Action Plan: Advocacy for Children’s Nutrition

This action plan aims to advocate for nutritional food requirements for children by educating parents, teachers, and community members on the importance of a balanced diet. It addresses the significance of children's nutrition, the motives behind the plan, goals, actions and strategies, key activities, key targets/participants, and estimated timeframe. The plan also highlights the rationale behind the actions and strategies, as well as the reflection and evaluation process.

Running head: ACTION PLAN: ADVOCACY FOR CHILDREN’S NUTRITION 1
Action Plan: Advocacy for Children’s Nutrition
Name
Institution

ACTION PLAN: ADVOCACY FOR CHILDREN’S NUTRITION 2
Action Plan: Advocacy for Children’s Nutrition
Title: Advocating for nutritional food requirements by our children to parents, teachers and
community members.
Objective: To educate children, parents, teachers, and members of the community on the need
for their children to observe a balanced diet in their meals.
Significance of the Plan: This plan will be very important for any individual who is
concerned with promoting the health standards of children. The plan will be helpful to all
children from families of all walks of life. The plan is constructed basing on existing research
and literature surrounding the concept of nutrition on children. Considering that there is
inadequate research done to promote healthy dietary behaviors for children in rich family
settings, this advocacy plan will be very resourceful for affluent parents. The research,
however, does not overlook the need to advocate for proper diets to children from poor
backgrounds. The plan will optimally utilize the pieces of evidence of risky health eating
behaviors manifested in various literature sources about the topic. Apart from parents, teachers
and academicians will find this research to be of much significance. Moreover, this advocacy
plan will be of much use to the government and other major stakeholders concerned with the
health of young children. Public health enthusiasts may also find this particular plan very
informative. Nonetheless, children's rights advocates may find this plan recommendable to
their focus groups. The plan may also be of use to future researchers concerned with the health
of children. This plan is fashioned to change the perceptions of parents, teachers, dieticians
and other relevant stakeholders on the issue of proper diets to children. Although children are
the major beneficiaries of this plan, the plan rarely addresses to educate or change their
perceptions about proper diets. According to Bronfenbrenner's ecological model, a developing

ACTION PLAN: ADVOCACY FOR CHILDREN’S NUTRITION 3
child is subject to five ecological environments. The model suggests that family and school are
the most critical systems which determine a child's life during his/her initial stages of life
(Newland, 2015). This plan is inclined to the idea that a child’s decision is mostly made by
his/her parent or teacher. A child’s decision about his or her dietary pattern may not be
reliable. Therefore, the plan will mostly target the two groups because they make the decisions
for a child.
Why is Children’s Nutrition Important? Undoubtedly, healthy children act as a guarantee
for future healthy societies. It is rational to wish for future healthy communities. Observing
proper diets on children ensures proper growth and reduces cases of malnutrition (Ibrahim,
Zambruni, Melby & Melby, 2017). Malnutrition is a leading cause of many early childhood
infections and sometimes may lead to deaths. Malnutrition is associated with the high
mortality and morbidity rates of children in Central African republics such as the Democratic
Republic of Congo (Munthali, Jacobs, Sitali, Dambe & Michelo, 2015). Many poorly fed
children lack the necessary immunity components to handle diseases. Children in poor areas
are likely to succumb to illnesses, courtesy of malnutrition. Nonetheless, according to Kirova,
Bays & Lagalwar (2015)children malnutrition adversely affects their cognitive capabilities
because the children have poor working memories. Therefore, poorly fed children are destined
to perform poorly in academics. Under-nourished children tend to develop symptoms of
anxiety, depression, stress and other psychological disorders from an early age. In many cases,
under-nourished children are aggressive and are associated to initiate fights and violence
among their peers (Chen, Corvo, Lee & Hahm, 2017). To improve education quality, food
deficiency incidences must be eliminated.

ACTION PLAN: ADVOCACY FOR CHILDREN’S NUTRITION 4
Improving the diets of our children secures children from the risky health hazards that happen
in the later phases of human life. For instance, a child who occasionally eats oranges and citrus
fruits secured from the risk of developing scurvy, a health condition that occurs during the
latter stages of a person's life (Meisel, Daggubati & Josephson, 2015). Proper feeding habits
enable children to acquire adequate nutrients for their growth and development. Children who
frequently eat balanced diets are likely to be very lively and healthy in their schools and
homes.
Motives for Action Plan: In the contemporary world, the number of children suffering from
malnutrition is alarming. According to a report by the World Health Organization, about 45%
of deaths for children under the age of 5 are associated with malnutrition (WHO, 2019). The
report further asserts that more than 155 million children under the age of 5 have stunted
growths due to malnutrition while about 41 million children are obese or overweight. These
statistics were the main motives that instigated the need for an action plan. It was apparent that
affirmative action needed to be taken for the benefit of our future society.
Goals Actions and
Strategies
Key Activities Key
Targets/Pa
rticipants
Estimated
Timeframe
Encouraging
families on
the need for
the
Conducting
meetings and
informative
rallies with
I will engage parents in social
meetings, church rallies and
market places on the importance
of observing a balanced diet in
Parents Approximatel
y two months.
For this
project, I will

