Evaluation of nutrition knowledge levels of mothers of mentally handicapped children and their effects on children's nutritional status of mood states

This study was conducted to determine the effects of nutritional knowledge levels and mood on the nutritional status of mothers of children with intellectual disabilities by random sampling method applied to Center for Family Support and Disability (AKDEM) in Zeytinburnu province of Istanbul between March 2018 and April 2018 It was conducted on a mother with 80 mentally disabled children aged between 2 and 18 years. A questionnaire was conducted in the Annelere where demographic characteristics for mother and child, test for measuring mother's nutritional knowledge level, emotional state test, daily food consumption frequency of the child and 1 day food intake record. Anthropometric measurements such as height and weight of the children were also taken and recorded in the form of information. SPSS 23 program was used in statistical calculations. Percentage of descriptive statistical methods, frequency distribution, chi square, t test, non parametric hypothesis tests were applied in the evaluation of findings. When the P value was less than 0.05, the difference between the groups was considered significant. When the findings are evaluated; There was a positive relationship between maternal nutritional knowledge level and energy taken by the child daily (p <0,05). A positive relationship was found between the level of nutritional information of the mother and the protein taken by the child daily (p <0,01). There was a positive relationship between mothers' emotional state and energy taken by the child daily (p <0.001). There was a positive correlation between the mood of the mother and the daily protein intake of the child (p <0.05). As a result of this study, it was determined that mother's level of knowledge and emotional state had an effect on the child's nutritional status. Increasing awareness and psychological support of mothers with mental disabilities by providing nutrition education to their mothers is thought to be beneficial for the growth and development of the child.