CBR, and inclusive development.

The DCIDJ is an online journal with a 33-year-old history of publishing research in the broad field of rehabilitation and disability inclusion. It is an open-access journal that aims to provide a platform for high-quality and innovative research that includes a diverse range of perspectives, including academics, researchers, scholars, and postgraduate students. The journal covers topics such as disability rights, inclusive education, community-based rehabilitation, disability and development, and more. The journal is a quarterly publication that will be available online in four issues per year. We would like to acknowledge the good relationship with the Liliane Foundation and Enablement who chose the University of Gondar as a sustainable base as this university is one of the leading universities in Ethiopia in the field of disability, development, and rehabilitation. This is a positive step towards enhancing the dissemination and impact of research and knowledge in the CBR/CBID community.