ACTION PLAN: ADVOCACY FOR CHILDREN’S NUTRITION 5
observance
of balanced
diets in all
meals.
parents.
Designing
questionnaire
s and
collecting
data from
parents.
their courses. According to
Spinks & Hamilton (2016), the
major role of parenting is
ensuring that the child takes food
with the necessary nutrients
requirements. My advocacy will
aim at reminding parents of their
benign role to ensure balanced
diets in breakfast, lunch, and
supper main courses.
Parents will be asked to fill in
confidential questionnaires. I
will use the questonnaires to
write a report about nutritional
dietary behaviors in my local
area. Questionnaires are very
effective methods of data
collection because they collect
the opinionated insights and
beliefs of the respondent
(Olejide & Olusegun, 2018).
Data about each parent's
liaise with the
local
community
leaders during
Sundays and
market days to
organize
meetings.
Each meeting
is estimated to
last for only
one hour.

ACTION PLAN: ADVOCACY FOR CHILDREN’S NUTRITION 6
perceptions, opinions, and
beliefs about the concept of a
balanced diet will be much
importance because I will use
the data to deal with the parents.
Advocating
for the
introduction
of feeding
programs in
public
schools. This
goal aims at
eradicating
cases of
malnutrition
among
students.
Seeking
appointments
from school
heads and
boards.
Persuading
board
members.
I will further seek appointments
and sit with school heads as well
as members of the school boards.
The main agenda in these
settings will be incorporating the
highly beneficial school feeding
programs. Being an educator, a
teacher is obligated to play both
the role of the parent and
teacher. I will persuade teachers
and academicians to join forces
with their students' parents and
establish feeding programs in
their respective schools.
According to Rescorla, et al.,
(2014), parent-teacher
agreements are very effective in
establishing good performances
Teachers,
academician
s, and
school
heads
Thee months.
This process
is expected to
be a difficult
one,
considering
the number of
resources that
schools will
be willing to
part with.
Therefore, I
aim to leave
enough time
for educators
to
comprehend
and reassess

ACTION PLAN: ADVOCACY FOR CHILDREN’S NUTRITION 7
in schools. I will, therefore,
persuade teachers to agree with
parents about initiating feeding
programs in their schools.
Moreover, I will try to convince
teachers and educators that there
is a positive correlation between
malnutrition and poor academic
performance (Chinyoka, 2014).
Perignon, et al., (2014) assert
that malnutrition and deficiency
of necessary nutrients such as
iron are some of the factors that
lead to lower cognitive
performance. Children suffering
from feeding deficiencies show
less interest and curiosity to
academic and co-curricular
activities (Schoenmaker, et al.,
2015). Educators will thus be
asked to consider introducing
feeding programs in their
schools. Eventual improvement
my
suggestions.

ACTION PLAN: ADVOCACY FOR CHILDREN’S NUTRITION 8
of academic performance will
act as an incentive enough to
motivate the educators to
introduce feeding programs in
their schools.
Campaigning
against
snacks for
children and
compulsory
vegetable,
fruits and
water intake
to children
every day.
Modeling
posters and
banners.
Public
awareness
campaigns
and Seminars
I am also preparing to engage
teachers, parents and community
members on the need for proper
feeding for children. This
campaign will mainly warn
against the high intake of snacks
and sugary substances by our
children. According to Pehlke,
Letona, Hurley & Gittelsohn,
(2015) increased intake of
sugary substances and snacks
poses a child to the hazards of
obesity and overweight
conditions. The community will
be reminded that obesity,
contrary to many people’s
beliefs, is also a malnutrition
case. Overweight and obesity
Teachers,
Parents,
community
members.
One week at
most. The
public
awareness
campaign will
happen in the
third week of
the plan.
Every member
of the public
will be incited
in public
awareness
campaigns.
The
campaigns
will be
starting in the

ACTION PLAN: ADVOCACY FOR CHILDREN’S NUTRITION 9
health conditions lead to the
development of other health
hazards such as ADHD on
children (Güngör, Celiloğlu,
Raif, Özcan & Selimoğlu, 2016).
Affluent parents will be asked to
help their children abstain from
snacks and foods with high sugar
content.
Fruit and vegetables will be also
among the main agenda of the
public awareness campaign.
Parents and community
members will be asked to help
their children desist from their
preference of snacks and sweet
beverages to vegetables and
fruits. Gubbels, Raaijmakers,
Gerards& Kremers(2014), affirm
that children prefer snacks and
sweet beverages to vegetables
and fruits. The main objective of
this campaign will be to reverse
evenings
(from four
o’clock to six-
thirty o’clock)

