Abstract

Background: The rising prevalence of type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (DM) among adolescents is a growing public health concern. School-based nutrition education is a promising preventive strategy to promote healthy eating habits early in life.


Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of nutrition education in improving knowledge, attitudes, and healthy eating behaviors as a preventive measure against DM among students at SMK Al-Wathan Ambon.


Methods: A quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest control group design was conducted in October 2023. A total of 60 students were assigned to either intervention or control groups. The intervention consisted of two weeks of interactive nutrition education. Data were collected using questionnaires and observation sheets, and analyzed using paired t-tests and Mann-Whitney tests.


Results: The intervention group showed a significant increase in knowledge scores (p=0.000), positive attitudes (p=0.001), and frequency of vegetable and fruit consumption (p<0.005). Understanding of DM prevention increased from 36.7% to 90.0% in the intervention group, while no meaningful change was observed in the control group.


Conclusion: Nutrition education effectively improves adolescents’ understanding and behavior related to DM prevention through balanced healthy eating. Schools play a crucial role as platforms for health promotion, especially in island regions.