ACTION PLAN: ADVOCACY FOR CHILDREN’S NUTRITION 10
the situation.
Advocating
for new
legislative
policies that
will ensure
that all
children are
properly fed.
Seeking
endorsements
from
government
officials.
The government has a role to
ensure healthy children. Any
country with children with health
problems ends up spending
money to feed the children that
could have been used in other
projects. By achieving food
security, governments have a
role to ensure that every child in
its jurisdictions is properly fed.
According to Galli, Brunori, Di
Iacovo & Innocenti (2014), the
government has an extensive
role in providing the children
with balanced diet food by
facilitating healthy feeding
programs. This report will
optimize any opportunity to
convince policymakers about the
need for healthy feeding for
children. I will also suggest
public school feeding programs
Government
officials
For the four I
will seek
intervention
from the
government
through the
available
policymakers.
If I will be
successful, a
children's diet
policy may be
adopted and
implemented
within the
next year.

ACTION PLAN: ADVOCACY FOR CHILDREN’S NUTRITION 11
and banning of toxic sugary
foods and beverages.
Rationale Behind the Actions and Strategies: Parents, teachers, government officials and
the community at large are the primary targets of this advocacy plan. Persuasion will be the
most utilized sill in this plan. I intend to persuade parents in meetings and rallies especially on
weekends because many parents have tight schedules on weekdays. School heads and board
members will be reached in board meetings because it is in such meetings where important
school decisions are made. The public awareness campaign is meant to advocate for nutrition
to the remaining part of the community that may not have been reached in meetings and
rallies. Endorsement from local politicians will be sought due to the influence held by
politicians held in our socio-political environments.
Reflection and Evaluation: In this phase, I will need to measure the effectiveness of my
methods and strategies by monitoring and evaluating various performance indicators. For
instance, if members of the public will frequently and consistently attend my public awareness
meetings, then it would mean that my advocacy is heading to success. Increased responses
from parents during meetings and rallies would also be translated as a positive way towards
achieving my goal. Moreover, if either the educators or the policymakers will successfully run
the proposed feeding program in schools, my project will be said to have yielded success.
However, if members will be decreasing from one meeting, then it would mean that something
is wrong. If the third month kicks in without any positive changes, then it will mean that my
advocacy has been a failure. In my plan, I will be free to alter the plan and put in the necessary

ACTION PLAN: ADVOCACY FOR CHILDREN’S NUTRITION 12
modifications which are thought to bring success to the project. Evaluations will be done at the
end of every week where I will involve other advocates.
. The total time within the plan is four months. The total estimated budget is $300,000. I will
be expected to work within the timeline and budget constraints. A final evaluation will be done
at the end of the project.
References
Chen, W., Corvo, K., Lee, Y., & Hahm, H. (2016). Longitudinal Trajectory of Adolescent
Exposure to Community Violence and Depressive Symptoms Among Adolescents and
Young Adults: Understanding the Effect of Mental Health Service Usage. Community
Mental Health Journal, 53(1), 39-52. doi: 10.1007/s10597-016-0031-5

ACTION PLAN: ADVOCACY FOR CHILDREN’S NUTRITION 13
Chinyoka, K. (2014). Impact of Poor Nutrition on the Academic Performance of Grade Seven
learners: A Case of Zimbabwe. International Journal Of Learning And
Development, 4(3), 73. doi: 10.5296/ijld.v4i3.6169
Galli, F., Brunori, G., Di Iacovo, F., & Innocenti, S. (2014). Co-Producing Sustainability:
Involving Parents and Civil Society in the Governance of School Meal Services. A Case
Study from Pisa, Italy. Sustainability, 6(4), 1643-1666. doi: 10.3390/su6041643
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10.3390/nu6010304
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10.1177/1087054713478465
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on Host Defense and Infection. Clinical Microbiology Reviews, 30(4), 919-971. doi:
10.1128/cmr.00119-16
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Meisel, K., Daggubati, S., & Josephson, S. (2015). Scurvy in the 21st century?. Neurology:
Clinical Practice, 5(6), 491-493. doi: 10.1212/cpj.0000000000000158

ACTION PLAN: ADVOCACY FOR CHILDREN’S NUTRITION 14
Munthali, T., Jacobs, C., Sitali, L., Dambe, R., & Michelo, C. (2015). Mortality and morbidity
patterns in under-five children with severe acute malnutrition (SAM) in Zambia: a five-
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Perignon, M., Fiorentino, M., Kuong, K., Burja, K., Parker, M., & Sisokhom, S. et al. (2014).
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ACTION PLAN: ADVOCACY FOR CHILDREN’S NUTRITION 15
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